By Administrator 0 Comments Health Tips, Markham

What is the pain in my heel?

Do you wake up in the morning and take your first step out of bed and are in agony?  Does the pain go away after taking a few steps, only to return later on in the day?  If so, you are most likely suffering from one of the most common foot pain conditions – plantar fasciitis.

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There are several risk factors for the cause of plantar fasciitis, but one of the most common in abnormal foot motion – either too low or high arches.  Things to try at home to help relieve the pain include resting, icing the foot, and stretching the feet and legs.  However, if the pain persists, you may require more treatment.  Contact us for an assessment.

By Administrator 0 Comments Health Tips, Markham

I have Cold Feet – How Do I Keep Them Warm In The Winter?

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With the cold weather upon us, your feet have a tendency to get really cold, really quickly.  Here are some tips to keeping them feel as warm as possible:

 

  1. Avoid cotton socks.  When your feet naturally sweat, cotton socks absorb and trap that moisture.  When it is cold outside, the moisture in the socks will start to freeze, thereby making your feet cold.  Your best choice is socks made of wool.
  2. Wear good boots.  When there is snow, slush, and ice outdoors, you want to be prepared.  Choose boots that are waterproof, come up high enough to your ankle or above to protect against the elements, and made with an insulating liner.
  3. Keep your toes moving.  If you are going to be outdoors for an extended period of time, wiggle your toes up, down, and around to keep blood flow moving to your toes.  This will keep your toes feeling warmer for longer.

Victoria Sheard, Chiropodist

Contact us today for more healthy feet tips!

By Dr. J 0 Comments Health Tips, Uncategorised

TORN ACL!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been seeing many ruptured ACL patients in the past  few years, and I have seen great success with our rehab programs. But the question still remains… to cut or not to cut? My past experience aligns with the current research of the benefits vs risks of ACL reconstruction, the evidence is clear; just do it! I have seen too many patients that refuse the surgery and have multiple instances of “giving out” or aberrant movement inside the knee joint. This will lead to cartilage tears, meniscus tears, synovitis, other ligamentous damage, and eventually osteoarthritis later on in life. This is especially true for active population; don’t mention all the psychosomatic sequela associated with a torn ACL effecting your sports performance.

By Dr. J 0 Comments Health Tips

Running Tip: Arm swing

The arm swing in running is a very important component from a biomechanical stand point.

A proper arm swing:

1) Counterbalances the rotational forces created by the opposite leg and trunk motion in order to move forward.

2) Creates vertical and froward propulsion, therefore creating better efficiency in the lower limb.

3) Helps with pacing during the run, and is a precursor for speeding and slowing down your pace.

 

Things to watch out for: 

-try to create similar forward and back swings during your run to prevent injuries

-do not create too much rotational swing, keep the arms going back and forth

-relax your hands and shoulder when swinging

At Form and Function, we provide a detailed video analysis of the running gait, as well as training to create a better gait cycle.  Check it out here