myFootDr - podiatry centres & lifestyle shoes

Podiatry is the profession that deals with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of medical and musculoskeletal conditions of the feet and lower limbs.

 

my FootDr^TM podiatry centres is Australia's premier Podiatry Group, assisting workers in foot and lower limb health since 1992, located all across South East Queensland.

Our team of podiatrists understand the Zero Harm philosophy and are highly trained, nationally registered and accredited podiatrists armed with the latest high-tech equipment for diagnosing and treating foot and lower limb conditions.

my FootDr^TM is frequently chosen by WorkCover QLD, CRS, Rehab MX, major insurance companies, Serena Russo and many other large corporations including QLD Rail as their footcare provider of first choice.

Occupational Podiatry

Many workplaces are now focussed on creating a positive safety culture of aspiring to Zero Harm, actively promoting and supporting continuous improvement of safety systems and procedures.

We are specialists in providing foot and lower limb care to the injured worker and also in the prevention of foot strain and chronic overuse injuries.

Zero Harm is an aspirational goal of zero injuries underpinned by the principals of:

1. No workplace fatalities - injuries and diseases are preventable.
2. No task is so important that it cannot be done safely.
3. Identifying all foreseeable hazards and managing the risks associated with them.
4. Everyone has a personal responsibility for the health and safety of themselves and others.
5. Health and Safety performance can always improve.

my FootDr^TM "Work Pain Free" is an occupational podiatry initiative to promote foot and lower limb health and safety as the foundation of Zero Harm in preventing slip, trip and fall injuries and preventing chronic disorders of the musculoskeletal systems.

Foot & Lower Limb Health At Work

Foot and lower limb problems have a significant effect on the injury rate and health of the workforce, particularly where that workforce operates on hard surfaces such as concrete, steel and tiles.

Safework Australia reports that:

• 43% of Worker's Compensation Claims are related to sprains and strains of joints and adjacent muscles, many in the feet and lower limbs.
• 6% are related to disorders of foot muscle, tendons and other soft tissues.
• 6% related to dorsopathies - disorders of spinal vertebrae.
Many of these injuries can be directly linked to poor foot and lower limb posture, poor balance and gait which can be easily prevented using the right kind of shoes and most importantly, the right kind of insole.

The Cost Of Preventable Injuries

The median cost for serious injuries is four weeks off work with additional expenses of $6,900. In Australia, in 2008 there was an average of thirteen serious claims per 1000 employees. Industries such as construction and transport had up to 25 serious claims per 1000 employees.

This means that, depending on your industry, you could be looking at 55 weeks of lost productivity and additional payments of up to $172,500 for every 1000 employees.
For example, if you have a team of twenty workers in a transport and storage warehouse operation, foot and lower limb injuries on average will cost you two weeks loss of productivity and $12,500 in expenses every year.

These statistics speak for themselves. However, it is more difficult to measure the cost of lost productivity from workers suffering from foot and lower limb strain and fatigue. These cases of undiagnosed musculoskeletal strain and occupational foot fatigue can result in reduced morale, increased work absence and potential serious injuries including falls and accidents.

 

How Can We Assist?

The Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems Specification (AS/NZS 4801) requires organisations certified under this standard to prevent employees from being placed in a situation where their foot or lower limb health is compromised. Furthermore, they are required to implement appropriate systems to maintain a safe workplace.

my FootDr^TM "Work Pain Free" has put together a specialist team to assess foot and lower limb health in the workplace, diagnose existing and emerging problems, create and monitor effective management plans. A program specific to your organisation can be created to suit your workplace and tailored to meet your budget.