A hiker with a pack pausing on a ridgeline, looking out over the Tararua Ranges

Understanding Your Feet

Practical, evidence-informed advice from our team to help you understand foot and lower limb conditions and make confident decisions about your care.

Illustration of a person holding the sole of their bare foot, with the underside of the heel glowing orange

29 September 2026 · Adam Philps

Burning Heel Pain?

Experiencing burning heel pain can be extremely uncomfortable and frustrating, with many patients unsure what could be producing the sensation.

Illustration of a pair of feet in orange Archies jandals, showing the raised heel, contoured arch and cupped heel of the footbed

25 September 2026 · Adam Philps

If You’re Going To Wear Jandals This Summer…

With summer just around the corner, we’ve brought a fresh range of Archies jandals into Masterton Foot Clinic.

Illustration of a fungal toenail in an open sandal, with the thickened yellow big toenail highlighted in orange on an otherwise bare foot

22 September 2026 · Adam Philps

Fungal Toenails: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention

Fungal nail infections are extremely common, and they can be treated. The important part is making sure it is actually fungus first, and then choosing a treatment appropriate to the extent of the infection.

Illustration of a foot rising onto the ball of the foot, with orange rings radiating from the point of pressure under the forefoot

8 September 2026 · Adam Philps

Ball of Foot Pain: Why It Arrives with Spring and What to Do About It

Why pain under the ball of the foot so often arrives with spring, what is actually going on, and when it is worth having it properly assessed.

27 August 2026 · Adam Philps

Why do our toenails thicken as we age?

Thick, brittle and discoloured toenails become increasingly common as we age.

Illustration of a bare foot with its outer edge glowing orange

12 August 2026 · Adam Philps

What’s Causing The Pain On The Outside Of My Foot?

While arch and heel pain are commonly discussed in podiatry, pain on the outer edge of the foot is much less well known: despite being equally painful and frustrating for our patients.

Illustration of a bare foot pushing off the ground with the heel raised and the big toe bent upward, orange pain rings around the base of the big toe, a studded sports boot behind

3 August 2026 · Adam Philps

Turf Toe

Turf Toe is a sprain of the big toe joint that commonly occurs during sports and can make walking, running, sprinting, and pushing off uncomfortable, potentially affecting athletic performance if not managed appropriately.

Illustration of a pair of sneakers with laces undone and rolled socks beside them, the insides of the shoes tinted orange

31 July 2026 · Adam Philps

How To Fix Sweaty, Smelly Feet

Do your feet seem to sweat more than others? Do they regularly carry an unpleasant smell?

Illustration of a foot in a knitted winter sock beside a warm lined boot, with one discoloured big toenail highlighted in orange

22 July 2026 · Adam Philps

Fungal Nails: Why Winter Makes Them Worse and What Actually Works

Why fungal nail infections often become more noticeable during winter, how they're diagnosed, and the treatment options available.

Illustration of a person sitting on the edge of their bed in the morning, holding the back of their heel, which glows orange

14 July 2026 · Adam Philps

Home Remedies To Cure Morning Heel Pain

With plantar fasciitis heel pain being one of the most common problems seen and treated by our podiatrists, when patients make a booking with us, there’s often an important question they ask: what can I be doing at home to help my heel pain?

Illustration of a young child's lower legs and bare feet mid-jump, with a warm orange glow around one heel

8 July 2026 · Adam Philps

Kids' Feet and Growing Pains: When to See a Podiatrist

Understanding what's normal during childhood development, and when it's worth having your child's feet or legs assessed.

Illustration of toes from above, with the big toenail and the skin around it glowing orange

2 July 2026 · Adam Philps

Causes Of Toenail Pain

Toenails, it’s amazing how something so small can cause so much pain at times.

Illustration of a big toe with subtle orange redness along one edge of the toenail where it presses into the skin

24 June 2026 · Adam Philps

Wairarapa Ingrown Nail Clinic: Why We Built a Dedicated Service

Why ingrown toenails are often easier to treat than people expect, and how we decide when surgery is, and isn't, the right option.

