first orthotics

[Stills]

disappointed. The podiatrist hardly looked at the foot and spent most of the appointment typing then without any measurements or gait test said he’s ordered me a pair that would arrive by post in the fullness of time. I suspect these will be no better than the well known brand I ordered online and returned as useless. Podiatrist added ‘come back in two months if they don’t work and we’ll look at a steroid injection’. Hurrah as this is what I’m hoping for even though I know it is not a magic cure.

[medway-lady]

Oh, no that is a shame did he explain what the insoles were being prescribed for? They never worked for me, and foot pain is awful. Is the pain in just one foot?

[Stills in reply to medway-lady]

Both but the left is worse when gout strikes as well plus this is the leg with the old injury which went untreated during Covid but should have been booted. I have two different limps on the same leg/foot 🙄

[medway-lady in reply to Stills]

Oh no that is awful, I'm lucky my right foot is totally unaffected only me left. So if all else failed I could hop! lol x

[Gnarli]

Sounds like poor practice to me. I would have thought a thorough examination of the feet would be at least a good first step. It's a good idea to use them for increasing periods of time rather than, say, an eight hour shift.

[Stills in reply to Gnarli]

I was surprised I admit. Let’s hope they help

[Gnarli2 in reply to Stills]

Fingers crossed

[welsh12]

Yes think they are saving money he bended a pair into shape for me. I wore them too long intially and gave myself pain else where on ankle. He got on line and told me to buy a pair of expensive shoes he recommended ugly dr martens told him not wearing them and a stretch board and oddly recommended cbt oil without saying check with your rheumatology.

[Stills in reply to welsh12]

Thank you

[medway-lady in reply to welsh12]

I love dr Martyn’s! I’ve a pair in bright pink and so comfy. Try some on you might be surprised at how nice they are. Look great with long dresses too. X

[welsh12 in reply to medway-lady]

Ha he was showing me sandals didn't know they were so good for our feet. Other wise £150 pounds rocker trainers I must have looked as if I had money must have been the uggs I was wearing which he disapproved of.

[Stills in reply to welsh12]

Podiatrist told me Uggs offered no support to the foot at all when I asked about them. He was dismissive of all my footwear choices actually

[medway-lady in reply to Stills]

My ortho surgeon told me that Sketchers are really bad as no support so seem comfortable in short term but make issues worse in the long term. OK for normal feet though. So alright for right foot but no good for left!

[Stills in reply to medway-lady]

He seemed ok about sketchers as long as they weren’t mesh material and had good ankle support but most don’t. He slammed my Reikers and Van Dal ankle boots for the same reason saying suede and soft materials offer no support. I explained anything firmer hurt the joint too much, he had no response. Skinnycappochino (?) posted a great picture of specifically made shoes but I’ve no idea how one gets provided with them

[StormySeas in reply to Stills]

I have some very similar to SkinnyCaps. They’re not prescription but I find them very supportive and comfy. Mine are Garmont Dragontail.

Essentially the sole is dense and thick and you don’t feel the surface on which you’re walking, ie stones or bumps don’t come through. In addition the insole is thick and very supportive, together the two make for a very comfy shoe.

[Stills in reply to StormySeas]

Thank you I will check them out today

[StormySeas in reply to Stills]

If you are minded to try them - they are sized quite small. I went up a size X

[Stills in reply to StormySeas]

Thanks for that, useful to know

[JenniferBut in reply to medway-lady]

Yes, I saw a podiatrist last week and she told me to throw my sketchers in the bin.

[medway-lady in reply to welsh12]

I’ve got some Gabor sandals but here in Maidstone we have a shoe shop called the Golden Boot it’s supposed to be oldest in UK and still in family ownership. They are on online and do fabulous shoes, all sizes from a few quid to nearly a thousand. Always fit them, and I love that shop.

