Category Archives: Orthotics

Achilles Tendonitis

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Achilles tendonitis is a condition that causes pain along the back of the leg near the heel. It is caused by overuse and degeneration of the Achilles tendon.The Achilles tendon connects your calf muscles to your heel bone. It is used when you walk, run, and jump.

Achilles tendonitis can result from a repetitive use of the tendon.This includes a sudden increase in the intensity of an activity or exercise, having tight calf muscles that that can put extra stress on the tendon, or a bone spur. Bone spurs are extra bony growths where the Achilles tendon attaches to the heel bone. Constant rubbing in this area against the tendon can cause pain.

Symptoms of Achilles tendonitis include:

  • Thickening of the tendon
  • Bone spur
  • Pain and stiffness along the Achilles tendon
  • Pain and inflammation along the back of the heel
  • Swelling around the back of the heel and ankle

Treatment of Achilles tendonitis includes:

  • Rest-decrease or stop activities that make the symptoms worse. This applies to all high-impact activities that include running, jumping, etc. If you want to remain active switch to low-impact activities such as swimming, biking, etc.
  • Icing the area will help to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. The icing is recommended for a total for 20mins at a time until the pain subsides.
  • Calf stretches-stretching the calf muscle will help stretch out and elongate the Achilles tendon.
  • Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ECSWT) – With this treatment, high energy shockwave impulses stimulate the healing process in damaged tissue.
  • Orthotics- Custom made orthotics can help re-position the foot to help reduce stress on the Achilles tendon.
  • Surgical procedures may be necessary if there is tearing or complete rupture of the Achilles tendon.

For more information on Achilles tendonitis, or to book an assessment, please call Ontario Foot & Orthotics at (905)878-6479 or visit us at www.ontariofoot.ca.

Neuromas

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A neuroma is a pinched nerve, or a nerve tumor that can be very painful. It is a benign growth of nerve tissue that is usually found between the third and fourth toes.

The neuroma is usually painful while walking. The pain is usually isolated to the third and fourth toes but can occur between other toes as well. An individual suffering from a neuroma can find relief once they remove their shoes and massage the area. Women usually develop neuromas more often then men due to ill fitted shoes.

Causes

  • Biomechanical issues such as a flat foot or a very high arch. These foot types cause instability around the joints that can lead to a neuroma.
  • Trauma that damages the nerve causing swelling and inflammation of the nerve.
  • Ill fitting shoes such as high heels that squeeze the toes together and put pressure on the forefoot.

Symptoms

  • Numbness and tingling in the balls of the feet.
  • Pain and swelling in the forefoot and between the toes.
  • Pain in the ball of the foot when weight is placed on the area.

Treatment

For more information on neuromas, or to book an assessment, please call Ontario Foot & Orthotics at (905)878-6479 or visit us at www.ontariofoot.ca.

Haglund’s deformity

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Haglund’s deformity is a bony growth/enlargement of the back of the heel bone.  It can be painful and cause swelling and inflammation of the back of the heel.  This is also known as “pump bump” as it is common in women who wear pumps.

There are various causes of Haglund’s deformity.  These include a high arch, tight Achilles tendon, and walking on the outside of your feet.  Wearing shoes with a firm rigid back can also contribute to a Haglund’s deformity.  The most common types of footwear include pumps and hockey/figure skates.

The most common symptom of Haglund’s deformity is the enlarged bone growth on the back of the heel.  It can also cause blistering of the heels from the shoes rubbing against the bump.  In cases of extreme rubbing against the bump, the back of the heel can become red, inflamed, and tender to touch.

There are multiple treatment options for Haglund’s deformity.  These include:

  • Orthotics– Custom made orthotics can be prescribed to change the position of the foot that will help reduce the amount of rubbing of the shoes against the back of the heel.
  • Footwear– Footwear that does not have a rigid back can help reduce the amount of friction on the back of the heel.  Also, shoes that have a wider heel counter to accommodate the enlarged bone.
  • Immobilization-If the area is really inflamed, a walking boot or soft cast can be used to immobilize the area until it heals.
  • Surgery-If no conservative treatments are effective then surgical options are available.

