Your injury

Patients seek treatment for many different injuries and conditions. We have provided some snippets of information to help you understand some of the more common conditions in more detail. We will be introducing a MYMED page which will have password access and allow your complete treatment regime to be presented to you in detail.

• Ingrown nails
• Verrucae
• Callus formation
• Severs disease
• Sesamoiditis
• Neuroma
• Cuboid syndrome
• Calf strains
• Ankle sprains
• Plantar fasciitis
• Achilles tendonitis
• Shin pain
• Knee pain
• Low back pain

Severs disease

This is a very common condition affecting children aged between the ages of 9-13 years. It is seen more commonly in boys - particularly active ones! Severs disease is a growth plate irritation that occurs in the heel bone or calcaneus. The heel bone is not yet fused together at this age and thus the growth plate can easily become inflamed. Stresses such as increased activity, hard grounds, low profile footwear can exacerbate this very easily.

Discomfort is usually related to activity in that the more activity the child participates the more pain is created. Often these children can limp while they are playing sport however they recover quickly. Thus the day following significant pain and limping there can often be no sign of discomfort. Severs seems to coincide with a reasonable growth spurt as well.

Treatment is focused upon reducing loading on the heel and Achilles via elevating and supporting the heel, the use of cushioning, taping, calf stretching and activity modification. For further information click here

Callus formation

A callus is an irritated area of skin which has become thick and hard in response to repeated friction and pressure. It is actually an accumulated of dead skin cells and is the body’s natural response to a combination of friction and pressure.

Calluses are most often found on feet because of frequent pressures. The inside of the big toe, the ball of the foot and the heels are common sites of callus formation. Generally calluses are not harmful however can progress and create other problems, such as corns, ulcerations or infections. Simple debridement can eliminate a callus usually completely painlessly. A biomechanical approach of reducing or eliminating pressure is used to prevent recurrence of callus formation. This may vary from shoe advice or modification to simple cushioning or weight redistribution. For further information click here

Mortons Neuroma

A Mortons neuroma is an enlargement of a nerve that runs into the forefoot. This usually occurs in the third interspace or between your 3rd and 4th toes. It is referred to as an intermetatarsal neuroma as it lies between the metatarsals. The nerve becomes thickened or enlarged as a result of compression and irritation. Thickening is due to fibrofatty tissue being laid down in the inflamed area. Both the thickening and irritation can cause nerve damage with symptoms such as burning, radiating pain or numbness / pins and needles into the effected toes. Pain is often worse in the morning and patients frequently want to remove their footwear and massage their foot.

Footwear is often a contributing factor with tight or high heeled shoes exacerbating the problem. Treatment involves reducing compressive forces by redistributive padding footwear modification or cortisone injection. Sometimes surgery is required. For further information click here

Ingrown nails

These are common conditions usually found in male adolescents. In simplistic terms the end or edge of the nail lacerates or pierces the skin fold and causes an inflammatory reaction. When swelling and infection sets in the skin enlarges and causes more pressure on the nail edge making further laceration more likely.

Poor nail cutting and sweaty foot types tend to induce this condition which is commonly found on the big toe (or hallux). Sometimes it is the sharply curved shape of the nail itself that causes the problem. Often the small portion of the offending nail can be removed painlessly and the problem solved quickly. For further information click here

Verrucas

Plantar warts, also known as verrucas, appear most commonly on the sole of the foot. They can occur as a single verruca, or surface as clusters (mosaic). They are normally raised and circular, and the skin is harder and flatter than the healthy area surrounding them. Their centers are dotted with black pinpoints (peppered appearance).

Verrucae are caused by the papillomavirus. This virus is commonly found on skin, but can not do any damage unless it penetrates the skin through cuts and cracks. It can be contracted by walking barefoot where the virus is present.

There is no set time a verruca will occur for. They can spontaneously disappear, then reappear in the same spot. They can be confused with callus and corns, as they look similar. If you are not sure, see one of our podiatrists. We can offer a range of treatments including salicylic acid, silver nitrate and freezing (cryotherapy). These treatments may need multiple follow ups, usually taking around 15 minutes. For further information click here

How Do I Book an appointment? Just Ring SportsMed to book on (03) 366 0620

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