[Stills in reply to medway-lady]

I would wear fancy weird tights with them and mini skirts

[medway-lady in reply to Stills]

That’s a thought, my legs are too old for the miniskirt but I like the idea of weird tights a lot. X

[Stills in reply to medway-lady]

Mine too, I’m 62 this year but don’t care a jot

[Potatos]

I was initially given off the shelf insoles. I explained they weren't comfortable in the next appointment and was then measured and supplied with custom-made ones. These are great and make so much difference to me. I do find when I go for reviews though, as my feet don't look deformed, I am addressed as if I don't really need them. I always start the conversation by praising the insoles and saying how great they are, to make them realise that even though it doesn't look as though I need them, they actually help a great deal. In my last appointment, they weren't going to supply me with new ones. They said mine weren't worn out enough. They wanted to take them and only replace the top layer. I refused to let them have them as that would mean I wouldn't have them for the weeks whilst the tops were replaced. I think that really made him realise how important they are to me, as he then backtracked and decided to supply me with a new pair using the old mould. I used to be supplied with one pair a year, now you are only allowed one useable pair at a time. I think it is another area of NHS money saving. They are probably trying to get away without making you bespoke ones.

[Stills in reply to Potatos]

I agree and will pursue this until I feel satisfied all that can be done , has been done. I’m aiming for the guided steroid injection. My RA is chronic, the pain and immobility restrictive, exacerbated by the leg injury and all my joints hurt. I’m only asking for help on one big toe joint, surely that’s not too much to ask 😉

[nanny_bee71]

How can he order insoles without measurements. I had my feet sunk in foam last time I went which was then used to make a plaster impression of my feet. It sounds like sloppy work to me

[Stills in reply to nanny_bee71]

That’s what I was expecting to experience, it’s shocking to wait 6 months for an appointment to then receive an off the shelf treatment that could have been given over the phone

[barbieg in reply to Stills]

Goodness , you only waited 6 months? I’ve been on the urgent list for orthotics since I had Achilles Tendinitis in November 2022 . I was told this week that it would be at least another 6 months wait !

[wilbertjellyfish]

That's very annoying, I went to a podiatrist and she customized the insoles to me. They really helped my knee pain but she thought I'd get fancy ones from the hospital podiatrist when I eventually saw them. In fact they said hers were fine and that was the end of it.

[Stills in reply to wilbertjellyfish]

Good to hear

[Ascidian]

That's a bit rubbish. Was he a specialist rheumatology podiatrist, or a general one? Fingers crossed he will be more helpful next time you see him.

During the covid lockdown I had on online appointment with the rheumatology podiatrist! Under the circumstances, I think he did ok. I had to put my laptop on the floor so he could watch my gait (the cheeky man did comment that there was dust under the bed, but he must have been joking, of course 😂. Thank goodness I hadn't left any knickers on the floor...). Obviously he couldn't do any measurements though. So the orthotics he sent didn't really help, but the boot for my achilles was brilliant and he advised me which exercises were suitable for someone with my foot issues and which risked causing additional problems.

[Stills in reply to Ascidian]

General podiatrist and he seemed flummoxed by the combination of RA imobility and pain, the agony of gout and the limp from the leg injury. Glad to hear you received better treatment even during Covid.

[Cheesechurch]

I had the same problem with NHS podarist. No foot measurement or gait test. And did not look at feet.I have been to private podarist .much better looked at feet and watched how I walked. Put insolec on flour and stood on and it took measurements and he made me a temporary insole. I get the permanent one in three week.

This has solved my pain from the planta fascia . No longer helping pain in ball of foot so I am now off to chemist to get a thick rubber insole. I hope will help.

[Stills in reply to Cheesechurch]

I think podiatry has suffered from lack of investment

[Lizard28]

Sorry to hear you had a disappointing appointment. Mine had me walking along the corridor then examined my foot thoroughly but unfortunately she said my foot was too bad and insoles wouldn’t help me. I had to take in three pairs of shoes that I had and she said none of them will help my foot, she told me not to wear sketchers but to try Asics trainers which I did go out and buy. They were the most uncomfortable shoes ever and my foot was swollen so cud hardly get them fastened but because she said they were great I persevered. After a month I put them in the bin, back to my Carvela and sketchers I’m afraid. I just don’t wear flat pumps or heels but look for sandals that have the rocking effect and I also purchased insoles for my boots which are great. These professionals don’t always get it right or as someone said, is it a cost saving exercise they are all on?

[Stills in reply to Lizard28]

I think it is underinvestment and is slowing becoming privatised as many parts of the NHS are. They are advertising podiatry services (if you don’t qualify) at £42 including a one off payment for your own tools to avoid having to sterilise!