Chiropody

What is Chiropody?

Chiropody is a branch of medical science that involves the assessment and management of disorders affecting the legs and feet.

What is a Chiropodist and the role of the Chiropodist?

A Chiropodist is a health care professional specialized in the assessment, management and prevention of the disorders affecting the legs and feet. Chiropodists are skilled in providing diabetic foot care, alleviating foot pain and treating a diverse range of conditions, including ingrown toenails, flat feet and plantar fasciitis.

Conditions Treated by the Chiropodist Include

  • Ingrown Toenails

    • An ingrown toenail occurs when the corner of the toenail has grown into the nearby skin causing pain, redness and infection.

  • Fungal Toenails

    • A fungal infection can cause thickened and discoloured toenails.

  • Corns and Calluses

    • A callus is an area of thickened skin. A corn is a small area of callus with a deeper center of hard skin.

  • Athlete’s Foot

    • Athlete’s foot appears as an itchy, scaling rash on your feet or between the toes.

  • Plantar Warts

    • A wart on the bottom of your foot may appear as a painful, rough and scaly area of skin with tiny dark spots.

  • Flat feet

    • Flat feet describefeet with an abnormally low arch.

  • High Arched Feet

    • High arched feetdescribe feet with an abnormally high arch.

  • Bunions

    • Bunions is seen when your big toe turns towards your second toe causing the formation of an enlarged joint on the side of your big toe.

  • Plantar fasciitis

    • Plantar fasciitis is a condition that involves excessive stress on the plantar fascia leading to the development of heel pain.

  • Heel Spur

    • A heel spur is a growth of bone on the bottom of the heel bone.

  • Achilles Tendinitis

    • Achilles Tendinitis involves inflammation of the Achilles tendon, a band of tissue that connects the calf muscles at the back of the leg to the heel causing pain on the back of the heel and lower part of the leg.

Diabetes and the Importance of Diabetic Foot care

Diabetes is a disease where the body is unable to make or use Insulin. Insulin helps to regulate the level of glucose or sugar in our blood. With Diabetes, as Insulin is not able to function properly, it can lead to high levels of glucose in the blood. High level of glucose can damage blood vessels, nerves and organs. Diabetes can affect the blood flow and nerves of the feet leading to complications such as loss of sensation, poor circulation, delayed wound healing and increase risk for infection. Seeing a Chiropodist for diabetic foot care is important for maintaining healthy feet and preventing against complications.

Custom-made Orthotics

Custom orthotics are medical devices that control the way you move in order to improve biomechanical alignment in your legs and feet. Orthotics are made to improve foot function and alleviate pain. Custom orthotics are made by prescription only and are designed to treat your particular foot disorder. Orthotics help to reduce painful muscle strain and pressure points and enable proper function of your foot.

The Chiropodist will conduct a biomechanical assessment to examine your legs and feet in order toidentify disorders of the feet and to determine if the use of custom-made orthotics is needed.

Conditions that Benefit with Orthotics Include

  • Flat Feet

    • Flat feet describefeet with an abnormally low arch. Use of custom-made orthotics can improve biomechanical alignment of the feet and alleviate painful flat feet.

  • High Arched Feet

    • High arched feet describe feet with an abnormally high arch. Use of custom-made orthotics can enable proper biomechanical alignment of the feet and alleviate painful high arched feet.

  • Shin Splints

    • Shin splints happen when pain is experienced on the front or the back of the leg during physical activity due to muscle or tendon inflammation. Use of custom-made orthotics help to improve biomechanical alignment of the legs and feet and provide relief from shin splints.

  • Bunions

    • Bunions is seen when your big toe turns towards your second toe causing the formation of an enlarged joint on the side of your big toe. Use of custom-made orthotics can help to alleviate pain and prevent the progression of bunions.

  • Heel Spur

    • A heel spur is a growth of bone on the bottom of the heel bone. During physical activity, increased pressure on the heel spur causes heel pain. Use of custom-made orthotics can help alleviate painful heel spurs.

  • Plantar Fasciitis

    • Plantar fasciitis is a condition that involves excessive stress on the plantar fascia leading to the development of heel pain. Use of custom-made orthotics improves biomechanical alignment of the feet and alleviate heel pain.

  • Achilles Tendinitis

    • Achilles Tendinitis involves inflammation of the Achilles tendon, a band of tissue that connects the calf muscles at the back of the leg to the heel. Use of custom-made orthotics improve biomechanical alignment of the leg and feet and reduce strain on the Achilles tendon.