With the holiday season almost upon us, the last thing you need to worry about is your feet. Chances are you haven’t pampered your feet for a while as they have been wrapped up in socks and shoes throughout the winter months. If you are able to visit your Chiropodist or Podiatrist before you leave, try to include it on your to do list. Your Chiropodist or Podiatrist can remove callus and hard skin, debride painful corns and cut toenails as well as addressing any other foot related issues you may have. If you are unable to make an appointment [...]

We are thrilled to be one of only two clinics in the North West of England to become an official injury clinic for the 2011 London Marathon! This means that our clinic has been selected to provide specialist care and rehabilitation to athletes competing in the London Marathon this year. This is a great honour for the clinic and we look forward to assisting the athletes in any way we can. Here at the clinic we have a state of the art gait laboratory, ProGait, which enables athletes to have their walking and running gait analysed. At ProGait we know [...]

The team at Davenport House were thrilled to welcome Olympic athlete and sporting hero Steve Smith to the clinic this week. Steve is Britain's most successful ever high jumper, having won a medal in every major championship including the Olympic games. At just 23 years old, Steve was a bronze medallist at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, the first British man to win a medal in the high jump since 1908. Steve's indoor mark of 2.38 metres and his outdoor mark of 2.37 metres are British records in the high jump and have remained for an incredible 16 years! Steve [...]

Our feet are often neglected because they are hidden away in shoes and socks most of the time. Many of us are guilty of ignoring foot pain and discomfort and refusing to seek treatment for a Podiatrist or Chiropodist. If you want to keep your feet looking and feeling their best, here are a few tips: Have your feet measured. When we get older our feet become longer and wider. Having your feet measured is often associated with buying children’s shoes but many good shoe shops will offer foot measuring for adults too. Wear good fitting shoes. ‘Sensible shoes’ are [...]

There are several features to a shoe that should be considered before buying for a child. These features are important to all of us but are much more important for the developing foot. The 5 features are size, heel cup, fastener, toe box, and sole. Size It is important to consider the length and the width of the shoe. The best way to make sure of this is to visit a shoe shop where they offer a fitting service. Poor fitting shoes for young children can lead to foot deformities, toenail and skin problems. Heel Cup The heel of the [...]

The most important feature of anything that covers a baby's feet is the size. Pre walking footwear requires particular attention. Before a child can walk the bones in the foot are very soft and prone to changing shape if restrictive footwear is placed around them. Knitted footwear is great for keeping feet warm, but size and closeness of knit should be checked. Loose knits can wrap around toes and potentially reduce circulation. The advantage of knitwear is that it is soft and depending on the tightness of knit can be less restrictive than other materials. When choosing baby grows always [...]

The team at Davenport House Clinic are very proud to have received the prestigious Practice Accreditation Award for the second time in a row! The Practice Accreditation Award is awarded by the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrist and we were the first clinic in the area to receive this award back in 2008 and we’ve done it again in 2010. For our Practice to have been accredited by the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists we have reviewed our standards to ensure that they comply with national standards and best practice within the Chiropody and Podiatry profession. We applied for practice [...]

The team at Davenport House Clinic were proud to welcome the Right to Dream Academy from Ghana to the clinic recently. The talented squad were in Manchester to participate in the Manchester United Premier Cup at Old Trafford. Eight members of the team, along with the teams Physiotherapist Richard Evans, were invited to Davenport House Clinic to try out our brand new, state of the art ProGait suite. ProGait features an orthopaedic treadmill, high shutter speed cameras and force plates for Full Body 4-sided Motion Gait Analysis. All eight boys were able to have a full gait analysis and were [...]

Our Podiatrist / Chiropodist, Tony Gavin has appeared on BBC Radio Manchester as their foot expert, and has also given interviews with local newspapers and radio stations. Most recently Tony was interviewed by Heather Stott live on BBC Radio Manchester. Tony explained the role of a Podiatrist, the difference between a Podiatrist and a Chiropodist and gave advice on the care of your feet. The full recording of Tony’s interview can be found here.

Diabetes is a condition which is affecting a growing number of the population. Most people understand that diabetes has an effect on blood glucose, but fewer understand the implications for feet. Common changes to a diabetic foot include: Dry skin (anhidrotic) Change in shape of the foot (extensor substitution) Hard skin Lack of sensation (neuropathy) Diabetes can lead to dry skin, to effects on the autonomic nervous system. Dry (anhidrotic) skin is more likely to crack or split (fissures). This poses a risk as it can create a portal of infection. It is advisable to moisturise the feet on a [...]