Prevention of Haglund’s deformity includes wearing shoes that have a soft heel counter, wearing custom-made orthotics to correct foot type that could lead to a Haglund’s deformity, and stretching of the Achilles tendon.

For more information on Haglund’s deformity, or to book an assessment, contact Ontario Foot and Orthotics at (905)878-6479 or visit us online at www.ontariofoot.ca.

 

Custom Orthopaedic Footwear

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Some of the most annoying pain is when you have a blister or an ingrown toe nail and it’s rubbing against the inside of your shoes. You might try to bandage the wound or the sore, maybe wrap it with gauze, but eventually it’s going to start rubbing and hurting again. This might be a great time to visit Ontario Foot and Orthotics. They are a family friendly clinic in Milton that can help you with all of your orthotic needs. One of the main reasons to visit them is for your custom orthopaedic shoes. These shoes will help to make your feet feel better regardless of the pain or ailment they may be experiencing.

There are many ailments and sores that can affect your feet such as:

  • Painful calluses
  • Corns
  • Pressure sores/ulcers due to diabetes
  • Plantar fasciitis
  • High arches
  • Posture problems due to leg length differences

These can all become nuisances if you have regular shoes. If you go to the chiropodists in Milton, you can change the circumstances for your feet.

A great misconception is that you have to be a senior to get orthopaedic shoes. This is entirely false as you can get orthopaedic footwear no matter how old you are. The Orthopaedic shoes available at our Milton clinic can help your feet at any age and for all problems with your feet. They have many great benefits such as:

  • Offer additional customized protection for your feet, especially when there is a sore, callus or pain.
  • Help to alleviate pain from your feet the more that you wear them.
  • Great for anyone that suffers from pain in their feet from standing for too long.
  • Improve the blood flow and provide support to the arches and the heels of your feet.

These are some of the many benefits to owning and wearing custom made orthopaedic shoes. Your feet are two of the most important parts of your body and deserve the best care possible. Take the time to go to your nearest orthotic clinic in Milton and get a pair for yourself. The staff there will help you get the best orthoapedic custom shoes to not only help with whatever ailment your feet may be having, but with the support that your feet need on a daily basis. Remember that it doesn’t matter what age you are, it matters how comfortable and healthy your feet are.

All of your foot and Orthotics needs under one roof!

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Whether for an annual checkup or for a random pain, visiting the local foot doctor is almost like visiting the dentist. It’s not something patients like doing yet know they need to in order to keep their feet strong and healthy.

This is why the Ontario Foot and Orthotics is perfect for all foot needs. It’s a local foot clinic in Milton that has all of your foot needs in one place. The Milton Orthotic clinic serves every part of the foot, whether for something as generic as foot pain or for something much more severe like symptoms of diabetes. It’s staffed with great chiropodists so that patients don’t have to run around to numerous different businesses to get all of their foot questions answered.

Ontario Foot and Orthotics also makes custom orthopaedic shoes to fit around any foot ailment patients may have. There are many different types of painful foot ailments like ingrown toe nails, sports injuries and shin splints. Sometimes it can get bad when it comes to diabetic foot care and pain. This is why the custom orthopaedic shoes are perfect for any foot pain or ailment.

The chiropodists in Milton will help to treat any kind of foot pain that you may have. They have specialists local to you that can help in any situation concerning your feet. They also offer services like laser and compression therapy that can help in crucial foot situations. Their orthotics department helps patients with situations like ingrown toenails, fungal nails, plantar warts, bunions, corns and calluses, athlete’s foot, arthritis, Achilles tendonitis and plantar fasciitis.

