Woman holding massage oil beside foot

5 tips to get relief from Plantar Fasciitis at home

by Business

Welcome back to our blog! In today’s post we’re going to be sharing our 5 tips to get relief from Plantar Fasciitis at home.

If you missed our first blog post where we explained exactly what Plantar Fasciitis is, and who is most likely to get it, click here to have a read.

Now, put your feet up and get comfy, it’s time to get into into our top 5 tips.

Woman holding massage oil beside foot

1. Make the most of massage

There’s nothing more relaxing than a massage, so treat yourself to a little ‘you’ time whilst you work the aches and pains away. Better yet, ask a family member or friend to massage your foot for you – paying extra attention to the heel.

2. Ice up

Using cool packs can really help to ease the inflammation caused by Plantar Fasciitis. Plus, a cool compress feels great on painful, heavy feet. Use your compress three to four times a day for around 10-15 minutes at a time for the best results.

3. Self medicate

Over the counter medication like Ibuprofen is helpful for conditions that cause pain through inflammation. NSAIDs like this (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) work by blocking your body’s production of certain natural substances that cause inflammation. In turn, this decreases swelling and eases pain.

4. Give your footwear a health check

Guilty of squeezing into skyscraper heels that look absolutely gorgeous but leave your feet feeling battered and bruised? Or perhaps you’re besotted by ballet flats and flip flips? Either way, if your shoes don’t have built in arch support and are sturdy and well-cushioned, it’s a one way street towards foot pain.

5. Limit activity (and inactivity)

We know it’s tricky to find a balance here, but it’s crucial that you don’t do too much, or too little. If you work in an office and have to be seated for longer periods of time, make sure to get up often and have a little walk around. Work in retail where you’re constantly on your feet? Ensure to sit down for rest periods to ease the pain and discomfort.

BONUS TIP!
The best way to get relief from Plantar Fasciitis is with the help of a Podiatrist. We understand the pain this condition causes, and have treatments available to help get you back on your feet again and feeling fabulous.

Give us a call today on 01226 759 660 or contact us here to book your appointment.

Join us next week for a new post on how we can help you to get relief from Plantar Fasciitis with our specialist treatments.

Two pairs of feet on a beach with sandy toes

What is Plantar Fasciitis?

by Business

In today’s blog post we’ll be answering a common question: what is Plantar Fasciitis?

With summer just around the corner, our thoughts are turning to those beach holidays with long sunset walks along the shore. Summer is certainly a time for getting out and about and having fun in the sun, but if you’re currently dealing with Plantar Fasciitis, it can really take that sparkly summertime feeling away.

With pain whether you’re resting or active, it can feel tricky to know what to do to get a little relief. But the good news is, we’re here to help you to feel more comfortable again.

Over the next few weeks we’re going to be taking a deeper look at Plantar Fasciitis to bring you our top tips on how to help prevent, treat, and get relief from this common orthopaedic issue.

Two pairs of feet on a beach with sandy toes

So, what is Plantar Fasciitis?

In short, Plantar Fasciitis is inflammation of the plantar fascia – a part of your foot that connects your heel bone to your toes.

When this is inflamed, you’ll feel pain around the heel and arch of the foot, which may feel worse in the morning, or after resting for a long period of time.

What causes Plantar Fasciitis?

Often, it’s caused by repetitive motion or anything that puts a lot pressure on the arch of your foot. So, activities like running, jogging and walking, or consistent long periods of standing or being on your feet, can lead to Plantar Fasciitis.

You’re more likely to get it if:

  • You’re an athlete – particularly runners or jumpers
  • You exercise on hard surfaces
  • You stand for long periods of time
  • You’re wearing unsupportive footwear
  • You have high-arched, or flat feet

What are the main symptoms?

Symptoms can vary from patient to patient. Some of our patients feel a duller, milder pain that they can cope with. But some patients struggle with relentless pain that really hinders their day to day activities.

