Having flat
feet describes
the biomechanical and structural positioning of one or both feet, which is characterised by rolling in at the ankles and showing little to
no arch on the inside border of a foot. This is how the term ‘fallen arches’ was coined. This is medically referred to
as pes planus, with the term for rolling in at the ankle joint when walking known as pronation. As the severity
of pronation can range from mild to severe, podiatrists can measure the angle of your shin bone relative to your calcaneus, or use a Foot
Posture Index (FPI), to help grade the level of pronation and best direct treatment where it is indicated. It
should be noted that:
Flat feet are, however, linked with a greater incidence of foot problems because of the effect this position has on your bones, joints, muscles and ligaments. This happens because we over-pronate past the point that is necessary and healthy for our feet.
Typically, it comes down to the biomechanics of your feet and the way your bones, joints, muscles and ligaments are working together. Some people may have flat feet from birth and others may develop them over time and in association with other conditions. Causes may include:
In childhood, kids are born with the appearance of having flat feet when they are standing because their feet have fat pads. Most children outgrow it eventually as their feet get larger, their baby fat disappears and their foot muscles strengthen with weight bearing activity such as walking. If your child does not develop arches by the time they are 8 years old, it is not likely they will have an arch in adulthood.
The symptoms of flat feet aren’t necessarily painful themselves, but the stress and pressure they put on the surrounding tendons and structures can cause pain as tendinopathies and other issues develop. These tend to be exacerbated by long periods of time on the feet and high-impact activities. When podiatrists evaluate the severity of flat feet, they often look for signs as opposed to symptoms. These include:
Typically, treating flat feet is more to do with treating the problem the flat feet are creating or contributing to as opposed to treating flat-footedness itself. Where no symptoms or issues occur with flat feet, treatment may not be indicated. Generally, orthotics are a common way to alter the alignment and positioning of the feet and are used in the management of various conditions where overpronation is causing problems and pain. Having supportive footwear that stabilise the foot and ankle as opposed to letting it roll is also a key part of management. If you’re worried about the effect that your flat feet are having on the rest of your body, you should get assessed by your podiatrist. They’ll be able to show you the impact on your feet and legs and discuss with you the appropriate management options in light of your symptoms.
We’ve welcomed the Nu-Tek low-level laser into our podiatry clinic. Here's how you tell if it could be the answer to your foot
pain.
Otherwise known as radial pressure wave therapy, shockwave therapy is a device held by our podiatrists and positioned against your foot or leg at the site of your injury.
We can transform the appearance of toenails to look healthy and clear in three ways, and as fast as in one appointment. Here's how.
Tingling or numbness in your feet and legs during or after exercise can be an odd sensation. If you’re prone to experiencing it, the most common reasons are related to pressure on nerves or problems with your circulation.
Does wearing high heels really come at a cost to our feet? If you’re wondering what effects - if any - high heels may be having on your feet, here’s the inside scoop from our podiatrists.
It’s important to not only use an evidence-based treatment plan to help you get the best outcomes for your foot and leg pain, but to help you see the best results in the shortest time. That’s the reason we’ve invested in shockwave.
Heel pain is our specialty here at Perform Podiatry. We now have Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) and Shockwave Therapy to
help you get the best results from your treatment.
We treat a lot of ingrown toenails here at the Auckland Ingrown Toenail Clinic. So, with approximately 10% or more of the adult population harbouring a fungal nail infection, it’s not uncommon that we see many ingrown toenails where a stubborn nail fungus has also infiltrated the nail. So how can you tell, what can […]
Shockwave therapy is a gold standard treatment used to help achieve the best clinical outcomes for musculoskeletal injuries and pain – and we’re very proud to now offer it to our patients here at Perform Podiatry.
