Podiatrists (also known as chiropodists) are registered healthcare professionals who specialise in the lower limb (feet, ankles, legs), and provide high quality clinical care to people of all ages. A podiatrist’s job is to provide preventative advice, care, assessment, diagnosis and treatment of a range of problems affecting the lower limb. Keeping mobile and retaining independence affects the quality of people’s lives. Podiatrists aim to reduce the impact of disability and dysfunction and support rehabilitation.
They play a pivotal part in reducing the risk of amputation, infection, pain, deformity and hospital admissions. They will undertake a range of podiatry interventions including wound care, routine skin and nail care, nail surgery, scalpel work, or care for long term conditions.
They provide musculoskeletal assessment covering force management to help maintain tissue viability together with foot and ankle pain. They instigate a treatment plan to improve or enhance movement or reduce pain. They also prescribe functional insoles for the management of foot / lower limb conditions together with gait re-education where indicated.