The most common symptoms include:

  • A dull and/or stabbing pain on the bottom of the heel
  • A dull and/or stabbing pain in the arch of the foot
  • A swollen heel
  • Tight Achilles tendon
  • Increased pain after exercise
  • Increased pain after longer periods of rest

How long does it last?

Plantar Fasciitis usually resolves on its own within 6-18 months without medical treatment. However, for some people, it can become a chronic condition that requires medical intervention.

What should I do if I get Plantar Fasciitis?

Luckily, there are lots of things you can do at home to relieve your symptoms which we’ll be sharing with you in next weeks post. But one of the best things you can do is to book an appointment with your local Podiatrist. We understand how terribly painful it is, and we have treatments available to help you get back up on your feet again.

Struggling with foot pain? Contact us today to book an appointment.

January 2021 restrictions

by Business

We remain open during the January 2021 restrictions

January lockdown

Hello, I hope you are all staying safe? I’m sure that you are all aware that the Prime Minister announced that in order to curb the spread of the new mutant COVID-19 virus, England will return to a full lockdown with immediate effect.

Health Care is not affected HCPC registered Podiatrists are allowed to remain open.

Podiatrists can continue with clinic visits, home visits and treating patients in nursing homes. Patients can still travel for their healthcare needs.

We will continue to review this information and correspond any changes advised from our governing bodies; GOV.COM, NHS and CoP (College of Podiatry).

Shielding

Patients who are shielding, we are a safe environment for you to visit, we have, HEPA air purifiers in all our rooms, and the surgery is certified Bio-Clean once a month, this is in addition to our daily routines. For your safety and the safety of our staff we have installed shielding screens in our reception and our treatment room, all staff are wearing PPE.

Should you have any concerns please contact the surgery 01226 759660 or use the contact form on this site. Contact Us.

Safety First

To make your visit as safe and as efficient as possible, we ask that you follow the below protocol:
– Please arrive just on time – our waiting room will not be available during this time.
– Please arrive to your appointment alone or ask your chaperone to wait outside.
To minimise the risk of infection, we are adhering to the strictest of hygiene practices as usual. Additionally, we will be allocating extra time in-between appointments to allow us to clean our workspace and reception area thoroughly.
We will also be wearing PPE including aprons, double gloves and face protection.
We appreciate if payments are made by card where possible.

We are unable to accept patients who are isolating, or live within a household that is isolating.

November lock down

by Business

Hands – Face – Space

We remain open during the forthcoming lockdown

Hello to my wonderful clients. I hope you are staying safe? I’m sure that you are all aware that the Prime Minister is moving us all into a November lock down.

As regulated medical professionals I’m pleased to announce after confirmation from the College of Podiatry that we are able to remain open, obviously this will be kept under review and may change as we continue to get medical updates from our governing bodies; GOV.COM, NHS and CoP (College of Podiatry).

We feel confident that our surgery is a safe environment for our patients. We will continue to provide treatments for our existing and new patients, in our Covid compliant surgery.

Shielding patients rest assured that we are a safe environment for you to visit, we have, HEPA air purifiers in all our rooms, and the surgery is certified Bio-Clean once a month, this is in addition to our daily routines. For your safety and the safety of our staff we have installed shielding screens in our reception and our treatment room, all staff are wearing PPE.

Should you have any concerns please contact the surgery 01226 759660 or use the contact form on this site. Contact Us.

Safety First

To make your visit as safe and as efficient as possible, we ask that you follow the below protocol:
– Please arrive just on time – our waiting room will not be available during this time.
– Please arrive to your appointment alone or ask your chaperone to wait outside.
To minimise the risk of infection, we are adhering to the strictest of hygiene practices as usual. Additionally, we will be allocating extra time in-between appointments to allow us to clean our workspace and reception area thoroughly.
We will also be wearing PPE including aprons, double gloves and face protection.
We appreciate if payments are made by card where possible.

We are unable to accept patients who are isolating, or live within a household that is isolating.

