Date: Saturday 11 February 2012
Venue: The University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein Campus
Time: 8am – 8.30am Registration
Course: 8.30am – 1pm (including lecture and practical session)
The taping techniques will be practiced on each other
CPD points: 5 (applied for)
Cost: R500-00. This includes the lecture, practical session and notes
Refreshments: cool drinks and muffins
Lecturer: Ms Caren Fleishman
B.Sc. Physio.(1988) M.Sc. Physio (Wits) (1998)
Ms Fleishman is in private practice and is an Associate in the practice of Sklaar, Laidler and Associates in Johannesburg
Ms Fleishman has travelled extensively nationally and internationally with various sporting codes and multi-coded events
She has been the physiotherapist and chief physiotherapist at many events, including 3 Olympic Games (Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008)
Other events include 1 Commonwealth Games, 3 All Africa Games, 2 Maccabiah Games, The Comrades Marathon, SA Women’s Soccer Team, World Cup Rugby 1995, The Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox. And so on………………….
She is highly qualified and experienced in strapping / taping and is an accredited lecturer in this field
ALL THE TALE MATERIAL USED ON THE DAY WILL BE KINDLY SPONSORED BY BSN MEDICAL, THE SUPPLIER OF LEUKO K TAPE
Leuko K tape will be available for sale on the day
PLEASE RSPV TO DENNIS REHBOCK AT footdoc13@yahoo.com
Places on this course are limited to accommodate the practical component
Posted in 
Nike Free Run 2
The guide is divided into Running Shoes by Biomechnical type and Running Shoes by Brand.
A new section is included to introduce the new MINIMALISTIC running shoes that are available.
A new section has been added to the Technical Running Shoe Guide. This new section is called Natural Running Shoes. These running shoes fit in midway between traditional training shoes and minimalistic running shoes.
Asics Gel Excel 33 - Natural running shoes
Asics Gel Hyper 33 - Natural running shoes
The Plantar Fascia Band
Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common running injuries seen in podiatric practice, and anyone who is on his or her feet a lot may also get this injury, such as nurses, teachers, hairdressers and shopkeepers.
What happens is, for various reasons, the ligament under the foot (in the arch) called the plantar fascia gets strained or traumatised and becomes inflamed. This hurts under the heel or in the arch area of the foot.
The repetitive nature of long distance running, long standing, and excessive foot pronation (rolling in) may be major causes of this injury. There are also other causes that need identifying and managing.
Long term a heel spur, which is a bony outgrowth under the heel, may develop in response to the excessive pull on the plantar fascia. This bony growth is of no major clinical significance in terms of treatment.
Pronation of feet
Your self-treatment is very important. Rest for a while to let the inflammation reduce. This is something runner’s do not like doing but it is important to help the injury get better by reducing the stress on the feet. While resting do some cross training to keep the fitness levels up and to keep you from getting depressed.
Ice the area for 10 mins a few times a day. Rub some gel such as arnica into the area after you shower or bath.
Get some physiotherapy done to the area.
The usual anti-inflammatory tabs may make the pain feel better but doesn’t really cure the injury.
Make sure your running shoes are in good shape and not old and collapsed. Also make sure that they are the correct biomechanical type for you.
X-ray of heel spur
I find adding some arch support or an orthotic into the shoe will help reduce the tensile stress on the fascial band, which helps healing. This would also control the excessive pronation that could be a cause of the tension.
Sleeping with a night splint that keeps your foot in a stretched position may also help.
A similar and related injury, called bruised heel syndrome, can also occur and feel like plantar fasciitis. The treatment of bruised heel syndrome is essentially the same as for plantar fasciitis.
This information and / advice is the opinion of the author in his capacity as a qualified and registered podiatrist.
The information and advice is meant as a guide only and is intended to be easily understandable to the lay person. This in not a scientific article in any way.
Anyone seeking health and/or medical advice is strongly advised to consult a qualified professional of their choice. If you have any specific questions about any podiatric or medical matter or are in need of treatment you should consult your podiatrist, doctor, or other professional health care provider.