While many of the cases we see here at the Auckland Ingrown Toenail Clinic are fairly standard, there are a few that vary greatly from the ‘norm’, and could have resulted devastating consequences if they had been left untreated under the hopes that the ingrown nail would “go away on its own”, something many people […]
They may be small, but verrucas, also known as plantar (foot) warts, are much more than just a minor annoyance. They can be painful to walk on and extremely persistent, making your day to day life a lot less pleasant or comfortable. As one of Auckland’s leading podiatry clinics that specialise in ingrown toenails, we […]
Not all pedicures are the same. For more than just aesthetic touch-ups, a medical pedicure by a podiatrist ensures your feet are cared for with expert attention, leaving you feeling safe and confident.
Ingrown toenails can be painful and uncomfortable, so identifying the ‘red flags’ of ingrown nails early on can be helpful in getting prompt treatment and reducing the risk of complications. So what are the top red flags you should be looking out for? One: Persistent Pain and Discomfort One of the most significant red flags […]
Hip dysplasia in babies can be concerning for parents. It occurs when the hip joint doesn’t develop properly, leading to instability and potential dislocation, either present at birth or developing soon after.
Dealing with an ingrown toenail can be a painful and frustrating experience, with many people opting to have ingrown toenail surgery to find lasting relief. But is ingrown toenail surgery painful? And if it is, is it really worth the discomfort? Do You Really Need Ingrown Toenail Surgery? The first thing you must consider when […]
Foot pain can severely impact daily life, limiting mobility and causing constant discomfort. Promptly seeing the right health professional can make all the difference in starting your recovery journey.
With the new school year approaching, our podiatrists are advising parents on buying kids' school shoes. Traditionally, this involves shopping in-store and considering factors like fit and support.
For many Kiwis, ingrown toenails are a persistent and painful condition that significantly impacts their daily life. While some cases can be managed with conservative measures like trimming back the nail carefully, either at home or with the help of your podiatrist (recommended) there are instances where a more permanent solution is required. The Partial […]
Foot and ankle pain can not only be debilitating, but also affects both our mobility and our overall quality of life.
As we get older, certain tasks get that little bit harder – whether it’s getting your shoes on, opening a jar, or reaching your feet to trim your toenails.
Whether you’re in the office or working remotely, a lot of our workforce spends a significant portion of their day sitting at a desk, often in front of a computer.
Engaging in sports and physical activities can bring joy and numerous health benefits. However, just because you’re staying active, regardless of whether you’re doing it at a professional level or recreationally, does not mean that you’re immune to foot conditions like ingrown toenails. Ingrown toenails can be particularly bothersome when you live an active lifestyle, […]
Snow sports in New Zealand, like skiing and snowboarding, are thrilling. Prepare your body to minimize risk, whether in Queenstown or North Island fields.
Ingrown toenails are a painful and frustrating condition, and while this holds true for everyone, this is particularly applicable to the elderly population. As we grow older, the risk of developing ingrown toenails increases due to various factors such as changes in nail growth, foot structure, and reduced flexibility which leaves us unable to reach […]
If you consider ingrown toenails to be the most debilitatingly painful problem given that it involves such a seemingly small nail, you’re not alone. These are the exact same thoughts shared by most people who come into our ingrown toenail clinic to have their ingrown nails professionally cared for – and often to get rid […]
Dealing with foot pain is a challenging and uncomfortable experience for most.
For those undergoing ingrown toenail surgery, it can feel like a massive weight has been lifted off of your shoulders (or toes), finally giving you much-needed relief from the pain and discomfort. And as with any minor surgical procedure, having proper care after your procedure is essential for a smooth and speedy recovery. To ensure […]
With winter well and truly here, we find ourselves bidding farewell to sandals and embracing cosy merino socks. However, for podiatrists like us, the arrival of winter also means an increase in patients seeking help for specific foot problems that arise due to the colder temperatures. To help, here are our valuable podiatry insights into […]
Pregnancy is an incredibly exciting time, but also one that is full of the unexpected – and that includes all sorts of pregnancy aches and pains. And due to the body undergoing significant changes, such as hormonal and weight changes, included in those pains is the increased risk of developing ingrown toenails. Here are the […]
Had a previous experience with orthotics where they weren’t that comfortable, didn’t fit your shoes well, or didn’t do what they were meant to?
