Fraser Forlow of FDF Footcare in Carlisle, visits the Sportsphysio surgery on a regular basis.

A qualified Foot Health Practitioner, Fraser trained with the prestigious SMAE Institute in Maidenhead, Berkshire.  Founded in 1919, the SMAE Institute has over 90 years of experience in the foot healthcare sector.

Ensure your feet are fit for life!

A Member of the Association of Foot Health Practitioners, FDF Footcare keeps up to date with latest research and techniques through continuing professional development (CPD).

FDF Footcare is dedicated to providing customers with individually tailored foot care treatments which our clients say, exceed their expectation.

It is a myth that foot care is only for the elderly.  Our feet are an important part of our body and you do not need to be suffering from foot problems or struggling to reach and cut your toenails to see a foot health practitioner.

Hard skin and callouses can lead to pain and biomechanical problems whilst thickened nails and cracked heels can cause discomfort and are simply embarrassing.

We spend hours on them, shove them into tight shoes and high heels.  Operate machinery, play sports and dig the garden…the daily strain on our feet is relentless, so afford them a little time and professional care to make sure your feet are fit for life!

Treatments

Nail Trimming and routine foot care
Ingrown Toenails (non surgical)
Thickened toe nails and deformities
Verrucae and plantar warts
Fungal nail infections
Athletes Foot
Hard skin removal
Corns
Callouses
Cracked and sore heels (Fissures)

Consultation is by appointment only, either at our Carlisle Sportsphysio Injury Clinic or in the comfort of your own home.  Fraser also provides domiciliary services to residential and care homes as well as on site at factories and business premises.

Appointments generally last about 30 minutes, but please allow extra time for your first appointment to enable your practitioner to take a detailed medical history and thorough assessment.

To make an appointment, please contact Fraser directly on 07886609246.

The high arch or Pes Cavus is represented by an abnormally high medial longitudinal arch.

Although less common than flat foot (Pes Planus), it is no less painful and in some cases can be more problematic.

There are Two types of high arch: Flexible and rigid.
The rigid or inflexible high arch will retain the high-arched appearance in both non weight bearing and weight bearing. This may also be referred to as a supinated foot.
The flexible high arch will appear more normal on weight bearing as the joints of the midfoot allow the foot to flex.

What causes a high arch?
There are a number of reasons why people may have high foot arches;

The condition may be inherited (congenital). Usually involving both feet (bilateral) and is evident from an early age.

In earlier years, there may be no symptoms due to the flexibility of the younger foot. However, as the body ages and joints become less flexible, these feet become painful and can also lead to pain and biomechanical problems in the lower limbs and back.

Trauma to the nerves of the foot or neuromuscular conditions such as Poliomyelitis and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease can be some of the reasons Pes Cavus appears in later years.

Symptoms

• Heel or ball of foot (Metatarsal) pain.
• Calluses and corns may appear on the ball of the foot where undue pressure is exerted.
• Pain in ankles, knees, hips, hamstrings and low back due to poor shock absorption.
• Haglund’s Deformity – Hard lumps at the back of the heel, often known as “pump bumps”.
• Toes may appear clawed, as though they are grasping the ground.
• Pain in the mid foot due to stress on the mid tarsal joints and Plantar Fasciitis.
• Unstable ankle, resulting in frequent sprains.
• Morton’s Neuroma – damage to the plantar nerves of the foot.

Treatment

• Pes Cavus is not able to be prevented, so treatment is aimed at increasing flexibility of the midfoot where required and the use of prescriptive orthotics to support the arch and improve shock absorption by redistribution of weight.
• Off the shelf orthotics are usually unsuitable, due to the complex nature of the problem.
• Treatment of any corns and callouses to relieve pressure on the metatarsals.
• Surgical correction may be required in the case of complications such as Morton’s Neuroma.

Your shoes should always have good arch support with plenty of room in the upper for the foot to flex. A well cushioned shoe will help to absorb impact.