Are you dealing with persistent heel pain or an ankle sprain that won’t settle? Have you been told you have flat feet or bunions and you need orthoses for life? Maybe you’re dealing with an old or chronic injury, or you simply want to improve your foot health and mobility.
This is where I can help. I know how debilitating foot pain can be and how it can affect your health, wellbeing and lifestyle. Understanding the way your feet work, the potential they hold, and how to strengthen them will not only help you heal, it will help build strong and resilient feet and prevent you from having similar issues in the future.
I offer in-person and virtual consultations.
I’m passionate about promoting natural foot function and I employ an evidence based, holistic approach to foot health which is different to traditional podiatry.
In the world of traditional podiatry orthoses, insoles and arch supports tend to be the main treatment strategy. But in truth they’re over used. Foot and ankle injuries don’t only originate at the site of the pain, but are often caused by a wider issue. Compensatory movements due to lack of mobility, stability, strength and lifestyle are all contributory factors.
My goal is to help you restore your natural foot function. To get you moving more efficiently and economically by developing bespoke, sustainable strategies with a focus on movement, prevention, education and empowerment.
Utilising a combination of assessment tools, treatment tools and the power of individual action, I‘ll help you move pain-free by retraining your feet for functional movement without external support.
Mobility
Our feet are designed to move and adapt to the ground to keep us stable. There are key structures within our feet that guide motion as we stand, walk, run and jump - they require active and passive range of movement. However, our modern environment ‘flat, hard surfaces and narrow rigid-heeled shoes’ do not provide enough opportunity for our joints to move well and through their full range to stay healthy. Therefore, improving foot and ankle mobility is an important part of restoring natural function, no matter your foot shape or mechanics.
Strength
Feet have muscles too! The movement and stability of the foot and arch is controlled and supported by specific muscles inside the foot called intrinsic foot muscles. These foot muscles have to activate and establish a foundation for efficient movement. Any limitation in the foot muscles doing their job can lead to breakdown and injury. The real solution to most foot injuries is to build a strong and stable base and there is increasing evidence to suggest that training the intrinsic foot muscles - ‘foot-core’ - improves foot function and reduces injury.
Stability
Feet play a pivotal role in balance, gait and overall stability. Feet act like sensors and allow us to feel joint position, light and deep pressure, vibration and temperature. This information is very important as it helps us coordinate movement and remain stable. We should be able to tell when our feet are in a good position or not, we should be able to sense it internally. However, many people lack this type of awareness resulting in unstable, dysfunctional movement which can manifest in musculoskeletal related problems. So learning how to actively stabilise our feet is another essential component when it comes to improving and restoring foot function.
I treat all musculoskeletal and sports injuries. My aim is to find the root cause of your pain by not only focusing on your symptoms but also addressing underlying issues. I combine a range of disciplines, principles and tools to develop an individual treatment programme. Here are a few of the more common conditions I can help with:
Forefoot pain
Heel pain
Bunion deformity
Hammer toes
Hallux limitus - rigidus
Mortons neuroma
Sesamoiditis
Achilles tenon injury
Flat feet
Shin pain - MTSS
Plantar Fasciopathy / Fasciitis
Synovitis / Capsulitis
Bursitis
Peroneal tendinopathy
Ankle sprains
High arched feet
*Please note I don’t treat nail and skin pathologies.
Hi, I’m Rina Harris, a London-based Functional Podiatrist with over 20 years experience. I work mainly in the private sector and I have a special interest in foot and ankle injuries, gait mechanics and sports injuries. I’m a certified running technique coach, yoga trapeze instructor, and a mother of two active boys.
I’ve worked at several leading clinics and hospitals across London and in 2019 I had a profound personal experience that reshaped my professional journey. I encountered some personal foot health issues that conventional treatments couldn't resolve. Frustrated by the lack of progress, I reevaluated my approach and discovered a new perspective on foot health. I found that changing the environment my feet were in on a daily basis, combined with the way I stimulated them, made a remarkable improvement. So now I implement this approach in my practice and it has brought significant success for my clients in optimising recovery, foot health and restoring foot function.
I’ve discovered that what I really love is helping people walk, run and move pain-free, educating them about foot health and empowering them to take ownership of their wellbeing. And, contrary to popular belief, our feet are not flawed, but resilient and perfectly tuned for natural body movement. However, the modern world has forced many of us into sedentary occupations, prolonged sitting and modern footwear. They have all been shown to be a distinct threat to our physical movement and foot health.
I truly believe that strong and stable feet are the foundation of human movement. The human body is interconnected and functions as one self-organising system. And as foot function affects every part of our body, it can therefore greatly influence how we move, exercise and perform.
This is an investment in everything you need to restore your natural foot function!
Initial consultations includes assessment, gait analysis and treatment.
Please note if you want to cancel an appointment I require 48 hours’ notice; otherwise you will still need to pay for any sessions missed. All payments are made online via my website.
UNTIL, Soho
111 Charing Cross Road
London
WC2H 0DT
Tuesday and Thursday: 10am - 3pm.
Wednesday (Online): 10am - 3pm.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions and to find out how my approach can help you. This enables us to discuss the reasons you are thinking of working with me and whether I can help you.
©Rina Harris
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