They are a local foot clinic that has been serving the community for over 15 years. Their staff has two registered Chiropodists with experience in advanced biomechanics, advanced surgical techniques, diabetic and foot care. Their mission is to provide the highest quality and cost effective foot care in a comfortable environment.

If any patients need a checkup or need help with a pain or ailment they may be having, then please call and book your appointment today.

Ankle Sprains: How they can occur and the different treatment options

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Ankle sprains are on the most common injuries of the foot. They can happen at any time to anyone from athletes to adults and children. A sprain can occur when you are participating in a sport or physical activity, or even if you step on an uneven surface, or step down on an awkward angle.

An ankle sprain can be very painful and uncomfortable. I have sprained my ankle on numerous occasions from various sports injuries to stepping on an uneven surface. Luckily for me, all my sprains were minor and required conservative treatment that I could do at home along with some physiotherapy.

The ankle has many ligaments that help hold the bones and joints in position. They are in place to help prevent the ankle from any abnormal positions like twisting or rolling of the foot. Ligaments are like an elastic band; they can stretch within their limits then go back to their original shape. Once the ligament is stretched beyond its means, a sprain can occur. The most severe sprain occurs once the ligament(s) has torn. This brings us to the different types of ankle sprains that can occur.

The two main types of ankle sprains are eversion and inversion sprains. An eversion sprain is more rare and occurs when the ankle rolls too far inwards. This can be accompanied by a fracture of the fibula. The deltoid ligament is one of the strongest ligaments of the ankle making it harder to sprain. That’s why this type of sprain is often rare and is usually a result of a break or fracture of the fibula.

The most common type of ankle sprain is an inversion sprain. This occurs when the ankle rolls too far outwards injuring the ligaments on the outside of the ankle. The two main ligaments that can be injured here are the ATFL (anterior talofibular ligament) and the CFL (calcaneal fibular ligament).

Once you get an ankle sprain it is important to get it checked to make sure it’s not too serious. Once you visit your doctor or foot specialist, there are a few tests that can be done to determine the degree of injury. An x-ray is sometimes done to determine if there is a break or fracture of the bone. There are three grades of a sprain. Grade 1 is a mild sprain, grade 2 is a moderate sprain, and grade 3 is a severe sprain that usually involves a break.

For grade 1 and 2 sprains the practitioner will probably notice tenderness and swelling at the site of injury. This is usually accompanied by bruising. You may also have limited range of motion of the ankle and should not try to force it in any one position. With a grade 1 or 2 sprain there will be a microscopic tear to partial tears of the fibers of the ligaments. With a grade 3 sprain you will most likely have a complete tear or rupture of the ligament.

There are a number of treatment options available for each type of sprain. Here are a few for each grade of sprain:

Grade 1 Sprain

  • RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation). Make sure you rest and only weight bear as tolerated. Ice the area daily until the swelling comes down. You can use a tensor band to aid with compression and lastly elevate the ankle to help reduce swelling and inflammation.
  • Full range of motion stretching and strengthening exercises as tolerated.
  • Do not immobilize the foot by casting or splinting, as this won’t allow for any stretching exercises.

Grade 2 Sprains

  • Immobilize foot with an air cast or splint to prevent further injury of the ligaments.
  • Physical therapy with stretching and icing exercises as well as strengthening exercises.

Grade 3 Sprains

  • Immobilization of the foot.
  • Physical therapy similar to a grade 2 sprain but for a longer period of time.
  • Surgical intervention if necessary.

Ankle sprains can happen at any given moment so it is always important to be aware of your surroundings and to wear proper footwear to help stabilize and support the foot. If you do sprain your ankle it is very important to get it checked out to determine the extent of the sprain and the appropriate treatment option necessary.

For more information, or to book an assessment, please contact Ontario Foot and Orthotics at one of our two locations: 519-623-3000 (Cambridge), 905-878-6479 (Milton). Or visit us online at www.ontariofoot.ca.

