What do Podiatrists Treat?
We treat a wide range of foot and ankle conditions. Here are just a few you might recognise:
Cracked heels form when very dry or hard skin is subject to too much impact. Painful fissures develop which leave you prone to a bacterial infection creeping into the damaged skin. As the body tries to heal the cracks, further pressure as you walk leads to a vicious cycle of partial healing and breakdown.
Ingrown toenails have a wide range of causes. An ingrown nail is painful and can easily become infected. You will notice pain and redness at the side of the nail when squeezed or even with weight of bedsheets! Sometimes pus will exude from the nail or the skin around it will bleed very easily. Ingrown nails often affect teenagers or people who work in steel toecap boots owing to the moist condition of the skin combined with pressure of footwear.
Athlete’s foot is a mild fungal skin infection which is easily passed from others sharing a bathroom. You may notice flaking skin on the soles of your feet, which are redder than usual, and accompanied sometimes by small blisters in the arch. Itching is an occasional side effect. Another form of Athlete’s foot strikes between the toes creating a painful split. Treatment is usually in the form of anti-fungal cream applied daily. Ask us for our top tips on avoiding re-infection and banishing it from your bathroom for good!
Callus is hard skin which builds up to a certain level and becomes unwanted and painful. It is felt as thickened patches on the soles of the feet or around the toes and often has a yellow, and sometimes glassy appearance. It can feel sore or burning at the end of the day especially if you are sliding round in your slippers! For people with diabetes, it should be noted that there is a link between callus and foot ulcers, so problems should be dealt with at an early stage.
Hard corns are tiny plugs of super-hard skin usually found over a joint (on the sole of the foot or on the top of the toes) which the body produces to protect itself from impending damage. This is usually because of too much pressure on the joint. Soft corns are found between the toes and appear as soggy whitened skin. Sometimes they peel away on their own, but in other cases they become painful and require treatment. Prevention is better than cure.
Plantar fasciopathy (also called plantar fasciitis) is characterised by excruciating pain on your first steps getting out of bed in the morning. The plantar fascia is strong band of connective tissue which joins the ball of the foot to the heel. The condition comes from tiny tears in the body tendon and subsequent inflammation. Plantar fasciopathy can affect many different people and have different root causes so it is important to get an individual assessment and a personalised treatment plan.
Achilles tendinopathy (also called Achilles tendinitis) is pain behind the heel felt when walking. It occurs when the tendon which joins the large calf muscle to the back of the heel becomes damaged and is often slow to heal. It affects sports people who have over-reached their training schedule or after a walking holiday when people have increased their mileage. Effective treatment relies on finding a temporary solution to reduce the pressure on the tendon whilst maintaining being able to walk.
Verrucas are considered medically to be a nuisance rather than a serious health threat. Caused by the Human Papilloma Virus, they can affect a small patch of skin or several can join to form a large “mosaic”. You may notice small black spots in an area of roughened and raised skin. Verrucas can be transmitted to others when walking barefoot on floors in shared changing facilities. Typically most people will have tried over the counter methods without success. New methods of verruca treatment have evolved in the last few years. Come and see us for the latest updates.
Having Diabetes requires you to look after your feet for several specific reasons. High blood sugar levels make you prone to infection and impaired blood flow leading to slow healing means that a small problem can become a large one. Some people with diabetes experience changes in sensation in the nerves in the feet (peripheral neuropathy). Whether you have Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes, having access to reliable and knowledgeable foot care can be crucial.
Flat feet may be inherited from your family or can be caused by changes in the joints as you get older. Many flat feet cause no problem but some become increasingly painful. A proper assessment can help to work out the initial cause. Many flat feet respond well to treatment plan which may incorporate exercises and orthotics. If needing surgery, we can refer you on for an orthopaedic opinion.
Sweaty feet can be embarrassing and uncomfortable. Sweaty feet attract bacteria which can then give off an unpleasant odour. Sweating a lot can result in the natural oils in the skin being washed away, which leaves feet dry and fragile.
