There are so many men and women who risk their lives to protect us from harm, and as a society we are thankful for them. These public servants venture into desperate situations and burning buildings to shield us from injury. Even when they are carrying out the more mundane facets of their work, however, they can spend a lot of time on their feet. Foot pain in firefighters and police officers is a very common aspect of their jobs.
With increased technology in protection gear and proper training, burns are not the most common injuries sustained when firefighters respond to fires. Much more common are strains and sprains from falls or collapsing buildings. One firefighter even sustained a foot crush injury from a motorized ladder. All the climbing, crawling, and balancing on precarious surfaces put their feet in danger in many ways.
Other common conditions such as Achilles problems, blisters, plantar fasciitis, and shin splints can also occur with training exercises for both firefighters and police officers. Public servants are subject to the same arch styles, pronation patterns, and overuse injuries from normal activities as the general population, too.
Back before MRIs, ultrasounds, and CAT scans were developed to give us the ability to better diagnose soft tissue injuries, the term “policeman’s heel” was sometimes used to refer to a painful bursa that formed under the calcaneus. This was often due to a lack of adequate fat pad under the heel bone, but X-rays would only show that the heel bone was not fractured and there was no heel spur. Policeman’s heel was a handy, catch-all diagnosis at a time when police officers were usually men and the job involved walking a beat all day.
Whether you are a firefighter or police officer or work in an office, if you live in the Owen Sound, Collingwood, or Barrie, Ontario region, bring your foot problems to the expert. Call Abbott Foot & Ankle Clinic in Collingwood at (705) 444-9929 and set up an appointment. We can diagnose the cause of your pain and set up treatment tailored to your needs. You can also connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.
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