A Podiatrist, often also referred to as a Chiropodist, is a healthcare professional responsible for providing preventative care, diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of problems affecting the feet, ankles and lower limbs.

Podiatrists currently have to undertake a Bachelors degree which includes 1000 clinical training hours to meet standards for the use of the protected titles ‘Podiatrist’ or ‘Chiropodist’. A Podiatrist may well be trained in the use of local anaesthetics and have a licence for issuing prescription only medicines. All Podiatrists must be registered with the Health Professions Council (HPC).

Podiatrists can treat many common foot conditions and can also specialise in subjects such as Nail Surgery and Biomechanics. Below is a list of what a Podiatrist does. This list is not exhaustive.

• Relief of foot pain.
• Prescription and provision of orthoses (specialist insoles).
• Use of techniques including minor surgery using local anaesthetics.
• Preventative care for people with specific conditions such as diabetes, poor circulation and various forms of arthritis.
• Recognition of systemic medical conditions which may first manifest themselves within the foot and alleviation of the effects of these disorders such as inflammation or ulceration.
• Routine care of problem nails, corns and callus.

You may think that a Podiatrist only treats elderly patients but you’d be wrong. A Podiatrist can treat patients of all ages from children with flat feet, teenagers with ingrown toenails to elderly patients who are unable to reach their own feet to cut their toenails. A Podiatrist is here to treat and advise patients of all ages with all types of foot problems.

A Podiatrist also treats high risk patients such as those suffering from diabetes. People with diabetes may have problems with the circulation or sensation in their feet and their feet need to be closely monitored by a Podiatrist.

Here at Davenport House Clinic we have facilities for gait analysis, which is used as part of a functional assessment prior to the prescription of orthotics, which are manufactured on site by our podiatrists. In most cases you can leave with your orthotics on the same day as your appointment. Orthotic devices can be made or prescribed after a full functional (biomechanical) assessment. They are used to reduce pain, redistribute pressure, and to prevent problems with our feet. They can be used to treat flat feet, plantar fasciitis, leg length discrepancies, heel spurs, and many more conditions.