Athlete’s foot. (Dermatomycosis, Tinea Pedis)
Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection of the skin on the feet and especially in-between the toes. Not only athletes or sportsmen get it, but they are more prone to it because of their sweaty feet while exercising. A fungus is microscopic organisms similar to bacteria and viruses that invade our bodies. This is why feet and in between the toes are commonly infected with it. Also if you scratch the area you may spread the infection to other areas of your body or to other people around you. It is very contagious especially when walking barefoot in wet environments like at the gym or in communal change rooms and showers. An incorrect fact about fungus is that you only get it in summer. Well no you don’t, as you can get it in winter too as your feet are nice and warm and sweaty in your shoes even though the external temperature may be cold.
Prevention.
Prevention is better than cure with fungal infections.
Do not walk barefoot in these wet areas of the gym or communal showers.
Wash and dry your feet carefully and make sure that in between your toes are kept dry.
Use a prophylactic foot powder in your shoes, socks and in between your toes daily, as part of your cleanliness routine.
Use clean socks daily. Socks with a higher wool or cotton content will help contain the sweat better. (See sock guide)
Go barefoot and aerate your feet when you get the chance.
Wash your running shoes regularly, but take care with the washing of your shoes as not to damage them.
Treatment.
If you do have a fungus, use an antifungal cream or ointment twice a day after washing your feet.
Lamisil cream is one the best although there are many others available.
Also use a medicated foot powder in your shoes and socks.
The antifungal cream will take the itch away and that will stop the need to scratch, which reduces cross infection. Any associated smell will also go away with time and treatment.
This information and / advice is the opinion of the author in his capacity as a qualified and registered podiatrist.
The information and advice is meant as a guide only and is intended to be easily understandable to the lay person.
Anyone seeking health and/or medical advice is strongly advised to consult a qualified professional of their choice. If you have any specific questions about any podiatric or medical matter or are in need of treatment you should consult your podiatrist, doctor, or other professional health care provider.
Ingrown nails
Ingrown nails are a common nail condition. They are not specifically a running injury but are fairly common in sportsmen and sportswomen and in teenagers.
There are a few possible causes. Shoe pressure on the nail may be the common one in runners. Incorrect cutting of the nail is what some people do and that also can cause it. I feel that some people also inherit ingrown nails. They don’t actually inherit the ingrown nail, they inherit the wider or more curled nail that is more likely to grow in.
A simple procedure, called a nail wedge resection, will sort them out once and for all. You do not have to go through life with this totally curable problem.
The first part of treatment is to keep the area clean with some type of antiseptic cream and a dressing. Do not try to go in there and cut the nail out. This would be painful and probably not make it any better.
Secondly get to see your podiatrist to treat the nail. At first conservative treatment will be tried. If that does not help then a nail wedge resection may be performed.
What we do is inject some local anaesthetic around the base of the toe to numb it. We then remove the offending piece of nail and chemically destroy the base of it, so that it does not grow back.
When this heals up the ingrown will be gone forever. It is a very simple procedure, exceptionally simple and successful.
Also the nail does not have to be pulled out. If this is done the nail will reoccur and grow back and in again in a few months. If the nail is pulled out permanently then it cures the ingrown BUT leaves the toe without a nail for protection. This is not a good idea as it creates an ongoing problem.
Prevention is a good idea. Make sure the toe box of your shoe or running shoe is wide and deep enough to fit your forefoot and toes. Cut your toenails straight across and not down the sides. This cutting down the sides can be a cause for ingrown nails. The fact you have one ingrown nail will also make you more likely to get more on your other toes.
Look after your feet. You only get one pair for life.
This information and / advice is the opinion of the author in his capacity as a qualified and registered podiatrist.
The information and advice is meant as a guide only and is intended to be easily understandable to the lay person.
Anyone seeking health and/or medical advice is strongly advised to consult a qualified professional of their choice. If you have any specific questions about any podiatric or medical matter or are in need of treatment you should consult your podiatrist, doctor, or other professional health care provider.
Calluses on your feet are simply hard thickened skin, mostly there for protection of areas of the foot that may be under pressure or friction. This can be from normal walking, running, most other sports, shoes, socks, and walking barefoot.
Most of this hard thick skin is purely protective and is of no
clinical significance. And it is usually not painful. Most of us get a bit of this protective callus and need not worry about it. This normal callus is called physiological callus.
