Dr Matthew Hutchinson’s advice on pain management.

Manning Mitchell, sportsmed Podiatrist shares 4 common problems with runners’ feet, to help prepare you for the City-Bay.

1. Ill-fitting running shoes

You would have heard this enough as a rule when getting into running -that you need shoes that adequately fit your feet! It’s worth touting again to prevent skin injuries (such as blistering and excess callous), nail injuries (such as ingrown toenails and black toenails), contribute to deformities (such as bunions and claw toes) and a multitude of bony and muscular tissue injuries.

2. Stretching your calves and hamstrings

Your calf muscles endure an amazing amount of tension when you run. It is interesting to note that even when you’re asleep the calf muscle is in a tensioned/shortened position due to the foot being pointed. Simply stretching your calves and hamstrings for just a minute or 2, a couple of times a day could reduce feelings of tightness and fatigue when you run.

3. Care for your feet

The feet are often neglected even though they are exposed to copious amount of stress when running. Be sure the skin is looked after by letting it breathe outside of enclosed shoes – especially after a run. Archie’s thongs are available at all of our sportsmed clinics and provide a quality thong which is light, cushioned and supportive to the arch.

4. See a podiatrist

If you have any lingering aches and pains or concerns in alignment or weakness in your feet, lower legs and/or knees book in to see a podiatrist for a check-up. Our sportsmed Podiatrists are trained in the assessment and diagnosis of a range of biomechanical and general foot problems. It could be as simple as advice about running technique, a range of exercises you can work on or taping and padding to help and prevent any injuries occurring!

Manning is available for podiatry consultations at our Stepney Healthcare Hub and Blackwood clinic.

Please phone to get in touch or email podiatry@sportsmed.com.au

Manning Mitchell, sportsmed Podiatrist and all round fitness enthusiast brings us some expert advice this week on putting your best foot forward for long term training success.

Manning plays football, tennis, golf and loves to keep fit in the gym. This year he’s planning on running in the City-Bay for his first time.

Increased training load = increased risk of injury

Our feet endure an amazing amount of force when we run and yet are often neglected!
If you have increased your training load recently (or planning to), you may be at increased risk of injury.
Any recurring sore spots in your feet may require some attention from a Podiatrist.
Our Podiatrists are qualified to assess the structures of the foot and ankle for any muscular, bony or lower limb alignment abnormalities that may be the cause of your pain.

Replace and rotate your runners

Making sure your running shoes are not too old and worn and are most importantly comfortable, is a great start.
It is also wise to have more than one pair of running shoes to train in to reduce risk of overuse injuries and prolong the life of your running shoes.
It is just as important to ensure any form of innersole you may be wearing inside your shoes has been recently checked by a Podiatrist and deemed adequate and necessary.

Sleep and stretch

Sleep and physical rest are vital for bone, muscle and cardiovascular rejuvenation after you train. Make sure you are well rested between workouts.
If you are waking up sore the next morning after a run, you may need a day between runs to rest…
It is still important you move however on rest days, to maintain fitness through such things as weight training, simple walking, cycling, swimming and stretching.

Treat skin and toenail irritations properly

Any skin and toenail irritations when you run can be difficult to manage when you are regularly training. Blistering is very common and can be very painful…
Some simple padding, taping, shoe and sock advice or the use of a form of innersole may be required to prevent these worsening or forming in the first place!
So be sure to check in with a Podiatrist if you have any growing concerns in the lead up to the big day!

Manning is available for podiatry consultations at our Stepney Healthcare Hub and Blackwood clinic.

Please phone to get in touch or email podiatry@sportsmed.com.au

Dr Matthew Hutchinson – hip, knee and ankle surgeon