Author: sam

Mens Feet

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One of the great ironies of personal grooming is that while men will happily spend twenty minutes or more fiddling with their hair, they’re strangely reluctant to give their feet anything more than a cursory once over with a showerhead. It’s ironic because regardless of how you look if your feet are foul nobody’s going to give you a second look. “Men’s feet aren’t exactly attractive to begin with so why make them even uglier by neglecting them?” I remember seeing a survey a few years ago that suggested that three quarters of us spend absolutely nothing on foot grooming products – a stat that’s put into sharp relief when you consider that almost the same percentage of us are quite happy to shell out on gear to trim our body hair. So for you men, here are a few tips to ensure that those embarrassing foot faults are kept to an absolute minimum…

Nail it

Lesson one:

A man’s toenails should never, repeat never, look like a female rapper’s fingernails. For the sake of your socks, sheets and self-respect they should be clear of dirt and neatly trimmed. In truth, this isn’t always as easy as it sounds; men often botch nail trimming by cutting down the sides of the nails (which can cause the nail to become ingrown) and by using cheap nail clippers (which can cause splitting and leave rough edges). Instead, see your podiatrist or use Toenail Scissors which give clean edges and always cut the nails squarely across the top, rather than curving the edges. Don’t cut too much off – the nail should be about level with the end of each toe. Polish is optional, obviously.

Down at the heel?

If there’s one thing that really lets men’s feet down it’s dry skin – especially that stuff around the heel. It’s particularly noticeable if you’re wearing Birkenstocks or flip-flops, so you need to file it away (and by that I don’t mean under ‘tasks you can’t be bothered to do in the pending tray).
If using a manual foot file reminds you too much of a waiter grating Parmesan onto your penne, do as I do and visit your podiatrist.

Don’t frighten people with your fur

Having hair on a man’s toes is a good sign because it means the circulation to your extremities is good. Problem is, good circulation isn’t much of a turn on, whereas toes furrier than a ferret could prove a major turn off for some. The solution? Wax them.

Be a softie

Moisturising feet might seem a rather ladylike pursuit, but in reality it has practical as well as aesthetic benefits. Moisturising is the perfect way to prevent tiny cracks and fissures appearing in the skin around the heels – cracks that don’t just look unsightly but which can become painful and prone to infection. To protect your plates opt for a specialist product such as CCS Foot Cream available from Premier Clinic which contains urea – an ingredient that works on several levels to keep skin moisturised, supple and protected. The best time to apply it is at night, just before bed, as creams tend to be better absorbed while you’re sleeping.

Fight the fungus

Fungal infections of the nail are never much fun. Not only do they cause discoloured, flaky and sometimes smelly toenails, but they’re also notoriously tricky to treat. The problem (known as Onychomycosis) often starts as a small white or yellow spot under the nail and progresses to affect the whole of the nail, causing it to crumble as the fungus munches its way through the keratin that makes up the toenail.
It’s thought up to 8pc of us will suffer at some point but you can treat it with an anti-fungal product like Mycosis Oil or Spirularin Nail Serum – available from the clinic or on line at www.premier-clinic.co,.uk Be patient though – it can take 12 months or more to get your nail back to normal. To minimise the risk of fungal nail infections keep your feet dry, your nails short, and don’t walk barefoot in the gym, locker room or around the swimming pool.

Treat yourself to a toe-job

Most of us wouldn’t think twice about seeing a dentist for a check-up and yet most men are strangers to the inside of a podiatrist or chiropodist’s treatment room. And yet feet work just as hard as teeth. If you’re worried about the state of your feet why not make a pre-sandal appointment? Your feet will certainly thank you for it. As will everyone who has to clock them through your sandals.