My Body Changed When I was Pregnant, Especially my Feet!

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During pregnancy, there are many changes that occur in the body. The one change that most women don’t realize is the change that occurs in their feet. Some of the main changes you may notice are swelling of the feet, flat feet, and pain in the arch and heel.

During my pregnancy I noticed that my feet started to look like they were getting flatter and I started to develop pain in my heels. This pain started to occur in my second trimester when most of the weight gain tends to happen. I had a hard time fitting in to some of my shoes and it felt like my feet had gotten bigger. Let’s discuss why these changes occur and ways we can manage the pain and discomfort.

Swelling (Edema)

We will start with swelling of the feet. Swelling, also known as edema, occurs when excess fluid collects in your tissues. A certain amount of swelling during pregnancy is normal because you are retaining more water. During pregnancy there is an increase in blood volume that helps you to carry extra oxygen and nutrients to your baby. Pregnancy hormones cause changes in blood vessels that can result in swelling. Gravity pulls all of the extra fluid down to your feet and ankles, causing the swelling.

Here are some tips that can help reduce swelling. Many of them worked for me!

  • Keep your feet elevated as much as possible. If you are working, place a stool under your desk to help elevate the feet.
  • Stretch your legs frequently if you are sitting for long periods of time. Make sure you stretch before walking or participating in any form of exercise.
  • Wear comfortable shoes that allow for stretching.
  • Do not wear socks or stockings that have a tight ring around the calves or ankles.
  • Wear compressing socks or stockings to help keep the circulation going and to prevent pooling of blood.
  • Drink plenty of water.
  • Exercise regularly.

Flat feet and plantar fasciitis

Flat feet occur because during pregnancy there is an increase in hormones in your body. One of these hormones is called relaxin and it does just that, relaxes the ligaments in the body including the feet. Relaxation of the ligaments plus weight gain contributes to collapse of the arches causing flat feet. When this occurs you may end up having to go up half a shoe size and unfortunately this does not change post pregnancy.

When I noticed my arches starting to collapse, I made sure that I wore good supportive footwear. I also tried to avoid walking barefoot to help reduce pressure on the joints of my feet. I have hard wood floors and ceramic tile throughout my house so I always made sure I was wearing supportive sandals in the house, which helped prevent foot pain. This also helps prevent plantar fasciitis, or heel pain. Plantar fasciitis occurs when the plantar fascia is overstretched causing pain at the insertion point in the heel. When the arches collapse, they put a lot of strain on the plantar fascia, which can lead to inflammation of the fascia causing heel pain. Stretching and icing exercises can also help reduce heel pain.

These are the main changes that occur in the feet during pregnancy. Not all pregnant women experience these changes, however most will experience at least on of these changes. The changes can be mild or can be severe causing an increased amount of pain and discomfort. By following these tips on prevention and treatment of these symptoms, you can manage your pain level and still enjoy a happy and healthy pregnancy!

As the owner of, and a chiropodist (foot specialist) at, Ontario Foot and Orthotics, I welcome any of your questions or concerns. For more information, or to book an assessment, please contact Ontario Foot and Orthotics at one of our two locations: 519-623-3000 (Cambridge), 905-878-6479 (Milton). Or visit us online at www.ontariofoot.ca.

Running The Distances

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Do you like to run? Run for stress relief, health benefits, or the challenge? Signed up for a race?

Running is an excellent form of cardiovascular exercise, but it can put a great deal of repetitive stress on your body; on your bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments; on your knees, hips, lower back, and of course, your feet!

Whether you are new to running, returning from injury, making a long awaited comeback, or a seasoned runner, there are a number of things to keep in mind when it comes to your training and keeping yourself on the road:

Training errors (eg: too much too soon)

It is very easy to increase the mileage too much in a short period of time. Or to run all your training runs at the same or a high intensity. Remember the 10% rule when it comes to building up the mileage (increase training by no more than 10% each week), mix up you training runs throughout the week (you don’t have to run them all at the same pace), and alternate the routes so they are not all up hills or on the same pavements each time.

