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Health and the
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By Evagelos Dimou -
Rousoulentsis, Podiatrist
ers refer to "plantar fasciitis" as an extremely sharp pain in the heel especially
when getting out of bed in the morning. In addition, many women talk
about the "bunions" both from an aesthetic perspective and the burning and
stiffness it causes in the big toe during walking. Finally, adults and children,
between 5 and 15 years of age, often complain for stiffness in the calf muscles
of the legs and the low back pain, especially after exercising or sports.
But they probably do not know that the dropped arches of the feet or the fact
that one leg may be slightly shorter than the other can be responsible for the
above mentioned symptoms.
extremities
Of course our body type as well as the choice of footwear is closely related
to the general picture above. Narrow shoes with high heels and hard insoles
do not provide appropriate arch support and consequently change the way
our body functions. This is because there is not equal distribution of weight
throughout the feet, which in turn causes blisters, calluses, corns and other
injuries.
The solution is Podiatry; a new academic specialty which applies to every
person, despite their age. Amongst others, Podiatry deals with injuries and
musculoskeletal problems of the feet, the lower limb and the correct function
of the spine.
The basic "tool" for the diagnosis of the above mentioned conditions is the
gait analysis platform. This platform is a foot scanner with thousands digital
sensors, which is connected to a computer. The information from the static
and the dynamic examination allow the podiatrist to analyse the distribution
of weight, the pressure points, the centre of gravity of the body and the biomechanical
function of the lower limb. With this method, problems like flat
feet, high arch feet, leg length discrepancies and many others can be identified
and addressed accurately with the use of orthotics.
The next step is the manufacturing of the special made orthotics for the prevention
or the treatment of each case. The orthotics are manufactured
according to the readings from the foot scanning examination and according
to the age, the weight and the activities of each patient. In other words, the
appropriate corrective orthotic for each patient is made to ensure excellent
fit and correction of the problem. The type of orthotics differs according to the
rehabilitation stage. Usually a combination of soft and shock absorbing materials
is used until the inflammation subsides. Later on, the materials may be
substituted with harder ones in order to support the foot in a position that
ensures adequate biomechanical function of the whole lower limb and the
spine.
In conclusion, do not forget that "perfect feet" do not exist.
Hence, every foot is unique and may require special
support. Do not ignore the pain and do not get
used to live with it. Consult your podiatrist
immediately as chronic conditions
require longer treatment and are
more difficult to address. Always
remember that prevention is the
best cure.
MSc DC Chiropractic, BSc (Hons) Podiatry MSh SRCh, DPodM
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∆ËÏ: 210-9604260 ÎÈÓ: 6947640462 www.rousoulentsis.gr