Do I Need a Chiropodist or Podiatrist? The Questions We Hear Most in Ontario   Foot pain and mobility issues affect people of all ages, yet many Ontarians aren’t sure when to see a chiropodist or podiatrist. If you’ve ever wondered whether your foot problem is “serious enough,” you’re not alone. The truth is simple: if your feet are limiting your comfort, activity, or confidence, a foot‑care specialist can help.   Below are the questions we hear most often — and the answers that help people decide when it’s time to book.   “Do I need a referral?” No referral is required. Chiropodists and podiatrists are primary‑care foot specialists, so you can book directly whenever you need support.   “Is this covered by OHIP?” Routine foot care isn’t covered by OHIP. Most extended health plans cover assessments, treatments, and custom orthotics. Many patients are surprised by how much their plan includes.   “What’s the difference between a chiropodist and a podiatrist...

The summer is coming to a close and flip flop weather will come to a close as the weather gets cooler. Wearing flip flops can be difficult on your feet. The design of flip flops do not allow the foot to be properly secured to the foot. If you have flat feet (pronated foot) your heel will shift off of the flip flop (watch the video).  Furthermore, your toes will have to grip the flip flops to keep them from falling off while you walk. Over time( successive summers) this can result in clawed or hammered toes leading to pain in the ball of your foot. This can lead to metatarsalgia or pain in the ball of the foot. The American Podiatric Medical Association has a seal of approval section which lists recommended  flip flops. These APMA approved flip flop sandals have a molded foot bed and more secure straps that help to minimize foot problems. www.footcarewhitby.ca

 Whitby Family Footcare

Whitby Family Footcare

I want to thank Elaine Petreman who invited me to speak on "Foot Care and Diabetes" yesterday afternoon at St Mark's Church in Peterborough, ON. Over a 90 minute period I answered many questions posed by the attendees during an interactive presentation. There were many sponsors present at the event. Elaine along with Greg Mather organized a great event. They both volunteer for the Peterborough chapter of the Canadian Diabetes Association and should be commended for helping to educate people about their diabetes. The discovery of insulin was a very important discovery by the medical researchers at the University of Toronto in 1921. Their discovery has saved countless lives around the world.  Unfortunately, diabetic complications such retinopathy(eye), nephropathy(kidney), neuropathy(nerve) and macrovascular(blood vessel blockage) are common problems that occur in diabetics with uncontrolled blood glucose.  The prevention of diabetic foot ulcers can save the heath care sy...

I have treated many children with foot problems over the past 26 years. One of the childhood foot problems that I have treated is in-toeing. In-toeing occurs in about 2 out of every 1000 children. Many parents become concerned when they see their child’s feet pointing inwards while walking, especially if it is associated with tripping. Other concerns include the abnormal shoe wear on the outside of the toe box due to scuffing of the toes while walking, the child complaining of being tired after walking or the child asking to be carried instead of walking. My goal as a chiropodist is to inform the concerned parent that in-toeing almost always self corrects as the child grows towards adulthood. If you watch the majority adults walk you will notice their feet will point straight ahead or outward. In-toeing ("pigeon toes") describes a position where the feet turn inward instead of pointing straight ahead during walking or running. In-toeing happens from birth ...

In this blog, I will discuss the benefits and risks of wearing MBT™ footwear if you have a specific foot and lower leg problem.  To help answer this question, I have summarized feedback from various chiropodists and podiatrists from Canada and the USA gathered by Dr. Chris MacLean, Director of Biomechanics at Paris Orthotics Ltd in Vancouver, BC. Some of the benefits of wearing MBT shoes are definitely due to the rocker shaped outer sole.  A pilot study in 2005 by Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary used pressure sensing insoles inside of MBT footwear while the study participants were either standing or walking. They compared the pressure readings in the MBT™ shoes to pressure readings inside of a flat soled running shoe. The study specifically compared the peak pressures of the heel, midfoot, ball of the foot (forefoot) and toes between the two shoe groups. Results of this study showed: 1.        MBT’s de...

