Most of the foot problems we see at Corrective Foot Solutions are chronic. They've built up over a long period of time, and most of our clients don't realise it.

In fact, we often only feel the most recent changes in our feet, long after the problem started. That means most people don't feel pain until significant damage has already occurred.

Many patients come to my clinic frustrated that no one has talked to them about the underlying cause of their foot problems, or made a plan to fix it for the long term. Pain from tissue damage or inflammation usually comes down to two main underlying causes.

Underlying cause 1: Misalignment (subluxation)

The first underlying cause is subluxation in the joints of the feet, which basically means the joints are out of alignment.

These misalignments affect the way we stand and walk. As a result, the joints, connective tissue and soft tissues become overloaded, and the body compensates. Over time, those compensations lead to joint degeneration, soft tissue inflammation and, eventually, pain.

Underlying cause 2: Weak foot muscles

If the muscles in your arch and foot are weak or not working well, it will contribute to foot, ankle, knee and back pain.

How well these muscles work depends a lot on the alignment of your joints. The fantastic news is that it's relatively easy to build up the strength in your feet, if you know how and have some guidance.

"I've tried foot exercises and they didn't work"

We hear this all the time. People contact us saying they've done foot exercises for their foot pain or bunions and they didn't work, or that they wear orthotics and their feet still hurt. I ask whether they've been treated at our clinic, and the answer is always "no". There are two main reasons the exercises didn't work:

1. The underlying cause wasn't addressed. The misalignment hadn't been treated. If you don't get your joint alignment corrected with advanced Foot Mobilisation, you won't correct the underlying cause, and you may end up relying on orthotics for the rest of your life.
2. Accountability. Our patients stick to their exercises because they're being treated regularly and are held accountable. The exercises we prescribe are easy and only take a few minutes. You can do them while you brush your teeth, in the shower or in the kitchen.

How to fix your foot problems for good

In my experience, if you correct the misalignment, you address the underlying cause. Once the underlying cause is corrected, the compensations stop and the body can heal itself. As a result, your body works better for longer.

Everything works better in the right position.

At Corrective Foot Solutions, we get our great results with a gentle, hands-on technique, Foot Mobilisation Therapy (FMT), that guides the joints into a better position. We then add specific exercises to support the changes. We believe it's vitally important to address the underlying cause of your foot problems naturally, without quick band-aid fixes like orthotics.

See it in action in Margaret's story.

The sooner, the better

If you have foot pain and don't want to rely on orthotics, treating it earlier means we can fix the problem sooner, so you can wear the shoes you love and get back to your fitness goals.

Call our Tauranga clinic on 07 925 0269 or book an appointment online. We're at 1260a Cameron Road, Gate Pa.