Foot Pain – Cuboid

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Do you have pain on the outside of your foot?
This pain may be Cuboid syndrome where a person may seek attention complaining of pain, discomfort, or weakness along the outside (lateral) aspect of the foot between the fourth and fifth metatarsals and the ankle joint. The pain may radiate throughout the foot. Tenderness may be elicited over the tendons and an abnormal gait may be observed. The pain may be observed in a controlled environment by standing on the toes or rolling the arches of the foot, as these motions tend to exercise the foot’s ankle joint and ligament, which are characteristically strained in a patient suffering from cuboid syndrome. Also, the pain may come on suddenly or it may develop gradually and persist over time. Sometimes the pain is intermittent, subsiding partially or completely for a period of time before returning again.
Causes
A patient may develop Cuboid syndrome through either a single traumatic event (e.g., ankle sprain) or insidiously with repetitive strain over time. The exact cause of Cuboid syndrome remains unclear but many ideas have been proposed. Such ideas include excessive pronation of the foot, overuse injury, and inversion ankle sprains. Cuboid syndrome may persist even if the patient is taking part in regular physical therapy. The patient’s foot type, such as the presence of overpronation or underpronation, may also play a factor in the condition.
Risk factors
Suspected risk factors for Cuboid syndrome include obesity, midtarsal (mid foot) instability, poorly fitting footwear, physical exercise, inadequate recovery from physical activity, physical training on uneven surfaces, and ankle sprains.
Treatment
Once diagnosed, a medical professional may treat cuboid syndrome by realigning (also known as reducing) the subluxed cuboid unless contraindications to manipulation are present. This form of manual manipulation of the foot should be done by a trained specialist, such as a podiatrist, chiropractor, osteopath, athletic trainer, osteopathic physician, or physical therapist. Further treatment may take into account other considerations, such as possible causes or aggravators (e.g. recommending that the patient be fit with custom orthotics if they are overprone). Fortunately, subluxed cuboids are generally quite treatable and most patients return to a normal level of activity once the pain is brought under control.
So if you think you have this problem why not book an assessment at Premier Clinic Ltd. Tel 01254 677341

Armed Forces Covenant

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Premier Clinic Ltd
___________________________________________________
We, the undersigned, commit to honour the Armed
Forces Covenant and support the Armed Forces
Community. We recognise the value Serving Personnel,
both Regular and Reservists, Veterans and military
families contribute to our business and our country.

Signed on behalf of:
Premier Clinic Ltd

Signed:

Name: Shaun P Kelly

Position: Director/Owner

Date: 17th May 2016

The Armed Forces Covenant

An Enduring Covenant Between
The People of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty’s Government
– and –
All those who serve or have served in the Armed Forces of the Crown
And their Families

The first duty of Government is the defence of the realm. Our Armed Forces fulfil that responsibility on behalf of the Government, sacrificing some civilian freedoms, facing danger and, sometimes, suffering serious injury or death as a result of their duty. Families also play a vital role in supporting the operational effectiveness of our Armed Forces. In return, the whole nation has a moral obligation to the members of the Naval Service, the Army and the Royal Air Force, together with their families. They deserve our respect and support, and fair treatment.

Those who serve in the Armed Forces, whether Regular or Reserve, those who have served in the past, and their families, should face no disadvantage compared to other citizens in the provision of public and commercial services. Special consideration is appropriate in some cases, especially for those who have given most such as the injured and the bereaved.

This obligation involves the whole of society: it includes voluntary and charitable bodies, private organisations, and the actions of individuals in supporting the Armed Forces. Recognising those who have performed military duty unites the country and demonstrates the value of their contribution. This has no greater expression than in upholding this Covenant.

Section 1: Principles Of The Armed Forces Covenant

1.1 We Premier Clinic Ltd will endeavour in our business dealings to uphold the key principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, which are:

• no member of the Armed Forces Community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen
• in some circumstances special treatment may be appropriate especially for the injured or bereaved.

Section 2: Demonstrating our Commitment

2.1 Premier Clinic Ltd recognises the value serving personnel, reservists, veterans and military families bring to our business. We will seek to uphold the principles of the Armed Forces Covenant, by:

• promoting the fact that we are an armed forces-friendly organisation;
• seeking to support the employment of veterans young and old and working with the Career Transition Partnership (CTP), in order to establish a tailored employment pathway for Service Leavers;
• striving to support the employment of Service spouses and partners;
• endeavouring to offer a degree of flexibility in granting leave for Service spouses and partners before, during and after a partner’s deployment;
• seeking to support our employees who choose to be members of the Reserve forces, including by accommodating their training and deployment where possible;
• offering support to our local cadet units, either in our local community or in local schools, where possible;
• aiming to actively participate in Armed Forces Day;
• offering a 20% discount to members of the Armed Forces Community and immediate families, (proof required of service or connection).
• offering a 20% discount on production of Defence Discount card
.

2.2 We will publicise these commitments through our literature and/or on our website, setting out how we will seek to honour them and inviting feedback from the Service community and our customers on how we are doing.

Hip Pain

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HIP PAIN

Women can experience chronic hip pain more than men and determining the correct cause is essential for effective treatment.
Considering a patient’s age is essential as well as build and activity level. The most common causes of hip pain in women are:

• Arthritis and osteoarthritis in particular, the kind of a disease that affects people with age.
• Hip fractures – common in older women especially those that suffer from osteoporosis.
• Tendonitis and bursitis – bursa around the hip become easily inflamed by overuse resulting in pain.
• Hernia that can cause frontal hip pain.
• Sports injuries
• Gynecological and back issues.

