Correcting problems with gait/walking technique - does anybody know anything?

[NomDeOrdinateur]

There's a long history of prematurely dodgy knees, hips, and ankles on my mother's side of the family, which I seem destined to become part of. I've had (painful) clunky ankles and worn my shoes down very unevenly since I was a child, and have been prone to tripping and overbalancing since my late teens. I'm now nearly 23, and I'd like to do what I can to avoid needing joint replacements in the future but I have no idea what help to look for.

I swapped my pretty shoes for Dr Martens boots about a year ago, which made a huge improvement to my balance and ankle pain. However, I still wear shoes down very unevenly (the sole is very worn on the instep of the foot which is attached to my "bad" ankle) and get pain if I wear any other shoes or go barefoot for very long. I'm also noticing knee pain in the "bad" leg for the first time, since I started wearing sandals a couple of weeks ago. I also can't stand for long or walk very far without pain, especially in the "bad" side.

Does anybody know whether any help in correcting gait problems is likely to be available to me via the NHS (or privately, if not too expensive)? Nothing comes up when I search, but I'm not really sure what I'm looking for. I'd love to do something about it now rather than waiting for it to become debilitating, especially since I know I'm unlikely to be able to wear Dr Marten 8 eyelet boots or similar throughout my lifetime (even if just due to employers' dress codes) and I have no other ideas of how to mitigate the problem!

Thanks in advance for any advice :)

Thank you for starting this thread as its just what I need. I walk on the outside of my feet and am always turning my ankle and my shoes are so worn down on the outside within weeks of purchase that I look like a tramp. I've recently had some hip pain from it but the thing which has really made me think I should do something about it is that I think DS (13mth) may have the same thing. When he's relaxed, he holds his feet in exactly the same position as I do and I've realised its totally different to DD. She was taking steps independently at his age whereas he's only doing a little cruising. I didn't walk until I was 18mths.

I'm a similar age to you. I saw an orthotics bod on the NHS and didn't rate the experience at all. I've just been referred to an NHS podiatrist. I wouldn't recommend you use generic insoles for a long period of time, they can do more harm than good. Also, be aware if you go privately, that you can wear down specially made insoles. I walk lop-sided and wore down my orthotics so quickly, that I gave up in the end, hence the podiatrist referral as things are very bad.

I wear walking boots in the winter as otherwise, I trip and sprain my ankles. But when summer comes, it is a nightmare - because I've been so used to having an ankle fully supported, the minute I go into a trainer, I am far more prone to ankle ligament injuries. I was advised to not 'live' in sturdy boots as it can give you a false sense of security. Now, while I'm repeating what I've been told, I know it might be specific to my condition but I hope it helps a bit. :)

Crashdoll - Thank you for the warning, I'll be sure to ask about those things when I get to see a specialist. I'm sorry to hear that your experiences haven't been positive so far - good luck with the podiatrist referral! I live in DM boots all year round, but I deliberately keep the top 2 or 3 eyelets unlaced unless the weather is very icy because I was worried about getting overly dependent on them - it seems to help me with easing between winter and summer shoes, so maybe it would be worth trying for you?

Joanofarchitrave - Thanks for the encouragement, I'm not used to being pushy with doctors but it is clearly worth trying in this instance!

Stayathomegardener - I live near Birmingham but I'm a student so could equally request treatment from my parents' home in Hampshire, depending on the time of year (and whether treatment is available in either area).

Nom there are excellent Podiatry university courses in both Southampton and Birmingham. It would be worth asking your GP to a referral to the teaching hospital they are based at. More than likely they would make you a top notch pair of orthoses and it won't cost you anything.

Awesome, thank you so much TheAccidentalExhibitionist - that's wonderful news!

To everybody who has responded to my question: I honestly cannot thank you enough, I've been worried about this for a long time but had no idea whether it was even worth trying to get it fixed, and now I know exactly what to do. You're all wonderful, and I'm so glad I asked you!