OUR BENEFITS AT CASTLE FOOT HEALTH
Why should you see a Podiatrist?
About 80% of the population aged over 60 will have experienced some type of foot problem.
Increasing age causes tendons to stretch too far and become lax, causing poor ankle and arch support.
Circulation becomes slower which causes nails to grow slower, but also affects the body’s’ capability to deal with simple infections.
The skin dries out with age , especially women who are going through menopause, and produces less of its natural oils. This can lead to dry skin and small cracks, especially at the heels where the density of grease producing glands is at it’s lowest.
Nails grow thicker in response to constant damage from wearing shoes, and the nails can also grow curved as a direct result of shoe and toe position.
Also years of pressure from shoes can also produce corns and hard skin, combined with the loss of natural fatty padding in the feet and over the joints, this can become painful.
Older feet may be more prone to sores and ulcers, especially if diabetic where the normal sensitivity to pain is lost or reduced, along with damage to tiny blood vessels if diabetes is not well controlled.
One person in 50 will develop osteoarthritis in the feet, mainly in the toes, and across the mid foot due to the damage of cartilage and over use, especially when combined with poor footwear, ligament laxity, and genetic disposition.
Younger people can also have problems, normally involving ingrowing toe nails, verrucas, heel pain and associated sports/dance or biomechanical injury.
Some children are also naturally over flexible and this causes some rolling in the feet and knees. Or some others can be too tight and this can cause soft tissue pain in the legs and feet.
I have managed all the above conditions during my 32 years experience in the NHS and private practice and will continue to help with combined use of physical treatments along with insoles and advice. I hope to keep the people of Castle Bromwich area on their feet a lot longer!