Poor fitting or worn running shoes

There’s great debate on how often you should replace your running shoes (or after X amount of kilometres), and lot of it comes down to how often and far you are running. Remember that with regular use, all those miles you are pounding the pavement with, will slowly wear out and break down the materials in the running shoes, that give you all that great support and cushioning.
Have a look at what you are wearing at the moment. Check to see how worn the soles are, how much of the tread has been worn away?
Are your feet starting to feel less comfortable in the shoes or have any new aches or pains started to develop?
Maybe it’s time to head down to your local specialised running store for a proper fitting and a fresh pair of shoes! One piece of advice I give all my patients is that you want to be walking out of that store with the most comfortable pair of shoes, even if that means trying on half a dozen pairs to get it right!

Biomechanical stresses / imbalances

When external factors such as training errors and footwear have been addressed, and there’s still a problem, then maybe it’s your biomechanics (how your body is structured and functions).
Excessive pronation (rolling in), pesplanus (flat feet), pescavus (high arches) and ligamentous laxity (hypermobile or flexible ligaments) are just some biomechanical factors that can create imbalances or extra stresses on our feet and lower limbs. And when you run, you put up to 4 times the stress through your body and joints, so it’s understandable that sometimes it can become too much!
Common running injuries that can occur include: achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis / heel pain, patellofemoralpain syndrome “runner’s knee”, iliotibial band (ITB) syndrome, stress fractures, bursitis, sesamoiditis, medial tibial stress syndrome “shin splits”, just to name a few.
In my personal experience, I have been running on and off for many years, but in the past 7 years I have increased my running from 5km races up to now training for my 2nd full marathon (42.2km) this October! I developed knee pain (patellofemoral pain syndrome) whilst training many years ago and it was my biomechanics that were a major contributor to the injury. I had Custom Foot Orthotics made for me to wear both day to day, and when exercising, to help improve my alignment, as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
Orthotics are certainly something that have helped me, but every foot is different, so not everyone requires them, and having an assessment done by a qualified health professional is by far the best way to establish what is going wrong, what may be causing the issue (quite often multiple factors) and the best path of treatment.

If you do require Custom Foot Orthotics to help treat a sports injury, here are a few of tips I recommend:

  • Gradual wear in period – get used to wearing them in your day to day shoes (adding an extra hour each day over a 1-2 week period), before even considering wearing them running/exercising;
  • When buying new shoes (regular or running shoes) always bring your orthotics with you for the fitting, and mention to the staff member assisting with your shoe fitting that you wear them, as this can alter the amount of support/correction you will need from the shoes;
  • If you notice any squeaking of the orthotics when walking/running, I have found Body Glide to work well at eliminating this!

If you are experiencing any lingering aches and pains, or injuries that just won’t resolve, it may be worth a visit to your local Chiropodist/Foot Specialist. At Ontario Foot and Orthotics we provide lower limb biomechanical assessments to ensure the right path of treatment is established.
Treatment options available at Ontario Foot and Orthotics for lower limb sports injuries include but are not limited to; Custom Foot Orthotics (to help correct alignment issues and redistribute plantar pressures), MedXLaser Therapy (to promote healing, and reduce inflammation/pain), plus footwear and training advice.

For more information, or to book an assessment, contact us at one of our two locations: 519-623-3000 (Cambridge), 905-878-6479 (Milton). Or visit us at www.ontariofoot.ca.

Written By Kirsty Millwood B.Pod
Chiropodist/Foot Specialist

Benefits of Foot Care Services

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Relaxed & Healthy Feet Indicate Better Health
Your feet are one of the most wonderful and most complex working mechanisms in your body. Balancing your weight evenly, absorbing its impact every time you take a step, your feet are the only reason that you are able to jog, run, walk and even stand.  As you age and as you gain weight, your feet need extra care and attention so you can continue to stay active and agile. Foot orthotics in Milton can help in keeping your feet healthy, happy and pain free.

