This will usually take around 30 minutes and will include:
- Discussion of your key concerns, recent issues or changes in health and medication
- Your feet will be prepared with a skin disinfectant
- Your nails will be cut and filed as necessary
- Any thick nails can be reduced using our state of the art nail drill (this is painless).
- Any hard skin (callus) will be reduced
- Any corns will be removed
- Any hard skin around the heel will be reduced
- Your feet will have a high quality foot moisturiser applied (with ‘urea’, the best natural hydrating ingredient naturally present in the skin)
Typical podiatry problems that can be treated are:
Corns and Callus (hard skin)
Caused by excess friction and pressure. Corns form a conical shaped piece of hard skin that is pushed into the skin which causes pain. Callus is hard skin which forms and also can become hard, painful and in some cases can lead to ulceration (particularly important for diabetic patients).
Fungal infections of the skin or nails
Caused by dermatophytes that can lead to athlete’s foot, tinea pedis, itchy or painful skin and nails.
Dry, cracked heels.
These can be dry or moist cracks where the skin is under tension and sometimes can become infected. The most common location is the heel areas.
Bunion pain
Known as Hallux abducto valgus where the big toe deviates at the first metatarsal joint which causes the formation of a bunion. There are treatments to avoid the worsening of the bunion and to reduce pain or discomfort.
Heel pain (plantar fasciitis)
Is a common problem that causes pain on the heel or under the inside arch of the foot. it is often caused by inflammation of the fascia. Typically this can take weeks or months to resolve in some cases but treatments are available to help reduce the pain and to eliminate the problem long term.
Achilles tendinopathy
Is one of the most common injuries to those involved in sports, particularly runners. Due to its nature and the loading demands placed upon its structure it is susceptible to both acute and chronic injury. Treatments are available in conjunction with stretching/strengthening exercises. Sometimes orthotics may be required either on a temporary or permanent basis.
Footwear advice
Whilst everyone likes wearing fashionable shoes it is recommended that appropriate footwear is worn on a regular basis and the ‘inappropriate’ footwear is worn for the special occasions. It is important to have:
- Adequate width and depth in the toe box
- The correct length
- The correct width fitting
- Good heel area so the foot is firmly attached at the heel.
- Fastening by laces, Velcro or straps to keep the feet attached to the shoe and to avoid slipping.
- The heel height should be no more than 5cm.
- The upper material should be leather or a natural material