Illustration of the bones of the foot, with a break at the base of the long bone on the outer edge highlighted in orange

19 June 2026 · Adam Philps

Jones Avulsion Fracture

An avulsion fracture occurs when part of the bone is broken off from the rest of the bone and is attached to a tendon or ligament

5 June 2026 · Adam Philps

Winter Foot Care: Why Cold Weather Makes Heel Pain Worse

Why heel pain often feels more noticeable during winter, and the simple strategies that can help keep you moving comfortably.

Illustration of the back of a heel with dry, cracked skin, glowing orange

2 June 2026 · Adam Philps

Dry Skin On The Feet

Notice your feet getting drier over the cooler winter months? Or staying that way over summer too? You’re absolutely not alone.

Illustration of a bare foot on a folded towel beside a tube of cream, with a dab of cream on the heel and an orange glow around it

20 May 2026 · Adam Philps

What are the best moisturisers to use on my feet?

Adam Philps talks about foot moisturisers, how they work, what can cause dry feet in the first place and what to use to help.

Illustration of a bare foot with a swollen big toe joint glowing orange

7 May 2026 · Adam Philps

Gout: Keeping Your Feet Healthy When You Have Gout

Gout is a painful form of inflammatory arthritis that can cause sudden, intense pain, swelling and redness in the joints.

Illustration of the sole of a foot with a small rough verruca on the ball of the foot, highlighted in orange

23 April 2026 · Adam Philps

Verruca Treatment

The common Verruca Treatment options at Masterton Foot Clinic vary from chemical, surgical through to using Liquid Nitrogen.

Illustration of a flat generic insole beside a contoured custom orthotic with its arch support highlighted in orange

16 April 2026 · Adam Philps

Custom Orthotics vs. Chemist Insoles: What's the Real Difference?

Do you really need custom orthotics? Understanding when over-the-counter insoles are enough, and when an individualised approach makes sense.

Illustration of a clinician holding a shockwave therapy handpiece against a heel, with orange pressure-wave rings rippling outward

9 April 2026 · Adam Philps

Shockwave Therapy: What It Is, How It Works, and Who It Helps

What Shockwave Therapy is, who it's most likely to help, and why assessment always comes before choosing a treatment.

2 April 2026 · Adam Philps

What's Causing The Pain In Your Big Toe?

Whether your toe pain has come on hard and fast or has been building up slowly, whether you know what caused it or you have no idea, one thing is for sure: problems with the toes are frustrating, painful, and can make our days very inconvenient.

Illustration of a foot rolling its arch over a small massage ball, with an orange glow under the heel

26 March 2026 · Adam Philps

How To Cure Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis heel pain is one of the most common conditions seen and treated by our podiatrists.

Illustration of both lower legs in knee high compression socks, with an orange glow at each heel

10 March 2026 · Adam Philps

How Can Compression Socks Help With Plantar Fasciitis?

Plantar Fasciitis heel pain is not only frustrating, but can be disabling too.

Illustration of two feet side by side, one ankle swollen and glowing orange

20 February 2026 · Adam Philps

Why Do Feet Swell?

Whether your feet have just swollen for the first time or it's become a common occurrence recently, and you’re wondering what’s going on and whether it could be something serious: you’ve come to the right place.

Illustration of a person sitting cross-legged, pressing on the inner arch of their foot, which glows orange

12 February 2026 · Adam Philps

What's Causing Pain On The Inside Of My Foot?

Pain in the arch, heels and through the inside of the foot is by far one of the most common problems we see and treat.

Illustration of a bare foot standing flat, with an orange glow along the sole from the heel to the arch

26 January 2026 · Adam Philps

Treating Heel Pain and Plantar Fasciitis

Heel pain and plantar fasciitis is one of the most common injuries we see at Masterton Foot Clinic. This article discusses some of the treatments available.

13 January 2026 · Adam Philps

Sore Heels

Having sore heels can not only be painful and frustrating, but also really limiting for everyday life and the ability to enjoy sports, walks with loved ones, and even just running daily errands.