Author: Jo.admin

We are proud to be recognised as an official @gaitandmotionclinics partner! 👣

What does this mean?

👉🏼 We are part of an International community of degree-qualified clinicians collectively raising clinical standards in gait analysis and prescription foot orthoses

👉🏼 We utilise the industry leading Footscan gait analysis technology to accurately understand how your feet function whilst you move

👉🏼 We offer Phits, the world’s first dynamic data-driven 3D printed orthoses to assist with foot, knee, hip and back pain

👉🏼 Our clinicians keep up to speed with the latest gait analysis and orthotic developments via ongoing education and software updates

👉🏼 You have access to the exact same technology as trusted by Premier League Football Clubs, the British Armed Forces and multiple British and World Champion Athletes to keep you moving pain free

Summer is here, and it’s time to kick off those shoes and embrace the season with confidence. Whether you’re dreaming of sandy beaches or poolside parties, having smooth and supple feet is essential. One of the best-kept secrets for achieving perfect summer feet is using a urea cream. Let’s dive into how this magical ingredient can transform your skin and prepare you for all your summer adventures.

What is Urea Cream?

Urea is a naturally occurring substance in the skin that plays a crucial role in maintaining skin hydration and texture. In cosmetic formulations, urea is used for its powerful moisturising and exfoliating properties. A 30% urea cream is a high-concentration formulation designed specifically for tackling tough, dry skin, making it an excellent choice for foot care.

Benefits of 30% Urea Cream for Your Feet
1. **Deep Hydration**: Urea is a humectant, which means it attracts moisture to the skin and locks it in. This provides deep, long-lasting hydration, especially important for the thicker skin on your feet.
2. **Exfoliation**: Urea has the unique ability to break down the protein structure in dead skin cells, aiding in gentle exfoliation. Regular use of urea cream will help eliminate rough patches and calluses, leaving your feet feeling smooth and renewed.
3. **Softens Calluses**: Calluses are common on the feet due to pressure and friction. The keratolytic effect of urea softens these tough areas, making it easier to remove and preventing future build-up.
4. **Improved Skin Texture**: With consistent use, urea cream can significantly improve the overall texture and appearance of your feet, making your skin feel softer and more supple.
5. **Enhanced Absorption**: By breaking down the skin barrier slightly, urea also helps other beneficial ingredients to penetrate more deeply, enhancing their effectiveness.

Tips for Using 30% Urea Cream – **Apply Regularly**: For best results, apply the cream daily, especially after showering when your skin is most receptive to moisture.

**Massage Thoroughly**: Take a few extra minutes to massage the cream into your feet. This promotes better absorption and helps relax tired muscles.
**Protect Your Feet**: Once you’ve applied the cream, slip on some moisture-locking socks to maximise its effectiveness overnight.

Be careful not to walk barefoot after the application of cream, as this will increase your falls risk.

Regardless of your playing level, we can visit you at your club or training ground. We can capture valuable data to understand exactly how the players feet function when they stand, balance walk and run.
Your feet are your foundation, so let’s make sure they are ready for the season ahead.

We are pleased to have integrated the latest Footscan technology into all of our diabetic foot assessments as standard. Footscans can identify abnormalities in foot pressure and distribution before any physical symptoms emerge. This early detection can allow for pre-emptive intervention, with the aim to reduce ulceration and subsequent infection. Customised orthotics can be made, using precise data from the footscan, ensuring optimal support and pressure relief. At Soft Soles Essex Ltd, we believe in a preventative approach to foot-care and by identifying risk factors early we hope to help as many people prevent problems rather than dealing with the slow process of fixing them. A personalised care plan will be written for each person, which may include footwear, lifestyle advise, and or lifestyle changes to mitigate risk. We are moving forward into the new age, performing date driven health care rather than the ‘watch, wait and hope’ approach.

Its been a while since I have updated the blog posts, something I started when I was trying to manage the effects of covid on the business ! 2023, and and update on our plans for the Podiatry business.
Training, training, training !
We will be offering nail bracing from next week. This is a conservative treatment when clients do not want to undertake nail surgery, but only suitable for those nails that are not infected.
We will also be looking into some dermal filler training towards the end of 2023, more on this soon 🙂

The clinic is continuing to open the same as last year, Monday evenings, Tuesday and Wednesdays. Saturdays will continue to run with Dilan.