Ingrown toenails are undoubtedly painful and frustrating, especially if you continue to get them over and over. While there are many causes of ingrown toenails, such as picking or pulling at the nails, or trimming the toenails too far down the sides of the nail to give them a curved appearance, one causative factor that […]
Blisters: they’re an enemy that most of us are far too familiar with – often accompanied by a fantastic new pair of shoes that we were initially very excited about. Instead, we’re left in pain and uncomfortable, searching for anything we can place over the blisters to cover them up and stop the stinging. Blisters […]
Noticed an area of red, swollen skin at the side of your baby’s toenail and wondering if it’s possible that they’ve developed an ingrown toenail? It absolutely is – we’ve treated ingrown nails in infants as young as three months old – and it can happen earlier than that, too. Signs Your Baby Has An […]
You call it having smelly or stinky feet, we call it bromodosis. Unpleasant foot odour is a relatively common, albeit often embarrassing, problem that affects approximately one in five people. It occurs when sweat and bacteria accumulate on the feet, creating an unpleasant odour. While foot odour is not usually a serious medical condition given […]
Just like you’re reading this article now, for many people with an ingrown toenail, particularly if it’s their first time with one, they’ll also head online to seek out the best way to treat an ingrown toenail. And after hearing some interesting feedback from our patients in terms of their online search results, we decided […]
Heel spurs are a hot topic in our clinic – particularly around whether they’re the underlying cause of a person’s ongoing or recurring heel pain. There’s a lot of confusion and misconceptions around heel spurs, especially in relation to plantar fasciitis heel pain. Here’s what you should know about heel spurs from the heel pain […]
As a clinic specialising in ingrown nail care and treatment, we often see patients who have been battling with an ingrown toenail for many weeks and come to us to finally get rid of the problem. During the appointment, it’s surprisingly common to hear: “but I went to my doctor and got antibiotics – I’m […]
Getting spontaneous waves of burning feelings in your feet? Burning feet are keeping you awake at night? It can be quite alarming to feel unusual sensations moving through your feet, especially when you can’t pinpoint a specific cause or trigger. This is a concern for many of our patients, who aside from feeling burning through […]
While most of the time our patients are confident about an ingrown toenail diagnosis, we thought we’d share the case of a recent patient who thought she had a very painful ingrown toenail – only to discover that she actually had a corn in the area where an ingrown toenail would normally be found. The […]
Summer is here and many of our patients have launched into summer workouts, meeting their fitness goals – and just generally enjoying their time outdoors and getting out in nature. But while working out feels like the most important (and often most difficult) part of getting started, did you know that your recovery after exercise […]
There’s a lot that comes to mind when we think of diabetes, and for most people, the risks to their feet and ingrown toenails are not one of them. Yet as podiatrists that specialise in treating ingrown nails, seeing a diabetic with ingrown nails, particularly if they’ve had more than one in the past, rings […]
We all know the feeling of having a knot somewhere in our muscles, whether that’s in our calves, legs or elsewhere in our body. It’s that tender spot that you push down on and feel instant pain that often radiates around. Most people will try to massage it, or have a spouse help, but what […]
Having thick toenails can be frustrating, disheartening and painful for several reasons. They can be extremely difficult to cut through, can lessen the room in the toe box of your shoe and become painful – and can make wearing open sandals that show off the toes unappealing. Thickened toenails often become discoloured and can look […]
Learning that you have fragile bones can be concerning, and for many, leave them with a lot of questions: Why have I got fragile bones? What does having fragile bones mean? What are my risks? What can I be doing to improve my bone health? With many of the patients we see and treat being […]
We recently had a patient come in who was experiencing her very first ingrown toenail – and initially, the cause of it was a bit of a mystery. She had relatively flat nails (compared to the typical excessively curved nails we often see with ingrown toenails), her shoes were roomy and spacious at the toe […]
