Clinical Biomechanics Boot Camps

Taking it to the next level!

Global Podiatry and lower limb related courses and seminars

Archives for Off Topic

What foot cream do you recommend?

This was a question I got from a colleague. I get a lot a questions from colleagues, but not usually on that topic. Typically the questions are something like, which prefabricated foot orthotics do you use, which is the sort of topic that I know a lot about and not about foot creams which is a topic that I do not know a lot about! I not sure any recommendation from me on that sort of topic carries any weight.

I thought about it for a bit. With regards to the question on which prefabricated foot orthotics do you recommend, I typically answer that the best one is the one that has the design features that match the foot that it is needed for to get the effects that you want. Based on that there is no one best prefabricated foot orthotic. I also often say in lectures that a good clinician will not stick to just one prefabricated foot orthotic brand; they will have a range of brands with different design features so they can use the one that gives them the design features that they need. You need to be able to mix it up to get a clinical effect.

The more I thought about the foot cream question, then the answer probably should be the same. Different skins need different creams. A good clinician probably would not stick to just one brand, but have a range of brands at there disposal so they can use or recommend the one that gives the desired clinical effect.

That was pretty much the answer that i gave the colleague along with the recommendation that my advice on this topic should not carry a lot of weight.

What do I typically use clinically anyway? I like the 2 different concentrations of the urea creams, as I just get the impression (in the absence of good evidence) that they do seem to have a clinically affect on the most people. The urea concentration of below around 20% is better to moisturize the skin and concentrations of above around 20% are better at the helping get rid of the drier skin and getting up to 40% it appears to be more useful at the harder callused skin. So I mix it up, just like the prefabricated foot orthotic brands. I am in Australia, so I use the Walker’s brand of urea cream from Briggate Medical. It comes as a 15% and 25% concentration, so can choose the one the is needed to meet the clinical needs.

Consumers can get the Walkers urea 25% foot cream and the 15% version online.

I still don’t get why they sought my advice on this topic ….

Volunteering at the parkrun

I hope no one from parkrun reads this!

The parkrun is a weekly 5k run held in over 2000 locations at 8AM on a Saturday morning all over the world (COVID restrictions permitting). I have run a few and volunteered at a lot. I mostly do the one here at Mullum Mullum in Mitcham. These events do not go ahead without the volunteers

You can read more on the parkrun here and here.

Why do I hope no one from parkrun reads this? I enjoy my Saturday morning interactions with the runners and walkers. I enjoy chatting with them. They have no idea of my interest and expertise in running, running injury and running shoes. I chat to them about what drives their shoe choices, how they managed with their injury, etc. It gives me insight into these issues. I do not generally give my advice. I like it that way. That is why I hope none of my new friends from the Mullum mullum park run see this post!

For those with an interest, please find a parkrun near you and give it a go at running it and helping out as a volunteer.

You may also find this book of interest:

Buy in Australia | UK | USA I Worldwide (free shipping)

On a light-hearted note…

With all the travel I used to do for the Clinical Biomechanics Boot Camps I took to having ‘bacon and eggs’ for breakfast once in every city I visited and posting a photo on Facebook. It was always a source of discussion about the breakfast and the travel. After doing it for so many years, I paid one of my girls to scroll through my Facebook feed and collect all the photos and put them together on its own website for a bit if fun: Breakfast of Champions.

Sadly the COVID restrictions have put the breaks on the travel, except for local travel I have not been able to update the site much with any new international cities.