Most people suffer foot or knee pain at some point in their lives but it can be difficult to find effective treatment with long-term results.
Foot and knee pain expert and musculoskeletal podiatrist, Dr Paul Dowie explains.
“Many foot and knee conditions are misdiagnosed and incorrectly treated, often because only symptoms are treated and the cause and contributing factors of the pain or injury are not being addressed.”
With 25 years’ experience in musculoskeletal medicine Dr Dowie has been the chosen practitioner to some of the world’s best athletes, providing proven solutions to help alleviate pain, heal injuries and even delay or eradicate the need for surgery.
He provided the following insights into common foot and leg complaints and treatments:
* Bad foot posture can continually pull your body out of alignment, placing undue stress on other joints and tissues throughout the body, contributing to pain, injury and arthritis. Consulting a lower limb, musculoskeletal expert who has an understanding of complex foot and leg biomechanics, is essential in ascertaining the exact nature of your condition and providing appropriate treatment.
* Many foot and knee conditions, e.g. plantar fasciitis symptoms, knee, heel and ankle pain, injuries and degenerative conditions are incorrectly treated with cortisone injections, anti-inflammatory medications and arthroscopies. These may provide some temporary relief but do not fix these conditions and can delay healing and even cause further tissue damage.
To achieve safe, effective, long-term outcomes in assisting pain, injuries, degenerative conditions like arthritis and function and mobility concerns, the latest medical research supports the following strategies:
1. Assisting load management, to reduce forces and stress placed through the joints and tissues
2. Encouraging joint and tissue repair (often with natural regenerative therapies i.e. Prolotherapy and PRP)
3. Improving joint and tissue function, range of motion, strengthening and conditioning to assist long-term healing
If you have any foot or leg pain, you can see Dr Dowie at his Foot and Leg Pain Clinic in Williamstown. Call 1300 328 300.
