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Why is foot fitness important?

By Podiatrists Russel Rubin and Trevor Proskewitz

Foot Fitness and Why It’s Important

  • Want to wake up bright and happy each morning, but your plantar fasciitis makes getting out of bed painful?
  • Want to hit the gym, but your achilles tendonitis is flaring up?
  • Want to take your dog out for a walk, but your bunions are too painful?
  • Want to take the stairs instead of the lift, but your arthritis makes it impossible?
  • Want to chase after your kids in the park, but you’re suffering from shin splints?

If your feet are not functioning at their optimal best, it adversely affects your physical health of your entire body since you use your feet in just about every activity you do – standing, walking, running. They support you, keep you balanced and take you everywhere you want to go. They are the foundation of your entire body but you probably don’t give them a second thought – until you’ve developed a foot problem. 

Your foot structure

Each foot has 33 joints, 26 bones and more than 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments encased by thick connective tissue called fascia. Since human beings evolved as a species that stands upright, the feet are the body’s foundations. 

Foot pain can erode our overall health and wellbeing. Any imbalance in your feet will impact our body’s alignment. Flat arches, bunions, plantar fasciitis and arthritis are just a few common complaints. As we age, these conditions can have a debilitating effect on our quality of life. The fact is, foot complaints are never isolated – they can cause, or be caused by, issues elsewhere in your body. Once foot pain sets in, it can limit mobility and contribute to a sedentary lifestyle, which is associated with many chronic illnesses.

The cycle is vicious but preventable. By focusing on improving the strength and mobility of your feet, you can reclaim your health, improve how the rest of your body feels and functions and enhance your quality of life.

Pay attention to your feet

Do you feel tingling and numbness at night? It could mean you have a nutritional deficiency or that your blood sugar levels need to be checked. Fungal infections could mean that your digestive system or immune system is under stress. 

Your footwear

Women who wear high heels put stress on the foot and ankle which can result in bunions, hammertoes, neuromas and plantar fasciitis. Children who wear shoes that don’t fit correctly can be subject to pain. This is exacerbated if they have flat feet, are pigeon-toed or have Sever’s disease.

Strengthen your feet

Start your journey to fitter feet by practicing regular strength and mobility exercises that target your feet, ankles, hips, and core. Strength training can keep your feet limber and improve mobility. Stretching throughout the day and regular strength training will help with everyday endurance, while wearing supportive footwear can also make a difference.

If you have pain in your feet which is affecting your daily life, book online here.
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How do I do a conventional deadlift?

By Physiotherapist, Paulina Backiel

Step by Step Series : Conventional Deadlift

 

As per my last blog, we learnt the different types of double legged deadlifts that could be done: conventional, Romanian and stiff-leg deadlifts. Today, I’m going to go through the step-by-step of how to do a conventional/traditional deadlift.

 

As we recall here is a bit of introduction information from my last blog.

 

Traditional/Conventional Deadlift (DL)

Starting position: In squat position with weight on ground

Movement: Pulling strength; Bar is pulled up to hips tensing the glutes, then lowered back down to ground in squat position.

Muscles targeted: Mid back, abs, glutes, adductors, quads, hamstrings 

Performance enhancements: Strengthen lower back, full body

 

**Tip – start with a light weight, practice getting the right form and then increase weight

 
Step-by-step Breakdown

1. Start by standing hip-width apart with the bar or free weights in front of you on the ground

2. Bring your chest out (I like to say make your chest proud) and sit into your hips, into a partial squat position.

3. Reach down to the bar/weights, hinging at your knees and hips. Make sure your knees are above your ankles and that you’re hinging at your hips, not your lower back.

4. Press into your heels and pull the bar/weight up from the ground as you thrust your hips forward into a standing position. Make sure you are placing the bar as close to your legs as possible, I always tell my patients that it should feel like you are “shaving your legs” with the bar. Just watch out not to hit your knees!

5. Lower the bar back to starting position by putting your weight into your heels as you drop your hips back into a squat position, hinging at the knees and hips.

 

Now you give it a go!!

