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Our feet take on an enormous strain, with the average adult walking almost 75,000 miles over their lifetime. Feet aren’t often at the forefront of the discussion when it comes to health and wellbeing, but in reality they’re essential to keeping us moving.
In the UK, primary care consultations for musculoskeletal foot and ankle problems are strongly associated with age, peaking in the 65-74 year age group. Looking after your feet earlier in life and getting any issues checked as soon as you notice them can help to prevent larger issues from occurring later in life.
What does a chiropodist do?
Chiropodists, sometimes referred to as podiatrists, are trained to treat injuries of the feet and lower limbs, whether it be related to a specific health issue you have or a one-off injury. But what can a chiropodist do? They can prescribe appropriate treatment and medication, and diagnose and treat fractures, deformities, tumours, ulcers and skin or nail diseases. Chiropodists can also provide preventative treatment. Many foot problems are preventable through regular visits to a chiropodist, saving you from further issues and unnecessary pain.
Visiting a chiropodist is a lot like visiting any other medical professional. What happens in your appointment is dependent on the issue, but typically there will be an evaluation of the issue followed by a treatment plan.
Causes of foot pain
For some issues, it can be as simple as wearing the wrong size shoes or coming into contact with someone who has athlete’s foot. Other issues can be more complex, such as pain in your feet when you walk, which could be a sign of a musculoskeletal problem affecting how you move.
Certain medical conditions can also put you at greater risk of foot problems. For example, diabetes can cause reduced blood circulation and nerve damage in the feet. Poor circulation from other illnesses such as cardiovascular disease can cause foot problems as well. Without a good blood supply to your feet, you may have problems with cuts and sores healing. This leads to larger issues down the line, such as foot ulcers and infections.
Common foot ailments
There are some common foot issues that people deal with, but if left untreated, certain ailments can become quite painful. Rather than suffering in silence and just using over-the-counter treatments, you can visit a chiropodist who will accurately diagnose and treat the issue. Examples of foot problems that chiropodists can help to treat include:
Corns & Callusses
Calluses and corns are thickened layers of skin that can be caused by continued friction or pressure on a certain area. They are a common foot ailment that many people experience, but can cause pain when untreated.
Verrucas
Verrucas are one example of this. They are common and can become quite large and painful if not treated effectively. Cryotherapy is often used to freeze the verruca and can be carried out by a chiropodist, ensuring that the virus is dead and won’t continue to grow back. Some other common issues you can get treated for include hard skin, corns, fungal nails, thickened nails, cracked heels and athlete’s foot.
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar Fasciitis is a condition that causes inflammation along the bottom of the foot, which can cause a sharp and persistent pain in the heel when walking. Several factors can contribute to plantar fasciitis, including running and other high-impact activities, tight calf muscles, high arches, flat feet and footwear that doesn’t provide enough support. Chiropractic treatment can help to soothe the negative symptoms of plantar fasciitis with custom shoe inserts, shockwave therapy or soft tissue massage techniques.
Musculoskeletal issues
For people who are suffering from pain when walking but are unsure why, your chiropodist can do assessments to help determine what’s causing your pain. The assessment will focus on how your body moves and allow the chiropodist to prescribe a solution. Foot orthotics, which are placed in your shoes, are often used to help create normal walking function and alleviate pain in the long term. Other solutions may provide further intervention, such as treatment by a physiotherapist, which your chiropodist will be able to advise on.
Types of chiropody treatments
The types of chiropody treatments that qualified practitioners can offer can vary widely depending on the cause of long-term or new foot pain or other problems. Treatment can include:
- Nail trimming, including cutting, filing and thinning damaged or infected nails
- Callus or hard skin removal using specialised equipment
- Severe cracked heel treatment using medical ointments and moisturisers
- Ingrown nail management, removal and treatment with minor surgeries.
- Cryotherapy, chemical applications and advanced therapies to treat verrucas
- Foot assessments for nerve damage and circulatory restrictions due to conditions like diabetes.
How to find chiropodist treatment
Foot pain can have a huge negative impact on your quality of life and mobility, making swift and effective treatment so important.
While we cannot recommend a specific chiropodist practitioner, we want to help you to find your nearest clinic or practitioner that can support your foot health. Practitioners are required to be fully accredited members of one of the bodies listed and hold the relevant qualifications. To make finding treatment simple, search using the Health & Care Professions Council.
Chiropodist treatment with Westfield Health
Having a health cash plan allows you to claim money back when visiting a chiropodist. With Westfield Health, you can claim back 75% of the overall cost for your appointment, up to set limits, depending on what level of cover you have.
Without a health cash plan, access to a chiropodist would require a GP referral and joining the NHS waiting list or paying the full cost yourself. You can find out more about our health cash plan, the different levels available and all of the treatments you’re covered for.