Célestin Sertelet, osteopath: "The perfect protection is the one that combines comfort, mobility and stability".

Can you introduce yourself and tell us about your profession?

My name is Célestin Sertelet and I've been a D.O. osteopath for 9 years.

What types of patients do you treat?

I treat all types of patients: athletes, babies, people with chronic pathologies or victims of traumatic accidents.

Do some people come to you with work-related illnesses?

Yes, absolutely. When it comes to occupational diseases, most patients come to us with chronic illnesses: their illness is misdiagnosed that causes a delay in a therapeutic treatment, and osteopathy is often the last resort. In such cases, the awkwardness is quite deep-rooted and requires us to analyze and evaluate the whole environment: the workplace, workstation ergonomics, postural patterns and equipment, as well as lifestyle.

I also treat all kinds of traumatic complications: sprains, rib pain, fractures.

What occupational illnesses are related to the foot?

When the foot is too compressed in safety shoes, the worker is exposed to purely mechanical compression and blockage of the foot or ankle and can develop, for example, Morton's syndrome (or Morton's neuroma): this is a small tumor that sits on the digital nerve, between the metatarsals, and causes a burning sensation by irrigating the whole foot, under the arch or toes, rather like sciatica.  We often see this in a case of soldiers wearing rangers because their feet are too tight.

What advice can you give to avoid this type of pathology?

If the patient has to wear safety shoes at work, I advise him to look for technical equipment rather than basic one that may be harmful. A wide cut, a sole with shock-absorbing pads and, at the same time, an upper that holds the foot. The perfect protection is the one that combines comfort, mobility and stability.

For people performing repetitive tasks, how can the equipment help them in their daily lives?

In construction industry, craftsmen have to perform a large number of different and sometimes repetitive movements. If the garment has no Stretch® or is too tight, the craftsman will not be able to move easily and will have to compensate by arching his back, for example.

For the glove?

Same as with footwear and clothing, movement should not be restricted. I recommend gloves with palm reinforcement, it’s an area with one of the most sensitive nerve endings of the body.