Common problems & timely foot care
Do you know how intricately and elaborately designed our feet are? A structure of superb balance with some 26 bones, multiple muscles, tendons and ligaments – some quite sturdy and strong – some delicate and fine-looking, your feet do their work every minute – every second. Painful foot conditions can develop over time that can affect the fine quality of your life. This can be avoided easily by the right treatment at one of the best foot clinics in Milton area.

Care for your feet – imperative
When foot problems occur, both the major tasks performed by your feet become disrupted.

  • Mobility gets affected due to the ill effects of age, weight gain and debility.
  • Supporting your body weight gets very tough due to loss of strength and flexibility in the feet/legs.

Foot pain and other conditions affect the posture and walking ability which can aggravate the problem if not taken care of by the right foot care professionals in a well-equipped foot clinic in Milton, Cambridge and other areas.

Chiropodists & orthotics
Chiropodists are foot specialists and they specialize in treating painful foot conditions due to any medical or mechanical causes. They take time to study you, your foot problems, your gait pattern and any congenital or acquired posture habits that affect the function of your feet and contribute to the development of pain. Chiropodists diagnose the problem and prescribe orthotics, which can be

  • Arch supports
  • Padding
  • Insoles

Made from specialized and custom materials, and moulded individually to suit individual feet, orthotics are corrective devices inserted into shoes.

Take care of your feet – now
Feet can be often neglected until there is a painful issue. They have a major share in all our daily activities including sitting down. They are essential indicators of your overall health status. When you have feet that are well looked after by a foot specialist, your healthy feet contribute to your overall health. When certain foot conditions arise custom made foot orthotics in Milton and Cambridge can alleviate your foot problems tremendously.

Reaching out to any reputable and experienced foot clinics in Milton and Cambridge at the first indication of any foot related problem is the best and wisest precaution. To arrange an assessment, contact Ontario Foot & Orthotics at one of our two locations: 519-623-3000 in Cambridge or 905-878-6479 in Milton. You can also visit us at www.ontariofoot.ca.

Ball of the Foot Pain – Metatarsalgia

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One of the most common complaints people have with their feet is Metatarsalgia, or “Ball of the Foot Pain”.

Metatarsalgia is an umbrella term for a range of conditions that affect the ball of the foot and cause some kind of discomfort and pain. There are many anatomical structures that make up the ball of the foot including: bones, muscles, tendons, fat pad, ligaments, joint capsules, bursa, nerves and blood vessels. As you can see, there’s quite a bit going on, and from time to time, these structures can get stressed or injured!

Symptoms that can be experienced include: sharp shooting pain, dull aches, numbness, cramping, and burning sensations.

These symptoms can be linked to a number of factors such as:foot structure and biomechanics (eg: cavus foot, flat foot, or hypermobile joints), systemic disease (eg. Diabetes Mellitus or Rheumatoid Arthritis), or degenerative joint disease (eg. Osteoarthritis).

Other factors that can affect your feet include: lack of cushioning in footwear, wearing high heels, prolonged standing (particularly on hardwood and concrete floors), or sudden increase in activity or exercise.

There are a number of options for treatment that are offered at Ontario Foot and Orthotics for Metatarsalgia. A full biomechanical assessment will help to establish the cause of the pain, and some treatment options include: Custom Foot Orthotics to help stabilize the foot, correct abnormal joint movements and redistribute excessive pressures; MedXLaser Therapy to reduce inflammation and pain, and promote healing; and footwear advice and recommendations.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms or would like further professional advice on your feet, contact us at 905-878-6479 in Milton or visit us at www.ontariofoot.ca.

Written By Kirsty Millwood B.Pod
Chiropodist/Foot Specialist