A ‘mysterious’ heel bump (Part 2) Thanks for reading my latest article on ‘Haglund’s deformity’ Let me try to demystify one type of heel pain known simply as the pump bump. Patients often ask how does a heel bump it arise and what we can do about my heel bump? Vaishya (2016) calls it a ‘common but mysterious condition’ in his paper . The reader needs to be aware that heel bump is a simplification and has some complex names. There are plenty of reasons for heel pain and this is one. The retro calcaneal exostosis or Haglund’s deformity sound mysterious. Haglund as a name for a heel condition was so called after the man who described the problem in 1927. I have this heel condition myself. My problem has been with me for thirty years. It was not until I was in my late forties that I experienced problems. My main concern was whilst driving, then latterly when wearing some designs of shoes. This has made me more aware of the design of my shoe. Pressure from the floor of the car stung my foot like crazy because my heel rubbed the skin while the foot was against the floor of the car.  There were times when some shoes could rub the skin forming a blister. What is it? When studying to become a podiatrist, we called these heel bumps an exostosis or simply Haglund’s. The condition is not a disease but a deformity of the back of the heel bone (calcaneus). The term syndrome suggests that there is more than one condition. Those who read my articles regularly know that I try to keep descriptions as simple as possible. Here is Vaishya’s complicated reasoning about the condition but I will explain what all the jargon is after his paragraph. Haglund’s deformity is an abnormality of the posterosuperior part of the calcaneus, where there is a bony enlargement at the attachment of the Achilles tendon. The adjoining soft tissues can get irritated when this bony lump rubs against rigid shoes. It often leads to retrocalcaneal bursitis, calcaneal tendon bursitis, and thickening and inflammation of the calcaneal tendon. This combination of pathology is known as Haglund’s syndrome. Inflammation of the different parts of soft tissue in the area can lead to an isolated condition; however, the treatment options are different in these conditions, and so they should be differentiated. We now know the heel has a protrusion but let’s keep it simple. ‘Posterosuperior‘ is an anatomical position. The back of the heel! What about the tendon. Most people only have the minor form of bump. However, in a few people the bump becomes larger. If the extent of the bone extend across the heel, where the big tendon of the calf is anchored, then part of the tendon can also be involved. It can do so in three ways. The tendon can be damaged, or the skin can form a spongy fluid filled sac called a bursa. Where the deep tendon sac becomes inflamed the condition can deteriorate. The skin surface can [...]

Welcome to the Futsal Trial looking at the Pellitec(R) product to minimise the effect of friction across the skin Mike McColgan presents his second article on ‘blisters’ looking at a new and specifically designed product which has been anecdotally tested using the testimonial evidence from both amateur and professional sports and military personnel. Click here to review the first part. On the 30th June 2017 a world record attempt was made to play a continuous game of indoor Futsal by the Tranmere Futsal hub in Birkenhead, Wirral. They were successful and have been recognised for their achievement of 50 hours continuous play. PelliTec is a multi-layer friction reduction technology which addresses the three factors involved in blister formation. The Silipos silicone gel central layer reduces pressure, the Mylar discs reduces friction, and the top Baltex top cover wicks away moisture. It is easy to apply and adheres to the inside of the shoes creating a friction free, pressure reduced, dry area to tackle potential areas of increased movement. Method Futsal is a variant of association football which is played on a hard court, smaller than a football pitch and mainly indoors. It can be considered a version of five aside football. It is played between two teams of five players each, one of whom is the goalkeeper. Unlimited substitutions are permitted. Unlike some other forms of indoor football, the game is played on a hard court surface delimited by lines; walls or boards are not used. Futsal is also played with a smaller heavier ball. The surface, ball, and rules create an emphasis on improvisation, creativity, and technique as well as ball control and passing in small spaces. Eight subjects (7 male, 1 female) were recruited to the study on a voluntary basis. Age range 18 to 35 (Ave 29). All had previous history of blistering and all had played futsal previously and attended the training and preparation sessions which were carried out in the preceding 2 months. They were allowed to wear their own brand and style of footwear and socks. Each participant was allowed to request pads as they went along. The pads were fitted by one of 2 members of the research team and the subjects name, age, sex, and area that the pad was placed, time and date, were recorded on a data sheet. In one case, the subject, a 23 year-old female, started the challenge using her own padding but changed to the trialled product around half way through and was able to continue and complete the 50 hours. One subject, an 18 year-old male, wore the product from the start on his 1st metatarsal heads which remained blister free but then went on to develop blisters on the apices of his 3rd toes after the first 20 hour period. Pads were placed into his boots at the symptomatic places and he reported that he ceased to feel the pain and was able to continue. A 26 year-old male reported pain under both metatarsal heads [...]