If you have ever seen a child on a Jolly Jumper (also known as baby bouncers or jumperoos), you might know the look of delight on their face whilst they bounce away. In recent years, however, Jolly Jumpers have come under scrutiny as to whether they may do more harm than good when it comes […]
Noticing some slight redness, irritation or swelling on the side of your toenail, especially if it’s still mild and in its early stages, may seem like no big deal. Some people presume that when the nail grows in by itself, it can grow right out. Unfortunately, ingrown toenails rarely get better on their own – […]
We were recently having a conversation with a patient who was advised that soaking her foot in Epsom salts would fix her ingrown toenail. While it helped her get some temporary relief from the pain, the pain kept returning every time – until three months had passed and her ingrown nail pain was worse than […]
As parents, it’s only natural to be concerned about our children, want them to grow healthy and strong, and want to promptly address any health issues so they can go about their days without being held back by pain or discomfort. When it comes to the feet and legs, however, it can be difficult to […]
There’s a lot of information out there about ingrown toenails, and unfortunately, some of it is not accurate. Which, when you’re struggling with an ingrown nail and the methods you’re reading online aren’t working, can be very frustrating, disheartening, and painful. So today, we’ve debunked some of the top ingrown nail myths that we hear […]
Noticing bluish veins growing darker and more prominent in your legs is a cause of concern for many. But what do they mean, why is this happening now, and what can you do to treat or prevent them? Today, our podiatrists are sharing what you need to know about spider veins and varicose veins on […]
If you’re an avid skier, snowboarder, soccer player, or have a tendency to stub your toe, you won’t be a stranger to the dark brown bleeding beneath the surface of your nail that we medically refer to as a subungual haematoma. But with New Zealand having one of the highest rates of melanoma in the […]
Whether it’s a planned holiday or an unexpected period of sickness for yourself or someone in your household, getting back to exercise or rejoining your friends at the gym is something that many people look forward to greatly, giving a good physical and mental boost. There’s just one problem we see – many people take […]
When it comes to ingrown toenails, there are a lot of questions that we get asked every day. From the common questions like why on earth they’ve affected you and how you can prevent the pain from ever coming back, to whether epsom salts can fix ingrown toenails, we’ve taken a handful of your FAQs […]
When you hear about your friend’s orthotics from the pharmacy helping cushion their feet, your colleague’s new pair of shoes coming with in-built orthotics for support, or your young niece’s orthotics that stopped her from in-toeing, understanding how orthotics could help you recover from or prevent injuries when you’re playing sports can get really confusing. […]
If you’ve had an ingrown toenail arise out of seemingly nowhere, and other members of your family have had ingrown toenails in the past, you may be wondering if ingrown toenails are genetic and if you’re going to keep getting them for years to come. Here’s a look into how and why ingrown toenails can […]
When it comes to children’s feet, it can be hard to know if what we’re seeing is normal, or if there’s cause for concern. As podiatrists that work extensively with children’s feet, we often have parents bringing their kids in for assessment and starting the conversation by saying “…so I noticed this happening more lately, […]
Will antibiotics fix an ingrown toenail? If I’ve had an ingrown nail removed, should I have antibiotics? These are all good questions, and ones we get asked often by our patients with painful – and often recurring – ingrown toenails. Today our podiatrists share what you should know about ingrown toenails and antibiotics. Will Antibiotics […]
So you’ve got a splinter stuck in your foot and despite trying with tweezers or other home first aid tactics, you can’t get it out. So, what can you do? Here’s the lowdown on splinters and when to seek help from our podiatrists. Do Splinters Need To Be Removed? Splinters can be caused by a […]
When you’re busy at work with a seemingly never-ending task list, foot pain slowing you down and holding you back is the last thing you need. Foot pain can have a wide range of causes that require very different care at home, and treatment to get fixed, which is why it’s important to know the […]
Keeping your family on their feet and helping them to walk, run, play and exceed their goals is why we love getting up in the morning.
We're located inside the One Health medical centre at Building 122 Remuera Rd, Remuera, Auckland 1050, New Zealand
| MON - SAT | 8:30am – 6:00pm |
| SUN | Closed |
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