The clinic has been closed due to Covid 19 isolation.  It will reopen on Saturday the 9th of July and apologise for the incovenience caused.

Regards
Dan

Hi Everyone.  I have decided to increase the appointment time to 40 minutes from 30.  Not everyone will require the full 40 minutes but there are some conditions that are a little more complex so to have the extra time for these will be beneficial.  Prices for the sessions will remain the same as the current 30 minute session time.

Regards

Dan

Please be aware that the current contact number for the clinic is 02 8937 3852.  It has been in service for the past few years.  The old number of 9460 6788 which is registered at a different exchange is no longer in service.

Apologies for any inconvience caused

Regards

Dan

It’s that time again with kids returning to school, so for most that means school shoes and sports shoes.  There are a lot out there with all kinds of marketing slogans and buzz words so how do you know the right kind of shoes for your child?

The first thing to look at which category their foot type fits into. That means whether their foot is either pronating or supinating excessively or whether they have a neutral foot.  Pronating means that the arch of the foot is coming closer to contact with the ground or from the back there may be a convex curve pointing inward where the heel meets the calf muscle.  Supination is where there is a high arch and the curve when viewd from behind points to the outside of the foot.

A pronating foot posture needs a pronation support shoe.  These are the ones that may have a different density and/or colour on the instep of the shoe.  For neutral and supinating feet a cushioning shoe will be needed.  These shoes usually have the same density and/or colour around the sole of the shoe and feel softer on your feet.

There are many brands of shoes and different subtypes in each category on the market.  There are shoes for running, cross training, court shoes, football boots, shoes made to mimic barefoot running, shoes to make the feet more active, and the list goes on.  In general a good quality shoe will have a stiffened midsole with flexibility in the forefoot and a reasonably strong heel counter. Barefoot style shoes are the exception here and are made to make the foot feel unobstructed by the shoe encouraging foot musculature to work harder and condition the foot but that it another topic for discussion.

Obviously most parents do not have a qualification in biomechanics but the assistants within the shoe stores should at least have a moderate knowledge of which shoes to fit for each category, so be guided by them.

The wrong shoe for your child’s foot type can have counteractive results.  Some common adolescent conditions such as Severs disease, Osgood Schlatters and Sindling-Larsen Johansson syndromes (Inferior patella pain) which are caused by excessive traction of a relatively softer adolescent bone can be exacerbated if poor footwear is increasing the loads generated in these areas.

So look out, gain as much knowledge as you have time to and happy exercising.

The latest directive from NSW health regarding the Covid variants includes more freedoms and the relaxation of wearing of masks and checking in for venues.  Masks can be uncomfortable and there are conditions for which wearing one is difficult but there is evidence that they can slow the spread of the virus.  With that said, it would be appreciated if masks could be worn if it is not an inconvenience .  We are a high contact environment and work in confined spaces, so it does put us at greater risk of transmission.

For anyone with symptoms, we ask that you please delay your attendance until either you are symptom free of have returned a negative test on day 2 of the symptoms.

Thank you in advance

Dan