shepparton foot clinic
services
GENERAL FOOT CARE
Assessment and treatment of all nail, callous, corn or other foot related pathology.
HEEL PAIN TREATMENT
Podiatrists at Shepparton Foot Clinic are highly experienced in the effective diagnosis and treatment of acute or chronic heel pain. This includes Heel Spur Syndrome, Plantar Fasciitis, Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome and Achilles Tendinopathy. Treatment modalities in our clinic include effective sports strapping, orthoses, footwear advice, shock-wave therapy (see below) or cortisone and dextrose infiltration.
diabetes foot health assessment
Podiatry is an integral part of the overall care of people with Diabetes. The feet are at greater risk of developing problems in people with diabetes due to possible reduction in circulation and/or sensation of the lower limbs. An important part of diabetes management therefore includes regular foot health assessments with a Podiatrist. Podiatrists assess the biomechanics, circulation and sensation of the feet and legs and provide a thorough medical report (if required) and structured risk assessment advice in order to reduce potential diabetes related foot complications
vascular assessment of the feet
Shepparton Foot Clinic provide comprehensive Doppler-flow circulation assessment and ankle blood pressure analysis of the feet.
COMPUTER DESIGNED ORTHOSES (CAD CAM)
Shepparton Foot Clinic has been using the Amfit CAD CAM orthotic system since 2001 for customised, lightweight, durable, EVA-Rubber orthoses.
sports medicine
Assessment and treatment of sports related foot or lower limb pathology including treadmill gait analysis, footwear or training advice and orthotic prescription as required.
stress fracture treatment
We diagnose and treat stress fractures of the feet and lower limbs using skilled diagnostic knowledge, biomechanical principles and LIPUS (see below) for more efficient bone healing.
LOW INTENSITY PULSED ULTRASOUND (LIPUS)
LIPUS is used on stress fractures, bone non-unions and soft tissue injuries to assist with acceleration of bone and tissue healing. Research has shown that regular LIPUS can increase the rate of bone healing by over 30%.
children’s
foot treatment
Foot problems like warts, ingrown toenails, fatigue or pain in the feet, legs or knees or unusual gait and abnormal shoe wear are all common among children. Although children may ‘grow out’ of some problems, many foot concerns in adults may have been prevented with early treatment during childhood. Some foot problems require interventions to ensure the best opportunity for normal foot development.
CASTED RIGID ORTHOSES
Shepparton Foot Clinic has been using biomechanical assessment and neutral foot impression casting for customised orthoses since 1983. The use of orthoses is seen as an integral part of a treatment regime only when necesssary.
wart treatments
Foot warts, plantar warts (‘plantar’ means ‘underneath the foot’) and papillomas are all the same thing. At Shepparton Foot Clinic we can provide a wide diversity of treatment options including freezing, softening agents, topical medications or surgical options. The most important aspect for effective plantar wart cure is a proper diagnosis and treatment plan for the best result with the least discomfort.
biomechanics
Podiatric biomechanics is the study of the anatomy and function of the lower limb and feet. Understanding biomechanics helps Podiatrists to diagnose and treat foot, leg and postural pain. A biomechanical assessment involves the analysis of standing, walking, postural alignment of the legs and feet and the quality of joint and muscle movement. Any abnormalities can then be diagnosed and a treatment plan designed specifically to deal with the areas of concern. This may include the recommendation of tailored exercises or footwear or the use of customized foot orthoses.
orthoses
Orthoses are custom-made insoles manufactured specifically to help improve foot alignment and function. They are used to correct and prevent specific foot and leg problems. A biomechanical assessment is performed to obtain the necessary information for their construction. Impressions or tracings of the feet are taken during a biomechanical assessment and orthoses are made according to the Podiatrist’s prescription. There are several types of orthoses which can be prescribed and made by podiatrists (see below).
shoe insoles
We can custom design and make simple insoles on site to reduce pressure from overloaded areas of the foot.
ingrown toenail treatment
An ingrown nail occurs when the edge of a nail pierces the skin and becomes infected and painful. The toe appears very inflamed, swollen, pussy and often has a lump of red, raw soft-tissue growing from the offending edge.
The treatment of ingrown nail basically involves removing the spike of nail sticking into the skin and then healing the infection. This is usually done in the clinic with minimal discomfort using appropriate instruments and clinical skills. However if an ingrown nail is severe or chronic it may require surgical treatment and/or a prescription of antibiotics. We can perform nail surgery under local anaesthesia to remove the edges of chronic ingrowing toenails and prescribe antibiotics. This procedure is performed in the office, is not usually painful and does not require any time off your feet after the procedure.
fungal nail treatment
Shepparton Foot Clinic podiatrists are able to diagnose and treat acute and chronic nail fungal infections. These treatments include the use of topical or oral antifungal medications or the use of Photodynamic Therapy (PDT). The basis of PDT is the interaction of light with photosensitive agents to breakdown the fungal cells infecting the skin or nail. Standard PDT therapy requires three treatments over two weeks.
EXTRA-CORPOREAL-SHOCK-WAVE THERAPY (ESWT)
Shepparton Foot Clinic has been using ESWT for chronic soft tissue injuries since 1999. ESWT is basically rapid percussion using a compressor generating vibration of damaged deep tissue structures such as tendons and ligaments. This therapy is used to assist with regeneration of new collagen to stimulate the healing of chronic injuries such as Heel Spur Syndrome, Plantar Fasciitis and Achilles Tendon pathology. ESWT is generally a series of three treatments at weekly intervals.
treatment of arthritis of the feet
Arthritis particularly effects damaged joints under stress. The feet therefore are a major area for the effects of arthritic disease and pain. The resulting deformities of the feet and toes can lead to areas of increased pressure. This is why corns, callous and nail problems are common in all forms of arthritis. Your Podiatrist can help with removal of callouses and corns and reduction pressure to ‘off-load’ pressure areas via the use of foot or shoe padding or custom insoles and advice on footwear.
Shepparton, Victoria, 3630