Achieve Podiatry Mid North Coast

18/07/2025

Why Podiatry Can Be a Game-Changer in Your Rehab

When you’re recovering from a lower limb injury, working with a team of health professionals — including a podiatrist — can make all the difference.

Podiatrists help manage load on injured tissues by modifying footwear or prescribing orthotics. This can reduce pain, speed up healing, and allow you to progress through rehab more confidently.

Just like an ankle brace is used after a sprain, orthotics are often a temporary support — most helpful early in rehab, and continued just a little longer after you're pain-free to reduce the risk of reinjury. They don’t weaken your feet or cause harm, and we’ll guide you in phasing them out when the time is right.

Whether you're aiming for elite sport or just want to enjoy pain-free walks or runs, podiatry can be the missing piece in your recovery plan.

👉 Read the full article on our website.

When it comes to recovering from a lower limb injury, a team-based approach is often the most effective way forward. Whether you’re an elite athlete or someone who simply wants to return to pain-free walking or jogging, having the right professionals around you can make a big difference. That’s ...

24/06/2025

"I thought I could rehab my Achilles tendinopathy in a few weeks… I was wrong. 5 months later, here’s what actually helped—and what didn’t.

👉 Read the full story via the link in bio.

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18/06/2025

Dealing with a ni**le in your heel?
You might not need to see a podiatrist—yet.

If you're in the early stages of heel pain or think it could be mild plantar fasciitis, this quick guide could help you get on top of it before it gets worse.

👣 Read the article now and take the first steps toward pain-free feet.

In this article, we’ll walk you through what you can do at home to help manage stubborn heel pain – specifically plantar fasciitis – without needing to see a podiatrist straight away. A Quick Note Before We Start This guide isn’t designed to replace professional care. But we know many people...

12/06/2025

🦶 Heel Spurs – Are They Really to Blame?

Heel pain slowing you down? You’re not alone—it’s one of the most common issues we treat. And while heel spurs often get the blame, the truth might surprise you…

📸 Studies show that up to 1 in 4 people have heel spurs on X-ray—without any pain at all.
💡 New research suggests they’re often not in the plantar fascia like we once thought, but instead linked to nearby muscles like the flexor digitorum brevis.
⚠️ And most importantly: just because you have a spur on your scan doesn’t mean it’s the source of your pain!

At Achieve Podiatry, we dig deeper than just your X-ray. We look at how your body moves, your footwear, and your activity levels to treat the real cause of your pain.

📍Located in Port Macquarie | 👣 Book an appointment today

02/06/2025

A sore foot… but no injury? 🤔
This gentleman came in yesterday with pain near his 5th toe but couldn’t recall any trauma.

Swipe to see what we found! ➡️🔍

After a careful inspection using sterile instruments, we removed FOUR individual hairs lodged under the skin. The unexpected culprit? His short-haired Border Collie cross 🐕‍🦺

Stray hairs—whether from pets or people—can embed themselves into the skin, especially in areas like the feet. Hairdressers, dog groomers, and barefoot households are especially at risk, but this can happen to anyone.

These “hair splinters” are usually more annoying than dangerous, but they can lead to infection if left untreated.

If you're dealing with a mystery foot pain or something just doesn’t feel right—don’t ignore it. Your local podiatrist can help safely remove any foreign bodies and ensure the area is cleaned and protected properly.

👣 Foot pain? Book in. Let’s get to the root of it.

27/05/2025

🦶 Podiatrist Superpower: Otoform! 💥

Did you know we can custom-make silicone wedges to relieve painful corns, calluses, and pressure between your toes?

👇 In this video, Cameron shows how we use a special material called Otoform to reduce pressure on a corn (yes, those are fingers in the demo – but you get the idea! 😉).

💡 How it works:
1️⃣ We mix the Otoform with a catalyst — it turns pink when it’s ready to be shaped.
2️⃣ The wedge is quickly moulded between the toes.
3️⃣ Once it sets, we cut a small aperture where the corn is – completely offloading pressure.

✨ The result? Pressure is spread evenly, the corn gets relief, and the thick skin can start to shrink over time.

✅ Low cost (under $20)
✅ Quick to make
✅ Comfortable + long-lasting
✅ Often resolves chronic corns completely!

Not bad for something so simple, right? 👣

📍Book in with Achieve Podiatry to find out if an Otoform wedge could help you!

13/05/2025

👣 Want Stronger Feet Without Doing Foot Exercises?

What if your shoes could do some of the work for you?

A study by Ridge et al. (2019) found that people who simply wore barefoot shoes throughout their day got similar gains in foot strength as those doing dedicated foot strengthening exercises. 💪

That means:
✅ Less time spent doing foot workouts
✅ More natural strengthening, just by walking

🧠 So, what are barefoot shoes?
They’re minimalist footwear designed to mimic walking barefoot — thin soles, zero drop (no heel), wide toe boxes, and flexible construction. These features help your foot move and work more naturally.