Don’t suffer in silence - come and see us for confidential treatment.
Cracked heels form when very dry or hard skin is subject to too much impact. Painful fissures develop which leave you prone to a bacterial infection creeping into the damaged skin. As the body tries to heal the cracks, further pressure as you walk leads to a vicious cycle of partial healing and breakdown.
Ingrown toenails have a wide range of causes. An ingrown nail is painful and can easily become infected. You will notice pain and redness at the side of the nail when squeezed or even with weight of bedsheets! Sometimes pus will exude from the nail or the skin around it will bleed very easily. Ingrown nails often affect teenagers or people who work in steel toecap boots owing to the moist condition of the skin combined with pressure of footwear.
Athlete’s foot is a mild fungal skin infection which is easily passed from others sharing a bathroom. You may notice flaking skin on the soles of your feet, which are redder than usual, and accompanied sometimes by small blisters in the arch. Itching is an occasional side effect. Another form of Athlete’s foot strikes between the toes creating a painful split. Treatment is usually in the form of anti-fungal cream applied daily. Ask us for our top tips on avoiding re-infection and banishing it from your bathroom for good!
Callus is hard skin which builds up to a certain level and becomes unwanted and painful. It is felt as thickened patches on the soles of the feet or around the toes and often has a yellow, and sometimes glassy appearance. It can feel sore or burning at the end of the day especially if you are sliding round in your slippers! For people with diabetes, it should be noted that there is a link between callus and foot ulcers, so problems should be dealt with at an early stage.
Hard corns are tiny plugs of super-hard skin usually found over a joint (on the sole of the foot or on the top of the toes) which the body produces to protect itself from impending damage. This is usually because of too much pressure on the joint. Soft corns are found between the toes and appear as soggy whitened skin. Sometimes they peel away on their own, but in other cases they become painful and require treatment. Prevention is better than cure.
Plantar fasciopathy (also called plantar fasciitis) is characterised by excruciating pain on your first steps getting out of bed in the morning. The plantar fascia is strong band of connective tissue which joins the ball of the foot to the heel. The condition comes from tiny tears in the body tendon and subsequent inflammation. Plantar fasciopathy can affect many different people and have different root causes so it is important to get an individual assessment and a personalised treatment plan.
Achilles tendinopathy (also called Achilles tendinitis) is pain behind the heel felt when walking. It occurs when the tendon which joins the large calf muscle to the back of the heel becomes damaged and is often slow to heal. It affects sports people who have over-reached their training schedule or after a walking holiday when people have increased their mileage. Effective treatment relies on finding a temporary solution to reduce the pressure on the tendon whilst maintaining being able to walk.
Verrucas are considered medically to be a nuisance rather than a serious health threat. Caused by the Human Papilloma Virus, they can affect a small patch of skin or several can join to form a large “mosaic”. You may notice small black spots in an area of roughened and raised skin. Verrucas can be transmitted to others when walking barefoot on floors in shared changing facilities. Typically most people will have tried over the counter methods without success. New methods of verruca treatment have evolved in the last few years. Come and see us for the latest updates.
Having Diabetes requires you to look after your feet for several specific reasons. High blood sugar levels make you prone to infection and impaired blood flow leading to slow healing means that a small problem can become a large one. Some people with diabetes experience changes in sensation in the nerves in the feet (peripheral neuropathy). Whether you have Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes, having access to reliable and knowledgeable foot care can be crucial.
Flat feet may be inherited from your family or can be caused by changes in the joints as you get older. Many flat feet cause no problem but some become increasingly painful. A proper assessment can help to work out the initial cause. Many flat feet respond well to treatment plan which may incorporate exercises and orthotics. If needing surgery, we can refer you on for an orthopaedic opinion.
Sweaty feet can be embarrassing and uncomfortable. Sweaty feet attract bacteria which can then give off an unpleasant odour. Sweating a lot can result in the natural oils in the skin being washed away, which leaves feet dry and fragile.
Don’t suffer in silence - come and see us for confidential treatment.