There is another form of callus that gets too thick and starts to be painful. This is called pathological callus. This callus is caused by excess pressure on and area of the foot and that normal callus then progresses and gets extremely thick and painful. Abnormal foot biomechanics, foot deformities and some dermatological conditions cause this callus. This is an abnormal type of callus and needs treatment.
Treatment
You can take care of a normal callus yourself. You can apply a foot cream to the area and that will keep the callus soft. Nutraplus is good. Do this daily, especially if you walk barefoot, or wear sandals a lot. When you run apply Vaseline to these areas for lubrication.
If you have an abnormal callus then you need to reduce the pressure that is causing it. Check your running shoes out replace them if they are old and collapsed. File the hard skin down with a file or a pumice stone a few times a week. No knives or scalpels please. Also use a foot cream daily. Nutraplus is good. Vaseline those feet for running.
If you cannot manage these lesions yourself seek professional help.
This information and / advice is the opinion of the author in his capacity as a qualified and registered podiatrist.
The information and advice is meant as a guide only and is intended to be easily understandable to the lay person.
Anyone seeking health and/or medical advice is strongly advised to consult a qualified professional of their choice. If you have any specific questions about any podiatric or medical matter or are in need of treatment you should consult your podiatrist, doctor, or other professional health care provider.
There are basically three foot types.
1 the normal / neutral foot,
2 the high arched foot and
3 the flat / pronated foot.
1 this so called normal / neutral foot is the ideal normally functioning foot. It is an efficient foot and it is not very prone to biomechanical or running injuries.
2 the high arched foot is not a very common foot. Less than 5% of the population has this type of foot. This foot essentially is a stiff non shock absorbing foot. By not absorbing the shock the foot, leg, knee, hip and back gets the shock wave from running. This is not the best foot to have.
3 the flat / pronated foot is common. This type of foot collapses inwards when walking and running and in this position it is not a very efficient foot. It also can be a cause of many foot and leg injuries in running.
SHOE CHOICE FOR THE FOOT TYPES.
The choice of the correct running shoe is very important to improve your performance and to reduce the risk of injury.
My best tip is if you are running in a model of shoe and they work for you then don’t change it. If you are forced to change them because they are discontinued, find another model as close to them as possible in terms of support and cushioning.
The rules of shoe choice are simple.
If you have neutral (normal) functioning feet you need to wear neutral running shoes. Every shoe company has neutral shoes in their range.
If your feet are mildly overpronating / flat you need to wear mild antipronation or stability running shoes.
If your feet pronate excessively / very flat you need strong antipronation or motion control running shoes.
If your feet are high arched / supinate (turn out) too much then wear neutral to soft running shoes.
What is the difference between a male and female foot?
Anatomically there is no difference between a man and a womans foot. They both have the same anatomical bones and structures.
The difference is in the shape of the foot and the function of the foot.
A womans foot is generally narrower at the heel and wider in the forefoot.
A womans foot generally pronates / rolls inwards more than a mans because of wider hips.
A womans foot may have more flexibility.
Most shoe companies do make woman specific shoes. They are in nice feminine colours, but that is not very important. Although woman do buy shoes based on their cosmetics.
The shape of the womans shoe is different. The heel is narrower and the forefoot is wider.
Because of the increased pronation most ladies should wear supportive / antipronation shoes if they need to.
A woman CAN wear a mans shoe if it fits her foot correctly.
How do I know what foot type I am?
The analysis of a foot anatomically and functionally is a complex task best carried out by a sports podiatrist.
In the running shoe shop situation the person can look at the old shoe to analyse then which helps determine what foot type / biomechanics the runner has.
Looking at the foot may also help determine what foot type
And watching the runner run in the shoes will help see if the shoes are ok for the runner.
Can I change my foot type?
You cannot change your foot type. It is a genetic deficit you inherit.
You can wear the correct shoe for your foot type. This will reduce the possibility of injury.
If necessary an orthotic / foot support could be made to change / improve the foot function which will reduce the possibility of injury
What about running shoe cushioning?
