Latest news with #podiatry
CNA
3 days ago
- Business
- CNA
From Myanmar to Singapore: She started a shoe label making bunion-friendly footwear crafted by artisans
Commune Wear is a Singapore shoe label that's slowly making a name for itself with its podiatry-friendly footwear. But its founder, May Chua, had belatedly discovered her passion for fashion and shoes in a rather unexpected manner in an unexpected place. The mechanical engineering graduate from Nanyang Technological University had found herself working in her father's trading and real estate business in Myanmar. And it was during during a work trip to Thailand back in 2019 that the 34-year-old Myanmar citizen and Singapore permanent resident encountered skilled artisans handcrafting leather shoes. 'One of the artisans took a lighter to burn the material, and it was real genuine leather. Intrigued, I bought their shoes and wore them in Thailand. It was really comfy,' Chua recalled. Chua's conviction in the artisans' craftsmanship was immediately validated when her small order of 16 shoes resonated strongly with friends and family, proving the market potential and igniting the birth of her business that same year. Driven by a desire to give back to her birthplace, Chua first introduced Commune Wear in Myanmar. Because of the political instability, she made the difficult but strategic decision to relocate her business to Singapore in 2021. Launching amidst a pandemic, Chua's business faced immense challenges. To ensure her staff's survival, she paid for their salaries out of her own pocket. Chua's personal investment in Commune Wear also manifested in the courageous decision to open a physical shop at Cluny Court in May that year. Operating with just one part-time staff, she maximised limited resources, proving her commitment to establishing a tangible presence for her brand. In the past, we used to have men's and women's collections but we've reached a point now where it's fairer to call them unisex. 'Initially, we didn't intend to start in Singapore. But I was here during COVID-19, together with my whole family and I wanted to continue paying my team. I had refused to accept money from my family, and I was just being stubborn. Eventually, things started rolling and I quit my family's business to be with my brand full-time in 2023.' BEAUTIFUL PODIATRY-FRIENDLY SHOES Chua's intention behind the brand's name Commune Wear was to build a community where authentic conversations and collaborative partnerships can thrive. 'In the past, in Myanmar, our store would host social enterprises. But in Singapore, it's a bit harder because the retail scene is more expensive. I believe that a shoe brand can co-exist with another shoe brand, and vice versa with a clothing line. I believe in being very intentional and to consistently evolve – whether good or bad – but still staying true to being effortless and timeless.' Recognising the need for greater inclusivity, Chua transformed Commune Wear's offerings. Initially limited to pig leather linings, she proactively sought out tanneries capable of crafting premium cow and calf leather, not only expanding accessibility to Muslim customers but also enhancing the brand's commitment to superior comfort and natural aesthetics. 'Each pair is lined with either cow or pig leather, noted in the product descriptions for our Muslim customers, so you can make the most informed decision.' Chua also intentionally chose mindful tanning processes that use natural bleaching methods. While chrome tanning creates a smooth, even tone; natural tanning found in the brand's sliders and sandals allow each piece to develop a unique patina with wear, enhancing their character over time. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Commune Wear (@communewear) Adapting to to market needs, Chua also included smaller sizes like size 34. 'We used to only do size 35 to 41 but we realised there are girls with really small feet. In the past, we used to have men's and women's collections but we've reached a point now where it's fairer to call them unisex.' Recognising the impact of foot issues on quality of life, Chua embarked on a mission to create recovery-focused footwear. Collaborating with a podiatrist last year, she developed designs that directly addressed bunions, featuring thoughtful hallux placement, generous toe box width, and a strategically layered memory foam system to provide stability without compromising the shoe's structure. 'We try our best to educate customers that even if you feel comfortable with this shoe, it might not be comfortable for another person just because of the fit, shape and everything else. A lot of Asian girls have flatter instep or flat feet. But in Singapore, our hot weather causes our feet to expand. Our brand caters to wide and high feet according to different designs.' SLOW AND STEADY From a humble beginning of working with just a small group of Thai artisans, the business has now evolved to include artisans from Myanmar – of them, four are based in Singapore. To ensure transparency and avoid misleading consumers, Chua refrains from using the term "sustainable" to describe her brand, a term she believes is often misused as "greenwashing". 'I still think that there are a lot of things that I can work on to improve. For example, we use chrome tanning, which is basically chemical tanning. We started exploring vegan leather like mango or mushroom. But the downside to all this vegan leather is that they have not reached a point of softness, comfort and also breathability.' Right now, Chua isn't stopping at her current team; she is still searching for more artisans as she's looking to expand other product categories. 'We're hoping to do more things like bags, so we'll see how that goes.'