 

Check out the step by step below:

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Keep your children injury-free during the holidays

BOSIC about us
 

The school holidays are on and sporting activities are on hold. How do you stop your kids from staying indoors, glued to their devices all day? Keeping active is vital for our children’s development while they grow. It helps them stay physically and mentally fit as well as develop healthy bones and joints. So, go ahead and get them to sign up for a holiday camp or a sports team, but keep these tips in mind to ensure that their feet are looked after.

Wear the right shoes

If your child is into different sports, it’s important for them to correct shoes to suit that particular sport. If not, it can lead to foot injuries due to their footwear wearing off and not providing the right support for their feet.

Try different activities

Engaging into the same physical activity day after day can put your child at greater risk of developing a repetitive stress injury. The growth plates in children’s bones do not mature up until the age of 15. If too much pressure is constantly applied without rest, these growth plates can become inflamed and become more susceptible to injury. To avoid this, encourage your child to mix it up: if they’re into intense physical sport like rugby, AFL or distance running, alternate this with activities that are more focused around flexibility like yoga, gymnastics, or pilates.

Be aware of foot injuries

Your children might remain unsupervised during the school holidays while you’re busy working and this might lead to injury while playing sport. If this happens, don’t stress. Get a doctor or podiatrist to determine how serious it is and get a treatment plan. Here are some common injuries that could occur:

Ankle Sprains

Sprains can result from running, or any intense team sport or physical activity. A sprained ankle involves a swelling around it and may take a while to heal. Treatment includes the Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation (RICE) strategy and ankle exercises. With rest and proper treatment, most ankle sprains heal within 4 to 6 weeks.

Fractures

Fractures are more serious than sprains and are more common in children because their bones are growing and not yet fully developed, making them more fragile than adult bones. Fractures usually occur after a fall and results in pain and/or swelling around the injured area. A podiatrist can always help assess the seriousness of the fracture.

Sever’s Disease

It’s a common heel injury in children in which the growth plate in the lower back of the heel, where the Achilles tendon attaches, becomes inflamed and causes pain. Children can get Sever’s Disease if too much pressure is applied on the heel and there is little foot support to counteract that.

We’re here to help your children stay active

An active kid is a healthy kid. Don’t let the worry of injury keep your children from going outdoors and engaging in sport. If they do get injured, our podiatrists are here to assess the situation and treat them. Call any of our clinics to book an appointment these school holidays and let our podiatrists take care of your children’s foot health.

Bondi Junction: 9386 5400
Barangaroo: 8599 9811
St Ives: 9440 4600

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Types of Deadlifts

BOSIC about us

By Physiotherapist, Paulina Backiel

 

Overview

A lot of you may know of the most popular exercise for your hamstrings, the DEADLIFT. However did you know that there are different types of deadlifts that target different muscles in the body? The key differences are starting position and movement, allowing the exercise to focus on different muscles.

If you were once like me you probably avoided the exercise because it can be very challenging on the back. But, what if I told you there was a deadlift that is a bit easier on the back?

Types of Deadlifts

1. Traditional/Conventional Deadlift (DL)

Starting position: In squat position with weight on ground

Movement: Pulling strength; Bar is pulled up to hips tensing the glutes, then lowered back down to ground in squat position

Muscles targeted: Mid back, abs, glutes, adductors, quads, hamstrings 

Performance enhancements: Strengthen lower back, full body

 

2. Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

Starting position: Standing, bar/weight begins in air 

Movement: Isolated strength; Bar is lowered just under knees and raised up again thrusting hips forward and tightening glutes

Muscles targeted: more glutes, more hamstrings, forearm flexors

Performance enhancements: Increase hip mobility, glute and hamstring strength

Safest for those with lower back pain if done correctly.

 

3. Stiff-Leg Deadlift

Starting position: Similar to RDL position but with knees slightly bent

Movement: Keeping your knees slightly bent, just like an RDL moving the bar down past knees then up. Knees remain fixed throughout the movement.

Muscles targeted: more abs/core, lower back, more glutes, more hamstring, calves

Performance enhancements: Squats and overall leg strength

*Avoid if you have lower back or leg problems*

 

Don’t forget to book in to see a physio here if you are experiencing pain or need extra help nailing your form!