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PUT YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD !
by Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Mr Mike Hennessy at Spire Murrayfield
Running for the bus , dashing down steps , pumping those pedals when out on your bike . It ’ s easy to take our feet and ankles for granted and not give them the TLC they deserve .
Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Mr Mike Hennessy knows this only too well . He specialises in foot and ankle problems at Spire Murrayfield Hospital in Wirral and has spent more than 30 years helping patients with everything from bunions and arthritis to sports injuries and ankle replacements .
We jumped in feet first to find out more …
What are the most common issues you see ? Ankle sprains are the second most common injury that present to A & E and usually it ’ s the ones that don ’ t settle down and heal straight away that I see . A lot of acute issues I work with are trauma based . I treat a lot of sports injuries , particularly runners or the classic broken metatarsal suffered by footballers as well as problems with tendons and ligaments . And then there ’ s the winter weather , especially the type we have seen recently ! It causes all sorts of problems with people slipping and causing twists and sprains or even ankle fractures .
Then you have the more chronic conditions like arthritis which can really take a person ’ s quality of life away from them or issues like bunions which can cause pain and discomfort when walking or standing .
What should we be doing to take care of our feet and ankles ? Everyone takes the feet and ankles for granted until they start to hurt ! From cramming them into ill-fitting shoes to running marathons in trainers that don ’ t support the foot properly . It ’ s also important to be aware of the surfaces you ’ re running on . I often say – if you had a headache , you wouldn ’ t bang your head against a wall on purpose , yet pounding the pavements in plimsolls is like doing that to your feet and people often don ’ t give it a second thought .
The most important advice I give my patients is around shoes . They are critical when it comes to looking after your feet and ankles .
Your shoes should always fit your feet , your feet don ’ t fit the shoes , there ’ s a big difference . Secondly , wearing the right shoes for the right activity . Running shoes should be cushioned and supportive . Walking boots should have a thick tread and support around the ankle because you ’ re negotiating uneven ground . It certainly helps lower your risk of damaging your feet and ankles .
How did you get into this field ? I ’ m born and bred on Merseyside and have spent the last 23 years as a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon in Wirral . When I started there weren ’ t a lot of specialists in this field , I am one of a few fellowship trained orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeons in the UK , having been trained at the renowned Brisbane Foot and Ankle Clinic . Now we ’ re doing ankle replacements , ligament reconstruction , fusions . There are a lot of options for people having difficulties .
How do we get in touch with you ? I see all problems related to the foot and ankle . It can be an acute injury that ’ s just happened or a chronic problem that you ’ ve been dealing with for a long time . I am quite happy to see patients who have had previous unsuccessful surgery to see how I can help . I take referrals from GPs and Consultants from all over the UK and regularly treat professional sports people and athletes following injury .
You don ’ t need a doctor ’ s referral to come to my clinic . Just call Spire and make an appointment .
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At Spire Murrayfield Hospital Wirral , our consultants have wide experience in the latest techniques and innovations and our inclusive prices and access to 0 % finance options make the process easy and more affordable . For further information on our broad range of procedures , and to find out more about our team of expert Consultants , search ‘ Spire Wirral ’ or call our specialist advisors on 0151 929 5408 .
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