With coronavirus COVID-19 spreading across the nation, stricter measures have been put in place by the Government to keep members of the public from catching the virus, and most importantly, slowing down the spread of the virus. The following restrictions have been put in place from 23 March:  Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (where this absolutely cannot be done from home)Stay 2 metres (6ft) away from other peopleWash your hands as soon as you get home With that in mind, how can you and your family stay fit and healthy during this global pandemic?  Get out of the house once a day According to government guidelines, individuals can still get out of their homes once a day to exercise. Exercising can include walking, running or cycling. You can leave your premises alone or with anyone you live with, but when you’re out of the house, you must stay 6ft (two metres) away from others. The best places to go to exercise include open spaces such as beaches - particularly when the tide is out, local parks and fields and National Trust sites. Although following the Government’s more stringent guidelines the National Trust has had to close car parks to the public to stop them flocking to their outside spaces, many of their countryside and coastal locations are still open to the public. The National Trust is urging its visitors not to travel but to stay and enjoy the coastal and countryside locations local to them. If you’re out and about, don’t forget to purchase a set of our PelliTec blister prevention pads. We are open online - business as usual. Stay safe out there and keep your feet comfortable on your daily walk! Get fit indoors  We’re all lucky to have such a vast online community to tap into during self-isolation. Fitness coach, Joe Wicks has been streaming live videos every morning at 9 am. With these workouts aimed at both parents and children, the videos aim to get us all moving while we’re experiencing self-isolation. His new YouTube channel, The Body Coach TV, offers video workouts ranging from P.E.-style exercises to workouts for seniors - we’re sure you’ll find a fitness routine that works for you! Try something new Like many Brits working from home, you might have a little more spare time you would have otherwise spent commuting. This free time could be spent exploring new exercises - you might even come across something you really enjoy! On-demand fitness session company, Moviing has reported a 30% increase in online subscriptions since the coronavirus outbreak, inews said. And many yoga and pilates teachers have transitioned their classes across to the online space - using Facebook Live and other streaming services to offer their students a chance to ask questions and take part in an interactive class.  It’s challenging but try and view this time at home as a chance to find a new routine and way of life where you can peacefully co-exist in your [...]

According to Workplace Insight, 80% of workers sit at their desks for between four to eight hours a day. This equates to an overwhelming 67 sedentary days per year for each person.  To make matters worse for office workers, office and technology manufacturer, Fellowes, released pictures of what the future holds of the average office worker in 2030. The experts at Fellowes believe office workers will suffer from varicose veins, have a hunched back due to the position they’re sat in daily, red eyes from looking at a computer screen and overweight due to the sedentary nature of an office job. If you’re one of many UK workers currently working from home due to coronavirus, these exercises can easily be carried out in your home office, too.  P.S. If you thought our blister prevention pads were only for your trainers - think again! You can position the PelliTec blister pad in your work shoe. Watch this video and learn how to position them in your shoe.    Chair dips/tricep dips This exercise is easy, and you don’t even have to leave your seat. Chair dip or tricep dip movements help you work out the muscles at the top of your arms. To perform this exercise, you need a chair that doesn’t have wheels, or has wheels you can lock - you don’t want to be rolling backwards! Shuffle forwards on your chair and hold the edge of your seat with your palms. Keeping your legs straight or bent, lower yourself with your arms toward the floor, and lift back up again. Repeat this motion 10-15 times. According to Healthline, this movement is one used every day when lifting shopping bags or reaching for items overhead, and the muscle also helps to stabilise the shoulder joint.  Take the stairs or go for a walk If your office block has a lift, take the stairs. This small swap in your daily routine can help you elevate your heart rate and get your moving more. If this isn’t an option, or you want to complete more physical exercise - take a walk.  Your lunch break is the optimum time to give your eyes a rest from your computer screen and to escape the stress of your working day. Most offices allow employees an hour or a 30-minute lunch break - this is plenty of time to get your daily exercise in. Go for a brisk walk around the block - you’ll feel more energised after the bout of fresh air. (Don’t forget to keep blisters at bay with PelliTec!) Read our next blog post if you’re wondering what you should eat before and after your workout. Swivel chair ab workout If you’ve got a swivel chair and the office flooring is carpet or non-slippery - then this workout is for you! This exercise targets your obliques - abdominal muscles. Not only does having toned oblique muscles look good - they’re also great in supporting your back and overall posture - perfect for office workers [...]

It’s been proven that exercise can reduce stress and depression, and it can lower your risk of early death by up to 30%! Aside from the eye-opening health benefits, exercise can also boost your mood, energy and sleep quality. But how does the food we fuel our bodies with affect how our bodies perform when exercising? We all know how important food is to sustain a healthy body, but do you know which foods you should be eating before and after a workout?  This blog post is to help you shed some light on the foods that best support your exercise regime. If you’ve noticed your feet are taking the brunt of your workout - our blister prevention pads help heel and prevention blisters from forming on your feet. Our blister pads stick to the inside of your shoe - not your foot! So say goodbye to one-time blister plasters. What should you eat before a workout? According to Heart.org, you should aim to fuel up two hours before working out. This should include adequately hydrating by drinking water, eating healthy carbohydrates (such as fruit and whole-grain pasta) and you should avoid saturated fats and over-loading on protein. Foods high in saturated fat and protein can take longer to digest in your stomach, making you feel sluggish. Water helps to regulate your body temperature, which is essential when you’re working out - so you don’t overheat and become dehydrated. Water also lubricates your joints and enables your body to perform at its highest level.  You should eat depending on the intensity of the workout you’re about to undertake. For example, when on a jogging session, your body will burn fat so carbohydrate loading is not necessary for this workout. But, if you’re running a race or a longer distance, then your body will require you to top your body up with foods high in carbohydrates.  What should you eat after a workout? Carbohydrates help you replenish the glycogen you lost in your muscles when working out, so that’s why you must eat foods that contain both carbohydrates and protein. Protein in your muscles can be broken down and damaged after a workout. Protein helps you build and repair muscle, so you must eat foods containing protein after your workout. Your body will be exhausted after running a race - whether it’s 5k, 10k or a marathon, you need to ensure you give your body what it needs. Foods you can eat after your workout include: Greek yoghurt or cottage cheese (protein)Chicken (protein)Pasta (carbs)Dark, leafy green vegetables (crabs)Rice cakes (carbs)Chocolate milk (carbs) Exercise is a cheap and easy way to keep your body, and your mind fit and healthy, but it’s important you understand which foods weigh you down and which help support and better your workout routine. We hope this blog post has given you some foodie fuel tips - got a spare £6.95? Read below! For the price of just two cups of coffee, why not invest in your [...]