Conditions
Stiff Muscles & Arthritic Joints
Helping to relieve pain and discomfort in Totnes, Devon
We understand how difficult living with foot and lower-limb pain can be. We’re here to help find the right solutions for you and believe in taking a tailored approach that looks at all the options available. Assessing the problem thoroughly is always our starting point as chronic and acute foot and joint pain need an expert diagnosis. You can read more about this in musculoskeletal and biomechanical assessment and gait analysis.
Treatment for a wide range of conditions
Supporting your feet and body
Foot orthotics help to support your feet’s natural structure and can counter problems caused by characteristics such as flat feet or a high arch. Silicone-gel insoles can help relieve pressure for many conditions and we also prescribe specialist insoles for pain including arch, heel and pain in the ball of the foot.
Custom-made orthotics make a real difference for many of our clients* and we have an in-clinic 3D scanner to get a highly accurate image of your foot. This is then used to create bespoke foot orthotics.
Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT)
Shockwave therapy is a treatment which can provide fast and effective pain relief for various injuries and conditions. It is a non-surgical, non-invasive treatment which can be used to treat acute and chronic conditions. Its main use is aimed at soft tissue injuries. Low energy acoustic sound waves are transferred into the affected tissue which then helps to accelerate tissue repair and cell growth, provide analgesia (pain relief) and help restore mobility.
The effects of shockwave:
- Stimulates the production of collagen within the tissue to help rebuild injured structures
- Helps with the formation of new blood vessels to promote blood flow to the affected area
- Reverses chronic inflammation
- Breaks up calcification tissue within injured soft tissue structures
- Provides quick pain relief.
Shockwaves can be used to treat various conditions all over the body. In Podiatric medicine it is used to treat the following lower limb conditions:
- Knee Pain
- Heel pain (Plantar Fasciitis)
- Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome
- Hip Pain (Trochanteric bursitis, etc)
- Chronic tendinopathy
- International pain
- Calcifications
Contact us today on 01803 868888 to book your appointment or if you have any questions.
FAQs
Your Questions Answered
What do muscle strengthening and stretching programmes involve?
Strengthening exercises work muscles within the foot, ankle, lower limb and pelvis to improve strength and control. They can help to treat most foot conditions from plantar fasciitis to all types of tendinopathy within the foot. We’ll work out a programme that’s right for you and your condition to build strength safely. We’ll also do our best to incorporate these exercises into your daily activities to make them easier for you to do.
Stretching programmes help make muscles more flexible by elongating muscle fibres, reducing tension and improving elasticity. They can be used to treat muscle stiffness and aid strengthening exercises to improve your foot’s ability to perform more efficiently.
Will I need to carry out muscle strengthening and/or stretching exercises at home?
If muscle strengthening and stretching is part of your treatment plan, we will probably advise you to do further exercises at home. We’ll go through this in detail at the clinic and will also give you some printed guides to follow.
How can massage and mobilisation help?
These techniques help relieve stiffness and are often combined into 1 treatment. Loosening the joints and improving glide can reduce pain, build strength and improve your range of movement.*
How do orthotics work?
These biomechanical medical appliances correct specific foot imbalances by re-aligning your feet to reduce stress and strain on particular areas of your feet and/or other parts of the body. They may be insoles, padding or arch supports. Orthotics can also be tailor made.
How long does it take to make orthotics?
For custom-made orthotics, there’s a waiting time from assessment to having your orthotics fitted and checked. This is usually around 2 weeks.