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Beauty expert reveals how to treat common foot conditions before summer: from fungal nails to verrucas
When was the last time you really thought about the state of your feet? Truth is we should all monitor them closely, not least because signs of illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and arthritis can show up there first. 'As we age, we develop increasing problems with our feet due to wear and tear of the joints, loss of the fatty pads that cushion our soles and a reduction in skin elasticity,' says Molly Chilvers, podiatrist and brand ambassador for footcare treatment cream Footmender.
Medscape
16-05-2025
- Health
- Medscape
Trial Tests Carbon Fibre Inserts for Osteoarthritis Relief
BIRMINGHAM — A commonly used method by podiatrists and physiotherapists to manage osteoarthritis (OA) of the first metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ) is undergoing formal testing in a randomised clinical trial, a UK researcher said on the first day of The Primary Care Show 2025. Michael Backhouse The Big Toe OstEoarthritis (BigTOE) Inserts Trial compares the use of a carbon fibre insert to stiffen shoes against a sham insole. The goal is to determine if this approach can alleviate the pain associated with toe OA, said the trial's chief investigator Michael Backhouse. Backhouse, who is a podiatrist and associate professor of clinical trials at Warwick University told Medscape News UK, 'The truth is we don't know if this approach works, which is why we are doing the trial'. Lack of Evidence Although carbon fibre inserts have been available and used within the NHS for years, there is very little evidence to show that these, or indeed any other insoles, actually do anything to help people with foot OA, according to Backhouse. As such, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance on diagnosis and management of OA does not currently recommend their routine use. A survey of UK and Australian podiatrists and physiotherapists found over 50 different treatment approaches were being used to manage OA of the first MTPJ, which 'reflects the lack of evidence', Backhouse said. Helen Branthwaite, the newly appointed chief clinical advisor for the Royal College Podiatry, told Medscape News UK : 'What's really unique about this trial is that they are going to have a multicentred population that will be randomised, so you don't know which treatment you're getting, which would address the psychological impact of the intervention.' Branthwaite added: 'Osteoarthritis of the first MP joint, or any joint, is progressive', and the amount of pain experienced, or how long that lasts, depends on where a patient sits on a scale. 'When the joint completely fuses, you'll have no pain at all. Clinically, we know that because we see that when we see patients and change the stiffness of their shoe', added Branthwaite, who also works in private musculoskeletal podiatry practice in Macclesfield. Carbon fibre insoles are used to alter impact forces and improve joint mechanics, Branthwaite explained, highlighting that it was not just the quantity but the quality of data that was lacking on their use. The BigTOE Inserts Trial The BigTOE Inserts Trial aims to provide quality evidence to support podiatrists' individualised approaches. The target is to recruit 438 participants who have been screened at 25-30 general practice sites. Eligible participants must have a diagnosis of OA in the first MTPJ in one or both feet, experience activity-related pain in that joint that has been ongoing for at least 3 months, and be aged 18 years or older. Pain will be assessed on a numerical rating scale (NRS), where 0 is no pain and 10 indicates the worst pain. Participants have an activity-related pain NRS score of four or higher for inclusion. A comprehensive list of exclusion criteria has been put in place to ensure that patients with other musculoskeletal or inflammatory causes for their activity-related MTPJ pain are not included. This includes those experiencing pain predominantly on the plantar aspect of the joint, suggestive of sesamoid pathology; morning stiffness lasting for 30 minutes or more, or a clinical suspicion or previous diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis, connective tissue disease, septic arthritis, or crystal arthropathy. Also excluded are people with a history of surgery or clinically important trauma to the foot and ankle, or planned foot and ankle surgery within the next 12 months. Anyone who has had a corticosteroid injection in the affected foot within the last 3 months will be excluded, as will anyone who is identified as having moderate or severe grade 3 or 4 hallux valgus. Finally, anyone who has used an insole prescribed by a healthcare professional in the last 3 months cannot be recruited. Pragmatic Approach Backhouse described the trial design as 'pragmatic'. 