Ways of treatment always depend on the diagnosis. If it’s a sports injury, then heat, rest and anti-inflammatory medications are required. Frequently excess weight causes pressure on the hip joint, so losing weight can bring relief and would help you avoid further problems. Some causes like hernias and fractures require surgical repairs.

Anyone who experiences hip pain must give attention to identifying the cause and get help from a professional without delay. More so, it can be possible that the hip pain can be handled with enough rest and relaxation.

Hip pain is a widespread symptom, which may vary from a simple discomfort to severe pain that limits the mobility of the person in performing routine life activities. Hip pain can be attributed to multi- medical deficiencies or trauma. Foremost, any pain must be diagnosed correctly so that the patient can be given the proper treatment.

Generally pain initiating from the hip joint is felt over the groin and amplifies by the rotating movements of the limbs. Pain may also be experienced in the knee joint on the same side as the hip ailment which is considered referred pain, since the hip joint and knee joint have a common nerve supply.

Causes of hip pain vary sometimes and comprise both chronic and acute conditions.

Arthritis and Osteoarthritis or degenerative joint infection is one of the most frequent ailments that affect older individuals. Hip fracture can also be counted as a common reason for hip pain.

Another cause of hip pain is osteo-necrosis. This is a condition where blood flow to certain areas is constricted. Eventually, when hip bones do not receive enough blood, the cells of the bone die. The hip joint is the most frequent place for osteo-necrosis to occur, subsequently, it becomes common factor for hip pain.

Trochanteric bursitis, also known as hip bursitis is most often experienced by athletes. This condition affects the bursa sac of the hip and becomes inflamed due to extreme pressure in running, causing hip pain. Sometimes hip pain is experienced with stiffness, swelling, numbness, and limited mobility.

Sport traumas can cause hip pain and a person may feel pain after running or pain even while sleeping.

Any hip problem no matter if acute or chronic can be relieved by helpful care. Proper exercise, stretching, nutrition, and support can help in the recovery and improvement of a person’s functionality. The aim is to keep on performing the routine activities but not generate any sort of joint pain. Most pain usually accompanies swelling; swelling can lead to bone loss in the joint, known as osteoporosis.
The care and management of hip pain usually differs depending on the condition of each individual person. With most hip pain it can be treated with conventional methods.

Nutrition and Foot Health

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What role does diet play when it comes to the health of your feet?

The food you eat not only affects your waistline, but your diet also has a direct link to your foot health.

Obesity

Extra weight means extra pressure on the joints and bones of your feet. Several foot conditions, such as flat feet, hammertoes and bunions can be made significantly worse by carrying excess weight.

Osteoporosis

A stress fracture in the foot is often the first sign of osteoporosis, a disease characterized by the loss of bone tissue. It can develop unnoticed over many years without any signs or symptoms. For that reason, calcium is essential during growth years to build up reserves and later in life to maintain bone quality. Calcium rich foods include dairy products, sardines or salmon with bones and green, leafy vegetables like broccoli and kale.

Vitamin D is also vital to improve your body’s ability to absorb calcium. If you find it difficult to get enough calcium or vitamin d from your diet or lifestyle, talk to your doctor about taking supplements.

Inflammation

Inflammation is a factor of several foot conditions including plantar fasciitis, tendonitis and gout. There are many common foods known to encourage inflammation such as the refined grains, sugar, and trans fats in many baked goods and junk foods; the saturated fat in red meat; and the omega-6 fats found in many commonly used vegetable oils, such as corn, soybean, and sunflower oils. Eating more green vegetables, plant based foods and omega-3 fats found in fatty fish such as salmon, can provide anti-inflammatory benefits to your feet and overall health.

Peripheral Artery Disease

Peripheral Arterial Disease occurs when plaque made up of fat and cholesterol builds up in the arteries restricting blood flow to the arteries of the legs and feet. Because the legs and feet of someone with P.A.D. do not have normal blood flow—and because blood is necessary for healing—seemingly small problems such as cuts, blisters, or sores can result in serious complications. A diet low in saturated fat, trans fat, and sodium and rich in omega-3, fruits and vegetables can help reduce your risk of peripheral artery disease.

Diabetes
Diabetes can be extremely dangerous to your feet but a healthy diet can help to prevent future complications. It is important to avoid sugars and starch while maintaining a diet rich in whole grains, beans, vegetables and lean meats to help keep blood sugar levels under control.