⚠️ Not for everyone…
If you’ve got current foot pain, be cautious. Transitioning too quickly can cause overload. But if you’re healthy, pain-free, and curious about improving foot strength — this could be a game-changer.

👉 Start slowly
👉 Wear them for short periods
👉 Build up over time

If you’re unsure where to start or want to check if barefoot shoes are right for you, come in and have a chat with our podiatrist 👟

📚 Reference:
Ridge, S. T. et al. (2019). Walking in minimalist shoes is effective for strengthening foot muscles. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 51(1), 104–113. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000001769

07/05/2025

Thongs often get a bad rap—but are they always the villain? In the right context, thongs can actually support foot health and comfort. Discover when and where they might be the right choice, especially for certain foot conditions.

There’s a common belief that thongs are terrible for your feet. But I’m going against the crowd today to say that, in general, thongs are not bad for your feet. In fact, for some people, they can be a fantastic option-sometimes even better than enclosed lace-up shoes. What Makes Thongs a Good Ch...

30/04/2025

🦶 Ever wondered how we approach orthotics at Achieve Podiatry?

We’ve been out chatting with local health professionals, sharing how we treat and manage foot and leg conditions — and yes, orthotics are always a hot topic! 🔥

Here’s what we’ve been telling them (and now you 👇):

✅ We don’t believe in pushing expensive, hard custom orthotics unless they’re truly needed.
✅ We often use soft, cost-effective options that work just as well in many cases.
✅ And if we do recommend a custom device, it’s because we genuinely think it’s the best way to help you — not because it’s the most profitable.

Orthotics are just one part of a bigger picture. We’re here to build a plan that suits you.

17/04/2025

🦶 What Does the Deep Fibular (Peroneal) Nerve Do?

This small but mighty nerve in your lower leg helps lift your foot and toes off the ground — essential for safe, smooth walking.

It also provides sensation to the area between your big toe and second toe.

📍 Where Does It Come From?
It starts from the sciatic nerve, branches into the common peroneal nerve, then becomes the deep peroneal nerve just below the knee.
It runs down the front of the shin, across the ankle, and along the top of the foot.
👉 Nerve roots: L4, L5, S1

💪 What It Controls:
✔️ Lifting your foot (dorsiflexion)
✔️ Extending your toes
✔️ Sensation between your 1st and 2nd toes

⚠️ Injury Can Lead to Foot Drop
Foot drop makes it hard to lift the foot while walking, which can cause:
– Tripping
– Swinging the leg outward
– Lifting the thigh excessively
– Muscle fatigue and imbalance

👣 How We Help at Achieve Podiatry
We prescribe Richie Braces — custom ankle-foot orthotics that:
✅ Hold the foot at 90°
✅ Prevent dragging or tripping
✅ Restore a natural walking pattern
✅ Reduce muscle overuse and fatigue

📍 Based in Port Macquarie
📞 Book your consultation today — we’re here to help!

15/04/2025

🚨 Exciting News for Port Macquarie! 🚨
We’re launching a brand new website — dedicated entirely to our Port Macquarie clinic. 🎉

No more sharing with Newcastle! This new site will have:
🦶 Localised blog articles & resources
📅 Easy online booking
📰 Up-to-date info tailored to you

We’ve heard your feedback — the old site was a bit Newcastle-heavy. You spoke, and we listened 🙌

👉 Keep an eye out over the next few weeks for the official launch — and let us know what you think!

Keeping Port Macquarie on its feet — for a healthier, happier, more active you.

01/04/2025

🚨 Achilles Pain? Take Action Early!
Have you noticed pain in your Achilles tendon? It could be Achilles tendinopathy! The earlier you act, the better. Try these 6 key steps to stop it from getting worse and get back to your sport ASAP:

✅ 1. Modify your activity – Reduce movements that make it sore in the short term.
✅ 2. Avoid deep ankle bends – Limit activities that push your ankle into extreme dorsiflexion.
✅ 3. Slow it down – Avoid fast, explosive movements.
✅ 4. Wear supportive shoes – A 2-4cm heel pitch can reduce strain on the tendon.
✅ 5. Load the tendon – Start heavy, slow exercises to build resilience.
✅ 6. Progress gradually – Increase load over time to strengthen the tendon safely.

🔹 Key Things to Remember:
Pain is expected during rehab, but it doesn’t mean you’re causing damage.

Tendons love load, but don’t push past 4/10 pain.

If done correctly, pain should settle within 24 hours.

If it doesn’t, scale back or take a few days off.

👉 Need guidance? We can help! Book an appointment at Achieve Podiatry to get back on track.

📍 21 Gore St, Port Macquarie Sports Medicine Centre