Over the past year,  I have been asked on several occasions to express my opinion on the benefits and risks of wearing  unconventional footwear such as  MBT™ (Masai Barefoot Technology) shoes , Sketchers “Shape Up”™ shoes and other similar shoes.   I have reviewed research presented at scientific seminars, talked to a MBT footwear medical representative and I have also received feedback from a few patients over the past year who have used MBT shoes or other similar shoes.  In this blog I will discuss the design of MBT footwear and its effects on the thigh and lower leg muscles while standing and walking in MBT footwear.  I will also discuss the effects on ankle joint motion while walking in MBT footwear. MBT footwear was developed in Switzerland in 1996 and came to North America in 2003.  The unstable MBT shoe has been promoted as the original “barefoot” function shoe. This shoe has a rounded sole starting from the heel and continues ...

The alarm clock radio has just rang and your day is about to begin. You dread your first step out of bed because it is going to be painful but you have perfected a method to keep as much weight off of your painful heel.  You realize the pain will get a little better as the day goes on but you also know that when you get home and sit down but have to get up again its going to be painful!  Does this sound familiar? If you are reading my blog,  you may already know that you may have plantar fasciitis or heel spur syndrome.  Heel pain occurs because the plantar fascia pulls away from its attachment under the heel bone.  This pulling away occurs with every step you take while walking.  The plantar fascia has role in keeping your foot stable as you lift you heel off the ground while walking. The plantar fascia helps to resist your foot from bending. To give you an idea of what I am describing, I want you to take your hand and place it with your ...

The beginning of a new year is a chance for all of us to start fresh. Some of us will begin to exercise as a new year’s resolution. At the best of times, sticking to an exercise program can be difficult for most people. Injuries to your feet can hinder your ability to exercise and may cause you to give up your new year’s resolution. I routinely see a number of new patients seeking help for various types of foot and lower extremity ailments after starting a new exercise program. An unstable foot structure coupled with the introduction of new stresses on the foot due to exercise can cause knee, ankle, heel, arch and forefoot pain. It is important to realize your body tissues have adapted to your sedentary lifestyle. Any new exercise program will cause stretching, pulling, twisting and bending to your ligaments that connect your bones together and the muscles and tendons that move your bone joints.  This new activity will change the length of these body  tissues cau...

On Remembrance Day 2011 I will be in Ottawa, Ontario attending the Canadian Federation of Podiatric Medicine Conference. I will be taking a break from the conference to attend the ceremony at the cenotaph near parliament hill.  I started practicing as a chiropodist in 1985 in London, Ontario. I was privileged to meet many war veterans at the Western Counties Wing at Parkwood Hospital.  I did not recall many of these veterans ever talk about their experiences during WW2 or the Korean War. I could only imagine what they had experienced.   During the past 10 years the number of WW2 veterans has been dwindling. I have noticed they have started to share some of their stories. I think movies such as “Saving Private Ryan” allowed them to open up. I had some veterans state they could not watch those opening scenes of the movie.  I wish I had documented some of their stories.  Some of the stories were very funny and some were very sad.  I do recall some the s...

In southern Ontario many people can’t wait to start wearing their sandals after a long winter.  Unfortunately wearing sandals over many years can result in pain in the balls of your feet.  Metatarsalagia is a general term for pain in the ball of the foot but does not specify the exact cause of the pain.  The many causes of metatarsalagia are outlined below. Sports that place tremendous pounding on the ball of the foot, like jogging. Flat feet and bunions An enlarged metatarsal head. Calluses or corns that cause the weight on the foot to be unevenly distributed. Ill-fitting shoes that put pressure on the bones of the feet. Shoes with small toe boxes that cramp your toes. The thinning or shifting of the fatty tissue of the foot pad due to aging.  Arthritis or any degenerative disease of the joints. Systemic conditions such as diabetes, which can cause nerve-type pain in the foot. Most of the causes listed above ...

The Toronto International Film Festival is near its end.  Over the past 10 days there have been many galas and parties. I am certain many people are complaining about their tired and sore feet, especially if they  had to wear high heels.  The stiletto high heel shoe has been a very popular shoe style for generations of women. The popularity of high heeled shoes above 2 to 3 inches has not diminished with each new female generation. Furthermore, some women state once you get use to high heels they are comfortable.  It is quite amusing to hear mothers warning their young daughters not to wear high heels. My older female patients with foot problems complain they were foolish to wear high heels but at the time they couldn’t resist wearing high heels because they looked better wearing their high heels. I recommend that regular high heel wearers to start using lower heeled shoes or flats. Unfortunately this can lead to new complaints such as “it hurt...