FAQs

Many treatments are no longer provided by your local NHS trusts and do not provide you with the flexibility that private podiatry services offer.

Please have a list of your current/past medical conditions, current medication list or any history of medical surgery and any other related medical issues;  allergies; physical activities. To provide you with the best care.

At your first consultation, first a full subjective assessment will be taken: listening to your complaint and taking notes of presenting problem, documenting your full medical history including your general health and lifestyles. Secondly, an objective assessment with your consent: Skin colour, tone, texture and temperature will be observed, alongside a vascular and neurological assessment to identify any deficit which may be underlying or linked to any pre-existing medical complaints.

If relevant, we may also perform a biomechanical assessment (gait analysis), observing your standing, walking and non-weight bearing. Ranges of motion will be assessed and leg length observed. Hands-on examination of the affected areas may be necessary.

Your concerns with your lower extremities will be discussed to make an appropriate diagnosis and an agreed management plan (including you in the decision-making process at every opportunity) based on current medical evidence-based research according to the NICE guidelines, local and national pathways.

The session usually takes approximately 30-40 minutes.

They will then perform an objective assessment with your consent. Skin colour, tone, texture and temperature will be observed, alongside a vascular and neurological assessment to identify any deficit which may be underlying or linked to any pre-existing medical complaints.

If relevant, your podiatrist may also perform a biomechanical assessment, observing you standing, walking and non-weight bearing. Ranges of motion will be assessed and leg length observed. Hands-on examination of the affected areas may be necessary.

Your podiatrist will then discuss their findings, form a diagnosis and discuss treatment options available. They will also talk through a management plan, including you in the decision-making process at every opportunity.

Looking after your feet and treating common foot problems – such as corns, calluses, bunions and ingrown toenails – can help to prevent problems that make you unsteady on your feet and at risk of a fall, and can also prevent foot wounds/ ulcers occurring and a variety of other chronic foot related conditions.

Wearing footwear that’s safe, appropriate and in good repair can also help to prevent falls and other issues.

Care for and check your feet daily by:

• Have your feet checked regularly and frequently by a podiatrist, the same as you would do for your teeth. At least once every three months.
• Having and wearing appropriate footwear for the activity you are doing is important to keep your feet healthy, seek help from a podiatrist for the appropriate footwear.
• keeping your feet clean after a bath or shower, dry them well, especially between your toes and use emollients that have minimum 10% urea. Do not apply foot cream between the toes, because it will create a moist/ dark environment for the fungal to reside between the toes, this could lead to fungal infection, and this can be a serious issue for patients with diabetes (limb loss or life-threatening).
• Matricciani and Jones (2012) stated that people with diabetes are more likely of having an increase of developing fungal infections and this could lead to complications, including, secondary paronychia (inflammation of the skin), bacterial infection, cellulitis, foot ulcers, osteomyelitis,  gangrene, lower limb amputation or life-threatening.
• Checking your feet for cuts or sores, redness, swelling or bruising. Get to know your feet well and know what’s normal and what is not. exercise your feet regularly (strengthening your muscles and tendons).
• Applying moisturiser a minimum twice a day, if your skin is dry to prevent it from cracking and improve its texture.
• Soak your feet in warm soaping water for 10 to 15 minutes to soften them, dry them, especially between the toes. Filing dry skin or hard skin using a foot file or pumice stone, gently move the stone in a circular or sideways motion around your foot to remove dead skin. Apply foot emollient with 10% urea afterwards to help soften your

Podiatry and chiropody are often seen as one and the same thing, and this can cause some confusion. Podiatry is the modern-day medical name for the pre-existing profession chiropody.  The name was changed in the UK to podiatry in 1993, and is the internationally recognised name for a foot specialist.

Podiatry involves the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of conditions related to the foot, ankle, lower limb and its associated structures. It encompasses both conservative care for existing complaints, and corrective management for acute and chronic conditions

Podiatrists are healthcare professionals who have been trained to assess, diagnose and treat abnormal conditions of the lower limb extremities (foot and ankle).  They also prevent and correct deformity, keep people mobile and active, treat injuries, relieve pain, and treat foot wounds and infections.

They can give you and your family advice on how to look after your feet and what type of footwear to wear.

They can also treat and alleviate day-to-day foot problems such as:

• Fungal infection (tinea pedis (athlete’s foot) and onychomycosis (nail infection)).
• Long toe nails
• Hardened, thick and discoloured nails
• In-growing toe nails
• Hard skin and callus
• Corns
• Verrucae