My Diagnosis

Are you experiencing Foot Pain, Back Pain, Arthritis or any other pain? Orthotic Motion, Geelong may be able to help you.

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Heel pain

Heel pain is one of the most common issues that people experience in their feet. It can be caused by a multitude of different conditions but most commonly plantar fasciitis (see below) or a stress fracture.

Foot Orthotics and/or Specialised Footwear can be very effective in correcting and protecting any structural abnormalities which can often be the cause of the heel pain.

Heel Spurs

Heel Spurs occur when a calcium deposit forms a small protrusion on the underside of the heel bone. These spurs most commonly occur by repeated stretching or tearing of the fascia or membrane that attaches to the heel.

Structural abnormalities account for the greatest proportion of conditions that cause heel pain and are well managed with appropriate footwear and foot orthotics.

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the fascia on the underside of your foot extending from the ball to the heel. Plantar Fasciitis is very common in highly active people and those who stand on hard surfaces for long periods of time. The most common symptoms are pain in the heels or along the arch of the foot first thing in the morning and/or after a long period of exercise or standing.

Treatment may include stretching exercises, massage, appropriate footwear and foot orthotics.

Bunions

Bunions are a bony growth that forms at the joint of the big toe and causes the toe to point inwards. Bunions are often hereditary, but can be caused by stress on your foot, narrow footwear and conditions such as arthritis.

They are often treated with corrective surgery, or managed conservatively using custom made toe spacers, corrective foot orthotics and accommodative footwear.

Metatarsalgia

Metatarsalgia is any painful condition affecting the ball of your foot. It is most common on the ball of the second toe due to overload as a result of our first metatarsal being too short in comparison to our second. It can also occur when the fat pad on the ball of our feet moves as we age exposing the bones on the ball of our foot. This condition can be very painful and often feels like you have a small stone in your shoe under the ball of your foot.

Custom foot orthotics are very effective in offloading and protecting the ball of the foot to reduce pain and restore mobility.

Achilles Tendonopathy

Achilles Tendonopathy is a condition whereby the tendon just above the ankle becomes sore and inflamed. It is very common in runners or where the Achilles tendon is repeatedly over stretched.

Icing and stretching the tendon are common short term treatments. Custom Heel Wedges and Foot Orthotics are used for long term protection of the now weakened tendon to assist in preventing serious tendon damage/rupture at a later stage.

Sesamoiditis

Sesamoiditis is a condition whereby one or both of the small protruding bones known as the sesamoids under the ball of your first toe become inflamed, irritated, overused or injured. This generally results in pain and tightness in the tendons and muscles attached to the sesamoids.
Treatment may include custom Foot Orthotics to offload the affected sesamoid bone and/or immobilisation of the joint until symptoms dissipate and the bones heal.

Tibialis Posterior Dysfunction

Tibialist Posterior Dysfunction is a very common but often undiagnosed problem in the foot and ankle. It is mostly caused by an injury to the tendon or a long degeneration period and often presents in one foot as a significantly dropped arch with pain on the side of the foot/ankle.

Accommodative Foot Orthotics can be effective in preventing the progression of the condition as well as reducing pain, restoring foot function and facilitating healing of the affected tendon.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis, unlike Osteoarthritis is an auto immune disease that affects the joints. This condition can cause severe pain, disability and joint deformity and most commonly affects the hands and feet.

Pain can be well managed with Foot Orthotics and/or cushioned Inlays to offload the affected joints.

Carpal Tunnel

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is caused when the median nerve on the palm side of your hand is compressed. This can be due to injury, inflammation or overuse and often causes numbness, pain and discomfort. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is common with people who use a mouse and keyboard often and it is also common during pregnancy.

This condition can be well managed with a specialised wrist braces which is worn at night to off load the affected nerve and reduce inflammation.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis, unlike Osteoarthritis is an auto immune disease that affects the joints of individuals. Very common in the hands and feet it can cause severe pain and disability as well as deformity of the joints.

Specialised wrist and finger specific braces can be made to support the affected joints to reduce pain.

De Quervains

De Quervains synovitis is a very painful condition affecting the tendons that connect to your thumb. It often presents as pain with movement or the inability to use the thumb to lift objects.

Immobilisation of the thumb through the use of custom made wrist splints can be very effective at reducing pain caused by this condition.

Shoulder

Many types of injuries and conditions can affect the shoulder including tendon and ligament tears, dislocations and overuse injuries. They can greatly affect quality of life if left unchecked and can be quite debilitating over long periods of time.

