Podiatrist Footwear Advice 

What is Podiatrist Footwear Advice?

In the most simple terms, Podiatrist Footwear Advice involves choosing the right pair of shoes for your foot type and your lifestyle.

So Footwear Advice can be broadly broken down to:

• Footwear Assessment
• Footwear Prescription 
• Sports Footwear Advice
• Post-surgical Footwear Advice

Why Get a Footwear Assessment

Your feet are as unique as a fingerprint and your sports shoes should be chosen based upon the structure of your particular foot and the sporting activity you participate in.

Your podiatrist is well placed to assess your individual foot type and recommend the shoe type that will suit your feet best.

When dealing with our podiatrists you access to:

• Widespread experience of feet and various conditions affected by footwear
• Up to date knowledge of the latest footwear technology, and
• Offer extensive knowledge of a large range of footwear brands

As important, the correct footwear can help resolve or mitigate conditions such as:

• foot pain,
• nasty blisters,
• overuse injury,
• stress fractures,
• shoes wearing more on one side, and
• general discomfort.

Footwear advice is not just about Running Shoes, we can advise on casual and work shoes as well.

Footwear Assessment

In order for a podiatrist to recommend a specific shoe, they need to assess your:

• Foot type, and
• The needs of your sport or lifestyle activities
• A complete Footwear Assessment will consider
• a person’s biomechanics,
• foot structure,
• injury history and
• the activity that they will be used for.
• Other considerations include:
• Dealing with existing orthotics or
• Other medical conditions like diabetes.

Preparing for a Footwear Assessment

Make sure that you bring in at least 3 pairs of shoes that you are currently wearing the majority of the time.

Footwear Prescription 

So, which pair of shoes should you buy?

As there are many different brands and types of shoes for different functions and fits, your podiatrist is well placed to prescribe you with the correct footwear that suits your individual needs.

These include:

• Sporting activities
• Wider or narrower fitting shoes
• Custom options are available if you have a unique foot type. Where needed, referrals can be written, for the manufacturing of custom footwear.

Our Podiatrists will then give you a detailed recommendation of the shoes that you should be buying and where to get them for reasonable prices.

Sports Footwear Advice

Sports Podiatry is focused on delivering footwear advice to ensure the sports shoes you choose to keep the feet secure and help avoid injury is correct.

In the absence of a podiatric shoe recommendation, runners or sports people may unwittingly contribute to their own injuries by purchasing shoes that are not suited to their particular foot type.

During a Footwear Assessment, your individual foot and lower limb pattern is assessed at your typical walking or running speed. With motion analysis through a treadmill gait assessment, we are able to view how your shoes are responding under load, from heel strike to midstance to the toe off phase of your gait.

Sport shoes and running shoes need to provide appropriate support, grip, stability and cushioning for you against the ground, as well as be appropriate for the sport you are participating in and your biomechanics.

Types of Sports Shoes

Sports shoes can be divided into four main types:

Motion Control Shoes

Control over­pronation (rolling in of your feet). Many of these shoes have rigid devices made out of plastic or fibreglass in the midsole with more support beneath the arch and a wider base in the heel, significantly reducing maximum pronation. Flat­ footed, as well as heavy runners, do well in these shoes.

Stability Shoes

Aid with mild pronation. They provide stability with extra support beneath the arch. These shoes are good for runners with normal arches and only mild motion control problems.

Cushioned Shoes

Have little, if any, motion control properties. They are the softest of all the running shoes and provide excellent shock absorption. Runners with high arches and rigid feet do well in these shoes.

Lightweight Racing Shoes

Are designed for speed. These are constructed for basic cushioning and support and are used for fast­-paced racing. Many athletes will use a more supportive shoe for training and a lightweight racing shoe for competition.

Each of these categories incorporates design features to complement different foot types.

Post-Surgical Footwear Advice

What is Post-Surgical Footwear Advice?

After most foot surgeries, patients are usually told to not immediately walk on their feet in order to allow the foot to heal to a point when weight-bearing movement or rehabilitation is appropriate and required.

When the patient is able to start the walking or rehab stage of recovery, a post-operative shoe is recommended to protect and support the patient’s surgically repaired foot and to aid the healing process.

Why Seek Post-Op Footwear Advice?

Post-op shoe advice provides recommendations on the necessary compression, protection and security for patients recovering from different things such as

• broken toes,
• foot ulcers,
• post bunion surgery, and
• especially for geriatric patients and diabetic patients with insensitive feet.

The patient who needs Post Op Footwear Advice includes those recovering for the procedures and conditions listed below:

• Bunionectomy
• Toe joint arthritic bone spur removal
• Toe joint implant
• Excision of Interdigital Neuroma
• Metatarsal Osteotomy
• Hammertoe surgery
• Excision of ganglionic cyst
• Foot fractures and fusions:
• Lepidus bunionectomy
• Metatarsal and digital fracture repair
• Reconstructive Procedures
• After Fracture Repair
• Subtalar joint fusion
• Ankle Repair Procedures
• Achilles tendon procedures
• Flat foot reconstruction

Appropriate Post-op footwear is specifically designed to aid in the ease of access, suitable protection and support of the feet but also to assist in the prevention of further footwear related problems recurring.