All running shoes have good cushioning systems in them. Devices / materials like AIR, GEL, ADIPRENE, ABZORB etc will cushion the foot / body while running. We really do not need any more cushioning than the shoes have.
The fact that modern running shoes have such sophisticated midsoles and cushioning systems will “rob” the persons sensory ability to respond to impact. This is reducing the foots natural function.
Advances in running shoe technology
There is lots and lots of new technology in running shoes.
Each major running shoe company is doing research and improving the technology in their running shoes.
New cushioning systems / materials are being developed.
Most new technology does not work in isolation. The modern trend is for all the technology systems in the shoe will work together to cushion the foot and to control the foot into its natural foot function. The shoe does not work against the shoe. The shoe and the technology will work together with the foot to improve and maintain foot function.
This information and / advice is the opinion of the author in his capacity as a qualified and registered podiatrist.
The information and advice is meant as a guide only and is intended to be easily understandable to the lay person.
Anyone seeking health and/or medical advice is strongly advised to consult a qualified professional of their choice. If you have any specific questions about any podiatric or medical matter or are in need of treatment you should consult your podiatrist, doctor, or other professional health care provider.
The foot is designed to pronate / roll inwards a little when we walk or run. This slight pronation is NORMAL PRONATION. The pronation is a shock absorption mechanism of the foot.
SO IT IS NORMAL. When the foot pronates too much – excessive pronation – it can cause or contribute to injury in the foot or higher up.
So if you pronate NORMALLY then you do not do anything about it.
If you pronate excessively AND IT IS CAUSING OR CONTRIBUTING TO INJURY then get an antipronation / supportive shoe. If necessary get an orthotic device to support you.
I am going to try and simplify this matter of pronation / overpronation and underpronation / supination.
The foot has a complex anatomical structure but in motion it has an even more complex biomechanical function.
When running the heel contacts the ground in a turned in position called inverted. From there the foot rolls inwards (pronates) and the forefoot contacts the ground. This normal pronation can be measured to be between 2 and 4 degrees. This phase of the foot function is to absorb shock. From this pronated position the foot rolls to the outside and this is called supination. As this happens the foot locks into a rigid lever to propel us forward. The foot should move into these various positions at the right time for it to function efficiently and normally.
This type of foot is called a neutral or normal functioning foot.
In the running population out there most runners do not have these neutral / normal feet.
The most common biomechanical malfunction is that of excessive pronation. This means that when the foot is meant to pronate it does not stop at the normal amount and keeps on rolling into an abnormal position called excessive pronation. This abnormal biomechanical malfunction may cause a variety of injuries. There are many runners out there that excessively pronate and do not have any injuries.
The opposite of this excessive pronation is excessive supination. This means that the foot does not pronate when it should and the foot stays turned out excessively to the outside. This is also abnormal and may be a cause of injury.
To see if you pronate excessively or supinate excessively you need a full biomechanical by a professional. This will include a running shoe examination, a static clinical examination and a running examination.
My best advice for you to see what you feet are doing is to see a sports podiatrist to examine you. Your local specialist running shoe shop can also help you in this matter. Your running shoes will also show signs of distortion and that will direct you as to what you are doing in your feet.
LOOK AT YOURSELF
What you can do yourself is try the wet foot test (See Runners World . …..)
to see if you have low or high arches.
Also try and see how much space you have under your arch. If there is no space then you have flat feet and possibly pronate excessively. If you have loads of space under your arch that you have high arches and you may oversupinate.
Also look at the wear patterns of your old running shoes. If the upper of the shoe collapses inwards then you are probably pronating excessively. And if the upper of the shoe collapses to the outside then you may be supinating excessively.
The outersole will also give you clues as to what your feet are doing. Excessive wear on the medial (inside) of the outersole shows excessive pronation and similarly excessive wear on the lateral (outside) of the outersole shows excessive supination.
This information and / advice is the opinion of the author in his capacity as a qualified and registered podiatrist.
The information and advice is meant as a guide only and is intended to be easily understandable to the lay person.
Anyone seeking health and/or medical advice is strongly advised to consult a qualified professional of their choice. If you have any specific questions about any podiatric or medical matter or are in need of treatment you should consult your podiatrist, doctor, or other professional health care provider.