'It reflects the patients you see in the clinic', he said. As such, all participants will be given usual care, which involves tailored therapeutic exercise, advice on weight management, and provision of patient information and support as per NICE guidance. Additionally, they will be randomly allocated to receive either a carbon fibre insert or a sham insole. 'We're working with one supplier; the sham and the active insert appear the same,' Backhouse said. To ensure that patients do not know which device they are using, the carbon fibre component has been sandwiched between other layers of the insole. 'We don't tell them that we're looking at carbon fibre inserts, and we don't tell them that we're looking at stiff inserts – we tell you we're looking at inserts, maybe different materials,' said Backhouse. The primary outcome will be the change from baseline in the Manchester Oxford Foot Questionnaire walking/standing subscale at 3 months, with additional assessments at 1, 6, and 12 months. This means that after the baseline assessment, no further clinic visits are required, and all questionnaires will be organised by the University of Warwick team. 'OA is common and disabling,' Backhouse noted. While generally diagnosed clinically without imaging, when imaging is used it suggests that around 17% of people over 50 years of age have foot OA. Moreover, three quarters of people with symptomatic radiographic OA reported disabling foot symptoms, 'that impacted on their daily lives'. With 'very limited evidence for treating OA', the BigTOE Inserts Trial was one step towards changing that, Backhouse said. The BigTOE trial is funded by the National Institute for Health Care and Research. Backhouse and Branthwaite reported no relevant financial relationships.
ABC News
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Researchers find high heels not so bad after studying Barbie's feet
Researcher and podiatrist Cylie Williams can only recall one other occasion when she was rushed off her feet explaining a study to reporters around the world. "I have published a lot," Professor Williams told ABC News. "I have probably 170 research papers and in my career as a researcher I have had two — and this is my second paper — hit the media at this level." Professor Williams, who is in the school of primary and allied health care at Monash University, has with a team studied Barbie's feet, the shoes the doll has worn overtime and whether high heels are really that bad for you. It has captured people's imaginations far and wide and has even been picked up by the New York Times. "People are often told, sometimes, that things are really bad and when you go 'they might not actually be. We need to rewire your thinking a little bit there and try and break some myths,' I think that captures people's interest. So, let's step into the methodology and findings. 2023's Barbie movie was a blockbuster of epic proportions. It was a scene from the movie in which Barbie reacts with distress when she steps out of her high heels and onto flat feet that ignited the imaginations of Professor Williams and her team. They studied the feet of 2,750 Barbie dolls — from Barbie's launch in 1959 until June 2024 — and found a shift away from the doll's iconic tip-toed feet primed and ready for high heels, to flat feet for flat shoes. Barbie, they found, chose her footwear depending on her tasks and occupation — from skateboarding to working as an astronaut — and her feet changed over the years to reflect shoes worn, tying into her different jobs and growing diversity. Professor Williams says the researchers also questioned whether high heels are really as bad for feet as women are led to believe. "If you travel around the world and you look at some cultures that rarely wear high heels, you'll hear about back pain and you'll see foot deformity and it will be occurring in men and women, some of whom have never worn high heels in their lives … which means you can't hang it all on the shoes that you're wearing. She says Barbie's journey shows women are already discerning about the shoe choices they make based on comfort, functionality and identity. "I've just done a sprint … to my car and I'm wearing a three-inch heel and it's a block. I've walked over Melbourne streets and I've chosen my shoes today based on what I had to do and that I knew I was going to be on unstable surfaces. And that's actually how a lot of people choose their footwear every day. "So, we don't know that high heels are really bad. "We know that while you're wearing them, they may have impacts on the way that your feet feel and the way they make your body feel but we don't know what the long-term impact of that actually is if you vary your shoes, like most people do every day."