To try and maintain the prices as low as possible, I would appreciate any reviews on google or Facebook. This helps to keep advertising costs low, the clinic as busy as possible.

Thanks for all of your support over the past four years, and cannot wait to see what 2023 holds 🙂

Well, its still not over; but thank-goodness we didn’t know the extend of lockdown 11 weeks ago !

Owning a small business has sent its own challenges which we can all share once we are allowed to embrace each other again.

I am not ashamed to say, it has been an extremely difficult time to watch my small thriving business close its doors, although necessary it was completely heartbreaking.

But, what can we do during a time of crisis- help, help and more help ! I quickly figured out my strengths and where I could be of assistance.

I volunteered to be a part of the Nightingale Education Faculty, helping to get all of the documents checked, verified ready for the opening of the hospital. Walking around the Excel, with a GP who I used to work alongside in Greenwich my very first job is a day I will never ever forget. The sheer size of the hospital was extreme. It made me extremely nervous and grateful for all of those health care professionals who were willing to put themselves on the front line, risking their lives to save ours.

I then joined the volunteer group in Brentwood, to help those who could not shop for themselves. I am used to working alongside the vulnerable, and with my enhanced CRB check I knew I could be relied upon. This was rewarding, although- shopping for other people is really hard !

I made the decision early during this crisis to remain open for emergencies. This meant, if you was suffering from an infection, you could utilise the private sector and prevent the need to attend a hospital.
During this time, I saw multiple in-growing toe nails !

Lets hope we can all see a brighter future soon 🙂

After a regular appointment with my sports therapist, who I see to try and prevent any soft tissue or overuse injuries I have become reflective about the importance of preventative foot health.

Pain, is the usual reason for booking an appointment. Pain alerts us to ‘something being wrong with my foot’, and persistent pain is usually a marker, that ‘something’ is not getting better.

It is well documented that for medium or high risk diabetic patients, that a regular appointment with a Podiatrist can prevent a serious health issue, infection, ulceration from occurring. Podiatrist, being the professional of choice, due to the vigorous training you can be confident that they will have the knowledge you require to prevent those serious foot problems, and the network of professionals to refer to if you do present with a serious concern.

However, for those of us not diabetic- is preventative Podiatry a good choice for our health? Should we have appointments regularly, without that pain marker. After 11 years post graduate experience, I have become a strong advocate for the term ‘Prevention is better than cure’.

Not just for foot health, but in all realms of life.

Focusing back to Podiatry, preventative Podiatry may be able to help you. After all, we are only provided with one set of feet. They are our only free method of transport, and once we are in pain with our feet, quite frankly not only can they loose us days at work and stop us socialising it can make you extremely miserable.

Now, not every foot is the same- and depending on your dedication to self-care, some may benefit more from preventive Podiatry than others.  A Podiatrist can guide you through an effective self-care regime, based on your presenting conditions + medical history, and how often you would benefit from a check-up with a professional.

Regulated by the HCPC, you can also attend an appointment with a guarantee that person is suitably qualified to give you all the advise you need for your foot health requirements.

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://blogs.brighton.ac.uk/healthsciences/2017/03/01/joanna-woollard-wins-clinician-of-the-year-award-at-the-oscars/

 

 

http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e_yoT9oaRM

Throw back to an interview I completed for the University of East London back in 2016.

Google… it is the answer to all questions, and even has a catch phrase ‘Google it.’

Now, when should we ‘google it’ and when should we seek the advise of the professional.

With regards to health my advise as a professional is to never use the oracle of google. Health is extremely specific to every individual, and although your symptoms may match that of another google warrior- you could have a completely different pathology.

At undergraduate level, we are taught about ‘differential diagnosis’- in very basic terms taught not to jump to conclusions.
The patient may be presenting with symptoms that match one particular condition, but what else could it be? We are taught to rule out all other options with specific examinations and assessments. In an exam setting we are then questioned in detail- why the diagnosis is correct and specifically why the differential diagnosis’ is not.

Google- cannot perform this skill. You will match yourself to the condition you think you have, and then in equal measures panic or ignore a potential serious pathology.

You may spend 6-12 months following advise from the general public situated on google, potential incorrect advise. Your condition could worsen.

At all times, if concerned seek the advise of a health professional. Remember, a Podiatrist has a minimum of 3 years of academic training on the day they are qualified.

If you decide to attend my foot clinic, you will benefit from 10 years post graduate experience.