Children with strong, healthy feet often avoid many kinds of lower extremity problems later in life. Contact our office to have your children’s feet and lower extremities examined.
Infants
The size and shape of your baby’s feet change quickly during their first year. Because a baby’s feet are flexible, too much pressure or strain can affect their feet’s shape. It’s important to allow your baby to kick and stretch his or her feet. Also, make sure shoes and socks do not squeeze the toes.
Toddlers
Try not to force your toddler to walk before she is ready. Carefully watch her gait once she begins to walk. If your toddler’s toe touches down instead of the heel, or she always sits while others play, contact our office. Many toddlers have a pigeon-toe gait, and this is normal. Most children outgrow the problem.
When foot care is needed
To help with flatfeet, special shoes or custom-made shoe inserts may be prescribed. To correct mild intoeing, your toddler may need to sit in a different position while playing or watching TV. If you child’s feet turn in or out a lot, corrective shoes, splints, or night braces may be prescribed.
The foot’s bone structure is well-formed by the time your child reaches age 7 or 8, but if a growth plate (the area where bone growth begins) is injured, the damaged plate may cause the bone to grow oddly. With a doctor’s care, however, the risk of future bone problems is reduced.
Remember to check your child’s shoe size often. Make sure there is space between the toes and the end of the shoe, Make sure their shoes are roomy enough to allow the toes to move freely. Don’t let your child wear hand-me-downs.
For more information or to book an appointment please call our clinic +971 4 3435390 or WhatsApp +971 50 3553024
People with Diabetes should pay extra special care to their feet.
Those who lead a healthy lifestyle with well controlled Diabetes and get annual feet checks should continue to have fantastic trouble free feet.
Those who have untreated diabetes or live a poor lifestyle are more likely to develop complications which include blindness, kidney and heart disease, stroke and loss of limbs.
Diabetes often leads to poor blood circulation. This decreases the circulation getting to the legs and feet which can cause injuries in the feet to heal poorly and can create ulcers, changes in shape of the feet, and loss of feeling.
Diabetes and the UAE Facts:
Prevalance of Diabetes among citizens of the UAE is second highest in the world
20% of UAE Residents have Diabetes
25% of Emirati Nationals have Diabetes
Up to 90% of people with Type 2 Diabetes were shown to be triggered by lifestyle factors, like poor diet and limited exercise
Diabetes = poor blood circulation Decreased circulation getting to the legs & feet
Reduces the amount of Oxygen Injuries to heal poorly/slowly
and Nutrition getting to the skin Ulcers & Infections
& tissues
Swelling & Dryness of the feet
Treatment and Prevention
Have an annual Pain Free Diabetic Assessment of your feet with your Podiatrist. Here we check the circulation and sensation of your feet.
Wear cushioned, supportive footwear
Check your feet Daily for cuts, sores and hard skin “ Use a mirror if needed
Wear shoes and socks at all times to limit chances of ˜friction sores™
Dry between your toes
Do NOT use corn pads or attempt self removal of hard skin “ see a Podiatrist
Control your Diabetes
Make healthy lifestyle choices with Diet and Exercise
Keep your blood sugar levels normal
Stop Smoking
Work with your GP to create a plan that fits you
Get Arches in Your Feet
The Medial Longitudinal Arch (MLA) extends from the inside of your heel along the bottom of your foot and connects to the big toe. It is a critical structure to allow for good shock absorption of the forces transmitted through the body from the feet during gait.
When the MLA is lower to the ground or ˜flat™ it can cause an uncontrolled over pronation of the ankle joint.
Overpronation is where the ankle joint ˜rolls in.™ Common injuries that occur from a flat MLA and over pronation include: Achilles tendonitis, heel pain, bunions, stress fractures, arch pain, shin splints and over use tendon injuries.
Custom made Orthoses Devices can be implemented to strengthen the MLA and maintain a neutral ankle joint alignment to control over pronation and relieve pain.
A custom made Orthoses is made by taking a mould of your feet to get the exact shape of each foot. It is then uniquely modified to create the individual™s perfect Medial Longitudinal Arch and neutral ankle joint to allow the ideal heel to toe gait.
Flatten your Curved Nails
Curved nails are where one or both of the linear aspects of a nail starts to form down into the skin to form a curved shape.
Having curved nails is a common problem and can cause great distress to the surrounding skin which can lead to pain, inflammation and even infections.
To correct the curvature and pain it is important to address how the curves developed. Nails can curve due from certain medications, ageing, tight footwear, hereditary, improper cutting, fungal infections and skin problems such as Psoriasis or Ecemza.
Treatment involves assessing the steepness of the curve and choosing the best treatment plan for each patient.
Options include
Corrective Nail Trimming
Nail Braces: where a small plastic device is medically applied to the top of the curved nail. The brace works with a spring-like action to pull up the corners of the curve to straighten out the nail. Leaving a pain free, perfect toe nail. Treatment period = 6-8wks.
Partial Nail Avulsion (PNA): If the curve or nail rydge is steep then a PNA may be recommended. A simple procedure where local anasethetic is administered to the side of the nail to achieve anasethsia. The small section of aggravating nail is then carefully removed right from the nail root. This procedure takes approximately one hour and usually ready to exercise and swim within 10days.