Chiropody

Chiropody – What is it?

Chiropody is a highly specialized branch of medicine that deals with our feet and lower limb health. It is concerned with diagnosing and treating ailments of our feet and problems of our lower limbs. This term is sometimes used interchangeably with podiatry which is the revised name of Chiropody. The term podiatry was coined in the late 20th century.

Every part of the human body carries fine and intricate details. Our bodies are designed in the best manner to carry out each function with utmost efficiency. The same is the case with our feet.

The human foot is a complex structure consisting of 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than 100 tendons, muscles, and ligaments. The detailed interconnection of these structures makes our feet highly specialized in carrying our weight and maintaining our balance. A person walks about 128,000 km on average during his lifetime while our feet happily carry us through our journey.

What are the benefits of Chiropody?

Chiropody or podiatry is concerned with the ongoing care of your feet. Chiropodists are specialized members of a healthcare team responsible for the detection and correction of foot diseases and help with improving foot mobility.

Here is how Chiropody can be beneficial for you.

Helps treat foot conditions including bunions, ingrown nails, warts, heel pain, nail fungus, calluses, flat feet, claw toes, verrucas, arch pain, athlete’s foot, and hammertoes.

It can help people with diabetes maintain healthy feet. The common complications of diabetes like foot ulcers, unhealed wounds, and gangrene can be prevented and treated with a regular podiatric check-up.

Regular chiropody sessions have been shown to maintain optimal foot health in the elderly and help them stay independent.

People of all ages, especially athletes, can get help by attending regular appointments, to get screening for their foot health and prevent injuries.

What should I expect from a Chiropody session?

You don’t need to have a foot problem to visit a chiropodist. A chiropody session can be booked to get a regular examination and care of your feet. It is advised to bring the list of prescribed medications you are currently taking. You can also bring any special test reports like X-rays or scans of your feet. Always remember to report if you have any allergies. You can also bring the shoes that your regular wear. Your chiropodist can make an assessment and see if the shoes are a good fit for you. Do not apply any moisturizer to your feet before your visit.

During the regular session, your chiropodist will remove the hard calluses off your feet and file your nails. They will also remove the ingrown nails that you might have. Your session will end with the application of a nourishing oil and moisturizing cream on your feet.

You will be provided with an individualized home plan to take better care of your feet according to your occupation and needs.

Scope of Practice

Apart from providing foot care in terms of removing calluses and thickened nails, a chiropodist can also prescribe drugs for your foot condition, including oral tablets, injections, and topical creams. They can also prescribe specially customized foot orthoses according to help with your ailments and correct deformities. Chiropodists can also perform soft tissue and skin surgeries on the foot if needed.

Conclusion

Our feet need regular care like any other part of our body or maybe more than any other part of our body. Chiropody or a podiatry session can provide a comprehensive solution for all your foot discomforts and problems.

 

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