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Matthew Godwin

Podiatry, what is it?!

Tuesday 8th October- Today is International Podiatry Day…..great you say… but what is podiatry?!

I’ll be honest, I didn’t even know what it was until I was researching a career change. Many of you would have heard of Chiropody, a term commonly used in the UK. Podiatry is the same thing and can be used interchangeably.

So here is a definition of podiatry that a quick Google search came up with:


“Podiatry is a medical speciality that focuses on the study, diagnosis, and treatment of conditions that affect the feet and lower limbs”


As the definition states, podiatry is a medical field that specialises in the foot and lower limb (below the knee). Podiatry is a medical profession practised by podiatrists, degree-trained foot and lower limb specialists,that must be registered with the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC) and comply with their regulations, including participating in continuous professional development and practising using evidence-based treatments. If they do not comply with the rules and regulations, they can be struck off after a disciplinary hearing.

Podiatrists through their training, knowledge and experience can assess, diagnose and treat the following ailments:


Muscle and joint pain

If someone is suffering from any musculoskeletal pain in their foot and lower leg, podiatrists have the knowledge and skills to assess and treat this pain. They use joint range of movement and power tests to isolate the muscle or joint that is causing the pain and diagnose the problem. They can also be trained in other diagnostic testing such as gait analysis and ultrasound. They can treat the diagnosed problem by giving out advice such as footwear guidance, prescribing exercises and foot insoles/orthotics if appropriate. Finally if available, they can use other treatment modalities to assist with the patients' recovery, such as shockwave therapy.

 

Skin lesions and conditions

Podiatrists can diagnose skin conditions that you may be suffering from, such as eczema or athlete's foot and offer guidance or provide treatment for these. If there are any unusual lumps or bumps on the foot, a podiatrist can assess these and provide guidance to the patient. A verruca is the most common lesion that podiatrists will treat and this can be done in several ways including verruca needling under anaesthetic.  If any wounds on the foot may not be healing very well due to being exposed to weight-bearing forces, podiatrists have expertise in helping these heal by dressing appropriately and offloading the area.

 

 Long nails and nail conditions

Podiatrists can help treat patients’ toenails, the obvious being that they are trained to safely cut them if the patient is unable to do anymore. But they can also assess any nail conditions the patient may have such as fungal nail infections and help manage these effectively. Podiatrists are also trained in performing nail surgery using local anaesthetic if a patient is suffering from painful ingrown toenails or has a damaged nail that is causing them problems.

 

Podiatrists can also offer preventative advice to patients to reduce the risks of foot-related problems in the future. This is vitally important for people with chronic health conditions such as diabetes.

 

If you feel that you can benefit from a podiatrist's input, then get in contact with us by ringing 01271 533020 or book an appointment online here




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