When you have foot problems finding the right podiatrist can make all the difference. For years we’ve been helping people in North York with their foot and ankle problems at Walkrite Foot Clinic. We know when your feet hurt it can change your whole life. Things that used to be easy like going to the store or walking up stairs become hard and things you used to enjoy doing become impossible.
Every day we see many different foot problems. One of the most common things we see is plantar fasciitis which produces stabbing pain in the heel especially when you take your first steps in the morning. Many of our patients say it feels like they are stepping on a nail or a sharp stone. This condition usually starts out as minor pain and gets worse over time. If you don’t get treatment the pain can last for months.We believe the first step to getting better is to understand your condition. When people come to our clinic we take the time to explain to them what’s going on with their foot. For example if you have heel pain we might show you how the thick band of tissue on the bottom of your foot has become inflamed and why some movements make it worse. This information helps you make better decisions about what to do every day and why some treatments work.
We don’t just treat the symptoms we look at the whole person. We look at how your body works as a whole, from the way you walk to the way you stand. Sometimes foot pain comes from problems higher up in the body, tight hip muscles or an unbalanced pelvis. This broad vision lets us design treatment plans that give long term relief instead of just short term fixes.
During your initial visit we do a full assessment that involves observing you walk, seeing how far you can go and testing the strength of different muscles in your legs and feet. We might press on different areas of your foot to find places that are sore or swollen. This hands on test gives us information we can’t get from X-rays or other testing alone.
Your specific condition and lifestyle will determine what treatment options are available to you. We usually start with gentle methods like stretching, ice therapy and changes to your daily activities. Custom orthotics can help with many different problems since they support your foot exactly where it needs it while still allowing it to move naturally. We take exact measurements and impressions to make sure your orthotics fit perfectly and fix the specific biomechanical problems you have.
We have more advanced options for those who haven’t responded to the first treatments. These could be special taping methods that help wounded tissues heal or targeted massage therapy that breaks up scar tissue and gets blood flowing better. We also help you choose the right shoes because wearing the right shoes can make a big difference in how quickly you heal and prevent future problems.
Working with athletes and other active people has shown us how important it is to help people get back to their activities safely. We have rehabilitation programs that slowly rebuild strength and flexibility for people who run and have chronic heel pain or play tennis and have unstable ankles. We know being active is good for your body and mind so we do everything we can to keep you moving while your injury heals.We also do prevention. Once we help you get over your current foot problem we show you how to not get hurt again in the future. This could be specific warm up routines, exercises to strengthen your feet or tips on when to buy new athletic shoes. We want our patients to be healthy and active for a long time.
People from all over North York come to our clinic for care. We customize our treatments to each individual’s needs and goals, whether they are young athletes or older people who want to stay independent. We have seen how taking care of your feet can change your life by allowing you to go back to work, do your favourite activities and just walk without pain.
We recommend you see a doctor if you have foot pain or have questions about your foot health. Many foot problems get worse over time if not treated early but getting help early often means a faster and more complete recovery. We can help you learn about your options and find the best way to get your feet healthy and pain free.
