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Footwear Options for Foot Pain

David Fitzgerald

In yet another one of his weekly videos, David Fitzgerald from Dublin Physiotherapy gives his viewers some information on how to manage foot pain after many treatment options have failed.

People who suffer from chronic plantar fasciitis, people with arthritic changes in the joints in the bridge of the foot and mid-foot joints and people with chronic toe pain are a few of the main cases David has seen during his career. So, there are a few different conditions that might limit your ability to walk and, if conservative treatment measures have failed (such as physiotherapy and stretching), and simple solutions like a cushioned insole, there are some other medical interventions that can be tried.

If you want to know more about the subject, keep reading this article and, if you’re interested in hearing what David has to say, make sure you watch the video below.

Different issues need different treatments

So, where basic treatments have failed, there is always something else that can be done. As David says in his video, the first treatment solution might be cortisone injections, which can be used in joints where there is persistent joint pain or as an anti-inflammatory solution. Cortisone injections can give relief but there is a practical limit as to how many injections can be given to a patient and usually two or three a year would be the maximum.

Surgical procedures for sore joints are basically fusions, operations during which metal work is put in, eliminating motion and making this a pretty radical procedure. With surgical procedures, it is always better to consider the outcome of the operation beforehand.

When it comes to pain, reconstruction surgeries are a common practice that can not only relieve the patient from pain but also fix the aesthetic look of the toe. The operation usually consists of taking a wedge of bone out and putting some plates in to orientate and tighten up the tissues that had become deformed. It also happens very often that people with a degenerative big toe trivialise it, leading to a much bigger issue which also makes it difficult to walk. The main option is usually joint replacement, however, as David said in the past, he has recently come across a patient who had undergone surgery to get a ball inserted into the joint to mimic its movement, functioning very well for the patient.

What if all those options have been exhausted?

After testing all the possible solutions unsuccessfully practitioners might suggest to their patients some footwear solutions that are worth looking at. The first orthopedic shoe to be launched on the marked by MBT had a curved sole which meant that, instead of the normal straight sole, the foot would rock around the middle, taking the pressure off the heel straight away, not requiring the patient to pivot off the front of the foot too often.

While most of the orthopedic shoes on the market tend to have casual-sporty styles, a brand called Hoka has recently launched a more formal style of shoe, more suited to a formal workplace or event. Despite it being a running shoe company, Hoka has started creating designs based on the same principle as the first orthopedic shoe on the market, allowing their customers to enjoy the benefits of an orthopedic shoe while still preserving the looks of normal show designs.

These options are the perfect way of changing your walking mechanics completely, trying to take the pressure off your heels and supporting your foot pivot and walk.

Another high-end shoe brand is the Portuguese Mephisto, specialised in high-end shoes featuring this specifically curved insole. While the shoe is mainly aimed at runners, thanks to the variety of options available, it is easier for people looking for orthopedic shoes to find a style not only suited to their problem, but also to their lifestyle.

These are just a few of the many brands available and, while David does not have any collaboration with any of these,  he has noticed that many of his patients have found these shoes beneficial.

So, whether you’re looking for the perfect shoes to take the pressure off your heels or you just want to know more about foot pain, make sure you watch David’s video to learn more about this!

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