Emergency appointments extended

by Business
Stay Alert – Control the Virus – Save Lives

Hello to my wonderful clients. How are you all doing? I’m sure that you were all pleased to hear that the Prime Minister recently announced that many of us will now able to start cautiously returning to work. I’m pleased to say that this includes my team and I. However, our revised opening hours will be kept on review and may change as we continue to get medical updates from our governing bodies; GOV.COM, NHS and CoP (College of Podiatry).

As some of you may have seen from our last blog post, we have been able to treat some emergency appointments during the lockdown. Although we cannot see all patients, I’m pleased to announce that we are now able to include a further group of patients.

When booking appointments, strict triage rules will continue as we prioritise our appointments.

Emergency patients

– Are at risk of ulceration
– Are at risk of the break-down of ulcers
– Patients with infections
– Patients experiencing severe pain
We are also able to accept patients who are key workers, who if not treated, would not be able to continue to work.

Booking Appointments

If you need to book an appointment at our clinic or arrange a home visit for those eligible, please call 01226 759660. A surcharge of £3 per appointment will be added to all appointments.

Safety First

To make your visit as safe and as efficient as possible, we ask that you follow the below protocol:
– Please arrive just on time – our waiting room will not be available during this time.
– Please arrive to your appointment alone or ask your chaperone to wait outside.
To minimise the risk of infection, we are adhering to the strictest of hygiene practices as usual. Additionally, we will be allocating extra time in-between appointments to allow us to clean our workspace and reception area thoroughly.
We will also be wearing PPE including aprons, double gloves and face protection.
We appreciate if payments are made by card where possible.

We are unable to accept emergency patients who are isolating, or live within a household that is isolating.

Revised Opening Times

OUR REVISED OPENING TIMES

You can book an appointment with us during the Covid-19 restrictions on the following days and times:

Mon 10 – 2 pm
Wed 8.30 – 12 noon
Thu 1.30 – 4.30 pm Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you feel that you need help – we will be happy to advise you on whether you should visit us for an appointment at our clinic or home visit for those eligible. 

Take care and please do stay home as much as possible to stay safe and help to support our NHS.

Emergency podiatry appointments during the Covid-19 lockdown

by Business

Hello to my wonderful clients. I really hope that you are staying well and managing to cope during this very unsettling time.

After new directives from the CoP (College of Podiatry), I’m pleased to let you know that we are able to open our doors for emergency patients during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Emergency patients are classed as patients who

– Are at risk of ulceration
– Are at risk of the break-down of ulcers
– Patients with infections
– Patients experiencing severe pain


We are also able to accept patients who are key workers, who if not treated, would not be able to continue to work.

we are unable to accept emergency patients who are isolating, or live within a household that is isolating.

HOW TO BOOK EMERGENCY PODIATRY APPOINTMENTS

Before booking an emergency appointment, please consider whether the risk of your foot problem outweighs the risk of Covid-19.
If you do decide that you need to make an appointment, please contact us on 01226 759 660.

KEEPING YOU SAFE

To make your visit as safe and as efficient as possible, we ask that you follow the below protocol:
– Please arrive just on time – our waiting room will not be available during this time
– Please arrive to your appointment alone or ask your chaperone to wait outside.


To minimise the risk of infection, we are adhering to the strictest of hygiene practices as usual. Additionally, we will be allocating extra time in-between appointments to allow us to clean our workspace and reception area thoroughly.


We will also be wearing PPE including aprons, double gloves and face protection.


We ask that all patients use the hand sanitiser on entry and exit to the clinic, and that payments are made by card only where possible.

OUR REVISED OPENING TIMES

You can book an appointment with us during the Covid-19 lockdown on the following days and times:

Mon 10 – 2 pm
Wed 8.30 – 12 noon
Thu 1.30 – 4.30 pm

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you feel that you need help – we will be happy to advise you on whether you should visit us for an appointment or secure an appointment for a later date. 

Take care and please do stay home as much as possible to stay safe and help to support our NHS.

Want to stay a little longer? Click here to read our previous blog posts.