Bracing can be an effective management option for multiple different shoulder conditions.

Tennis Elbow

Tennis elbow is often caused when the tendons that attach to your elbow are overused or injured. It is very common in racquet sports and activities that require gripping for extended periods of time or excessive force. It can be very painful and greatly reduces the function of the hand.

Specific braces can be very effective at reducing pain and pressure on the affected tendon.

Foot or Ankle Ligament Injuries

Ligament tears and ruptures are the most common injury to the foot and ankle that we see. Whether or not they need to be surgically repaired, they almost always require some form of immobilisation.

Specialised walking boots (CAM walker), Ankle Braces or Waterproof fibreglass casts immobilise the foot and ankle to facilitate healing.

Achilles Tendon Injuries

Achilles tendon tears and ruptures are the result of a traumatic over stretch of the Achilles tendon. Most people report that it feels like someone has kicked them in the back of the leg.

Treatment requires a regimented protocol of immobilisation and gradual increase of movement of the affected tendon. The tendon is protected in an immobilisation device (CAM Walker) or fibreglass cast.

Knee ACL, MCL or PCL Injuries

The four main tendons stabilising the knee include

• Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)
• Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL)
• Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL)
• Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL)

Specific knee braces can be an effective way to manage these injured and/or surgically repaired tendons and are often the first point of call when treating these injuries.

Meniscal Tears

The meniscus is the soft cartilage that protects the top of the tibia/shin bone. Tears often occur following traumatic twisting or rotation of the knee. It often causes pain in and around the knee accompanied with swelling and a decrease in knee movement.

Knee braces can be used to manage the condition by preventing knee rotation and reducing the amount of load through the knee joint.

Patellar (Knee Cap) Injuries

Patella tendonitis also known as jumpers knee is a condition where the tendon connecting the knee cap to the shin bone is damaged, torn or inflamed. It’s often seen in activities that have a lot of jumping or kicking where the leg is fully extended at a fast speed.

Knee braces that support the patella tendon can be used to reduce pain and can often prevent symptoms getting worse and are often used long term for athletes looking to prevent the injury re-occurring.

Osteoarthritis / Rheumatoid

Arthritis means ‘inflammation of the joints’. The cause of this inflammation and symptoms can vary but it generally always results in pain, reduced joint function and movement.

Immobilising and supporting the affected joints with a specialised orthotic device can be an effective way of reducing pain, increasing mobility and restoring function.

Foot Drop

Foot drop can occur for many different reasons including damage to the nerves or muscles controlling the foot as well as different neurological conditions such as a Stroke. The result is that you have either weakness or a complete inability to lift you foot up whilst walking. This can have very severe effects on your mobility and can increase the risk of falls.

Specialised braces known as Ankle Foot Orthoses (AFOs) are designed to control the foot and prevent it from dropping which restores your ability to walk and balance.

Charcot Marie Tooth

Charcot Marie Tooth (CMT) is a degenerative nerve disease that mainly affects the hands and feet. It is hereditary and can cause muscle weakness, decreased muscle size and deformities to the hands and feet.

Specialised bracing to correct deformities and control the foot and ankle whilst walking can be an effective management to increase independence and quality of life and reduce pain.

Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral Palsy is a congenital disorder that can affect multiple and/or different areas of the body which in turn may affect posture, muscular tone or movement.

Specialised walking splints known as AFO’s are very common to assist in correcting foot and ankle posture and allowing for independent mobility. Other splints can be used to stretch out tight muscles that may become tight due to tone caused by the disorder.

Polio/Post Polio Syndrome

Polio is a virus that thanks to mass vaccination is almost completely eradicated, although there are still people who suffer from it today. Common symptoms include paralysis in certain limbs and often require walking splints to control the foot and ankle and allow independent mobility.

Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a condition where the immune system eats away at protective tissues which surround our nerves. It can cause many different issues including muscular control, speech, movement and balance. Foot Orthotics and specialised braces known as Ankle Foot Orthoses (AFO) are designed to control the foot and prevent it from dropping which improves your ability to walk and balance.

Motor Neurone Disease

Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a neurodegenerative disease that causes rapid progressive muscle weakness. People with MND often suffer from strength and balance issues as well as having difficulty standing and walking. Specialised braces known as Ankle Foot Orthoses (AFOs) are designed to control the foot and prevent it from dropping which improves the ability to walk and balance.