Heel Pain Assessments & Gait Analysis

Are you are suffering from foot pain whilst walking or running?

If so, you may need a foot pain assessment.

Lower limb and foot pain assessments are conducted in our Podiatry Clinic’s every week in Bakewell, Buxton, and Chapel-en-le-Frith.

All 3 podiatry clinic’s are conveniently situated, near to car parks and transport links.

At Care For Feet we can provide footwear advice with a focus on shock absorption along with orthotic shoe inserts to support the arch and reduce the strain on the plantar fascia.

We may also recommend heel cups to provide cushioning and ease pain along with stretching exercises to aid rehabilitation.

Back, Knee and Foot pain

The way our feet function can have an affect on the whole of the body and poor foot function can impact your lower back, knee, ankle and feet which causes pain.

It’s no surprise some of the most common complaints are a result of poor foot function.

Plantar Fasciitis

Is a common heel pain with a gradual onset without any obvious injury to the heel area. The common cause is thought to be repetitive minor injuries and degeneration to the plantar fascia – the strong band of tissue that runs from your heel to the front of your foot, supporting the arch of your foot.

Pain is usually felt under the foot towards the heel and is most painful after resting, like when you get up in the morning. It can be triggered by wearing unsupportive shoes that overstretch the plantar fascia and cause irritation.

Runners Knee

Characterised by pain around or underneath the kneecap brought on by running and relieved by rest.

Pain may occur when getting up from a sitting position, going up and down stairs or when squatting.

You may notice a creakiness in and around the knee and the kneecap may be painful to touch. It could be the result of a biomechanical problem such as poor foot function and abnormal forces altering the muscle function, poor footwear, an increase in activity level, an unsuitable running surface or a vigorous training regime.

Left untreated this could progress to osteoarthritis in the knee.

Orthotics may be required to reduce the amount of internal rotation of the leg bone and provide support for the arch of the foot to allow the muscle function to return to normal.

Shin Splints

The aching and pain felt in shin splints is located along the tibia (shin bone) and is a common sporting injury worse during high impact activities.

Muscles responsible for bending the foot upwards can become overworked due to an increase in activity and incorrect footwear. It is common in people with flat feet as the leg rolls inwards the muscles and tendons become overloaded along the shin occurs.

If you follow the same training regime and walk or run through the pain your condition is likely to worsen and could lead to a stress fracture.

Orthotics may be required and can prevent the foot from rolling inwards and stressing the shins.

Lower Back Pain

Lower back pain could be a result of abnormalities in the posture of your feet and a podiatrist may be able to help. A poor foot posture or limb length difference can alter the way you walk and put strain on structures in your back.

Achilles Tendonitis

This can occur if there is degeneration and when there is an increase in activity, overuse or running or walking up hills.

The Achilles tendon can become inflamed and has a poor blood supply so healing can be slow. Pain commonly occurs during exercise and goes away with rest, sometimes swelling can be felt on the tendon.

Flat feet can cause an increased strain on the tendon as the leg rolls inwards the tendon twists and stretches, Footwear advice and orthotics may be prescribed by the podiatrist.

Advanced Biomechanical Assessment

The advanced biomechanical assessment can take up to 40 minutes with our Highly Specialised Musculoskeletal (MSK) Podiatrist Graeme.

Your podiatrist then checks the range of motion and strength of the joints in your legs and feet. The assessment takes place in the private clinic room and may involve assessment on the treadmill.

It is advisable to bring along a pair of shorts to change into, this allows us to assess you better. Please also remember to bring your normal footwear for us to examine and suitable footwear to accommodate an orthoses if necessary.