Internationally renowned sculptor Kate Blacker has experienced foot pain issues since her teens. Initially, the problem was caused by severe bunions which often caused Kate to experience considerable discomfort first thing in the morning.
At the time, a leading orthopaedic consultant advised that they’d never seen someone so young with such bad bunions. The consultant recommended surgical intervention which involved painful operations on both feet, three weeks in hospital, over six weeks in plaster and months of arduous rehabilitation work.
Ultimately though, the procedure proved successful, and Kate was able to enjoy decades of pain-free mobility.
However, in recent years Kate, by now living in Normandy, began experiencing discomfort, this time in the balls of her feet. A French podiatrist diagnosed Morton’s Neuroma and prescribed some leather orthotic devices which were effective for a while.
When the pain could no longer be alleviated by the leather orthotics, Kate, having sought the advice of an orthopaedic surgeon, underwent another painful operation.
Sadly, this time the results were less successful as the continued pain prevented Kate from standing for very long. This directly impacted on her creative productivity as she could only work on her installations for short periods.
As she explains:
“Sculpture is a three dimensional art which requires sculptors to be closely physically involved with their installations. The importance of good posture to allow sculptors to generate a healthy workflow cannot be overstressed. This is particularly the case for people like me who work on large scale projects.
Poor posture leads to pain, fatigue, and reduced creativity. Good posture begins with our feet, from which the rest of the body finds its balance. Comfortable, pain-free feet are key to achieving good, productive posture throughout the day.”
As the pain was impacting Kate’s artistic productivity, a solution was needed. An old friend from the UK had recommended Foot Solutions in Richmond, so on her next visit to London Kate made an appointment to visit the store in Red Lion Street.
Following a detailed foot assessment and gait analysis, Kate purchased custom arch supports and Xsensible boots. The results have been very impressive as Kate confirms:
“The arch supports, which are ‘sculpted’ to suit the contours of my feet, provide a stable, comfortable base from which I can work. When I wear them with my Xsensible boots, I can stand and work for hours on end without needing to sit down. Foot Solutions could not have been more helpful. I love my new boots and inserts; they have been life changing. I’m so impressed by my arch supports I’m even planning to use them to go skiing again.”