It is mandatory for Podiatrists to be registered with the Health & Care Professions Council and to undertake regular ongoing training and development in order to maintain the necessary skills to practice safely and effectively.
Podiatry (and chiropody) involves the diagnosis, treatment and management of disorders that affect the foot, ankle and lower limb. This can involve everything from simple foot and nail treatments, to more complex problems, such as foot, knee, hip and back pain arising from misalignments in the lower limb. The fitting of specialised insoles, called Orthoses, to improve balance, stability, and alignment in the joints of the lower limb, can compensate for such misalignments.
When Should I See a Podiatrist?
Many people don’t know when to visit a podiatrist, and we find that many of our patients wait longer than they need to before they come in to see us. Foot pain is not normal and putting up with painful feet is very uncomfortable.
The following examples are instances where a visit to the podiatrist would be recommended.
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1. Corns and Callus
Hard skin on your feet can be very painful and needs chiropody care to gently remove the hard skin with advice and treatment to prevent recurrence. Book a General Foot Treatment at Petts Wood Practice from £50. -
2. Discomfort with Toenails
If you have problems reaching your own toenails, or have trouble trimming them properly to ensure that you don't get ingrown nails or other nail problems, our clinical assistant in podiatry will be happy to trim them for you. A toe nail trim at Petts Wood Practice costs just £23. -
3. Discoloured or Yellow Toenails
Discoloured or yellow toe nails are often caused by a type of fungus of the nail, this can be very easily treated with topical ointments or in the more severe cases by oral medication. Alternatively, thickened toenails can just be painlessly ground down. -
4. Ingrown Toenails
Ingrown toenails are caused either by curvature of the nail or abnormal skin growth that creates a very painful border to the toenail. It can occur on any toenail of the foot, and can get infected very fast so it is very important to seek treatment to prevent the ingrown toenail from getting worse. There are three main solutions to the problem of ingrown toenail: minor resection, bracing or wedge resection with phenolisation using local anaesthesia. -
5. Heel Pain
Any kind of pain in the heel needs to be seen by a podiatrist. With heel pain it is important to take note of what kind of pain it is and when it occurs. Classically heel pain is called plantar fasciitis and treatment includes assessment, diagnosis, insole therapy, physiotherapy, advice and injections if needed. Also an x-ray may be required to rule out the possibility of bone spurs, gout crystals, and other injuries or pathologies. -
6. Numbness or Swelling
If you have pain and swelling (oedema) in one foot and not the other you should see a podiatrist. There are many problems that need to be investigated which could be causing the pain and swelling for example a broken bone, infection, tendinitis or tendon rupture. Swelling in both feet and ankles could be due to lymphoedema. Whatever the cause it is always a good idea to come in to see the podiatrist to diagnose and treat a problem before it gets worse. At Petts Wood Practice we liaise with your family doctor and other specialists for best care. -
7. Soreness in Toes
Soreness in the toes can be due to any number of injuries or conditions that our podiatrists would need to evaluate at the Practice. Local padding and insoles can be fitted to your shoes to alleviate toe pain, however, the root cause of your problem needs to be fully understood if long term treatment is to succeed. -
8. Pain in the Pad of the Foot
With any type of pain in the foot, a podiatrist should be seen to evaluate what is causing the pain, and to review treatment options. In many cases ball of foot pain coincides with seasonal changes - the problem directed at one particular pair of shoes. Other reasons are related to gait, occupation or age. -
10. A Pain While Walking
This could be due to compensation for a musculoskeletal problem in another part of the body. Or, age related changes that affect the joints. A podiatrist can help you understand why the pain occurs and alleviate the symptoms. -
11. Bunions
Bunions are a structural deformity of the bones in the foot and can often become become swollen and irritated. They can be painful and may require surgical correction. Bunions should always be assessed as they are usually inherited and early advice can be very helpful in managing this condition over your lifetime. -
12. Flattened Arches
If you notice that your feet flatten out when standing this could be a sign of excess pronation and/or tendon dysfunction or even rupture. A tendon that does not work properly can lead to the bones not being lined up which in time can cause arthritis in the joints. Seeing a podiatrist for analysis of your gait and treating the problem early may prevent further joint damage.
Pricing
Chiropody
Time
Price
Diabetic Foot Health Check
25 minutes
£60
Simple Nail Trimming
10 minutes
£23-25
Podiatry
Time
Price
Initial Assessment
25 minutes
£60
Biomechanical Assessment - foot function advice
25 minutes
£70
Regular Follow up Consultation
25 minutes
£46-50
Ingrown nail
25 minutes
£60
Cryosurgery for Verrucae
25 minutes
£60
Swift Microwave Therapy for Verrucae/Warts
25 minutes
£125
Shockwave therapy for plantar fasciitis
25 minutes
£80
Clearanail Micro Drilling for fungal nail
45 minutes
£200
UV-Light Cured Resin Nails (one toenail)
20 minutes
£60
UV-Light Cured Resin Nails (two toenails)
40 minutes
£70
Resident specialists
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Martin Langdon
Podiatrist
Book an appointment with one of our experts today
(Referring to ingrown nail surgery) I should have had these done years ago!
– Mr F Moretti
Made to feel at ease at all times.
– Mrs N Edwards
Thank you both (Alex and Martin) for your assistance in helping me manage my plantar fasciitis and associated lower back pain. I followed your exercise advice and the use of orthotic insoles and can honestly say since doing this I am pain free, running with confidence and my recovery seems even quicker. Thanks again gents, much appreciated.
– L. Sweetlove
Martin was recommended by my brother having treated both my brother and nephew successfully. Very pleased I saw Martin as I realise how important feet are and feel I have identified an issue just in time.
– S. Marrs