FOOT CLINIC SERVICES

Providing foot care to individuals with a wide array of foot ailments and systemic conditions.  Trimming of thick nails and/or routine foot care is essential in the prevention of  ingrown toe nails or any nail infections. 

Wound Care involves weekly debridement, dressings and offloading through padding and orthotic devices to prevent re ulceration. 

 It is important to educate patient on the importance of offloading ulcers which  allow for proper healing. It is important for wounds to be assessed weekly in order to control wound environment,  prevent re ulceration and to monitor any infection.

What is a corn?  Corns  (h.durum's) are 

hardened layers of skin that develop from your skin’s response to friction and pressure. If you are experiencing pain, sensitivity to touch  at localized areas of the digits or foot  or pain when in shoes you may have a foot corn. Corns also present with overlong yellowing callus and the presentation of a bump. 

Removal of different types of corns and calluses is essential in the prevention of pain and ulcerations, especially  in those with diabetes,  neuropathy ( altered level of sensation),  arthritic conditions or mobility issues. 

It is the chiropodist' job to  assess level of risk with initial assessment and  to provide routine care.

We offer prescribed and plaster casted custom made orthotics.   Orthotics can be used to help in realignment, providing stability and offloading areas of abnormal pressure causing foot pain and other foot ailments.

A full biomechanical exam and gait analysis will determine what type of orthotic a patient may need. 

Custom Orthotics can help with:

heel pain

arch pain

general foot pain

high/low arch 

toe pain

bunions

digital deformities

structural foot deformities

offloading of ulcers

The gastrocnemius (calf) muscle works as a pump to return blood that pools in the legs back to the heart.  Pooling of blood in the legs causing pain and swelling can be a result of various systemic conditions that can cause faulty valves between our deep and superficial veins.

A trained chiropodist will measure and fit a patient for proper compression stockings.  Degree of compression is usually prescribed by a patient's family doctor. 

Compression therapy can help patients suffering with: swelling at legs and ankles (edema), spider veins and  varicose veins. 

Compression therapy is also commonly recommended for individuals who travel often, suffer with foot and leg fatigue from long periods of standing, Individual who are pregnant and athletes.

Warts (Verrucae Pedis) are caused by a virus called human papilloma virus (HPV).

Plantar warts can occur in any individual but are most commonly  seen in immunocompromised and young children due to their  exposure to certain environments 

such as: dance rooms, sport gymnastics, swimming  and hospital settings.

Wart treatments may include the debridement of overlying callus and tissue covering plantar wart and the application of different topicals to allow wart to raise to upper layer of skin to be removed.  

It is important to understand that after removal, warts can return in the same area. For this reason it is essential that patients are  educated on proper preventative and at home care to prevent reinfection. 

Athlete's foot  (T.Pedis) can present on the plantar (bottom)  and butter aspects of the foot with associated symptoms such as: redness, itchiness and/or peeling and scaly skin. Fungal infections of the foot can also  present in between the digits causing pain due to cracked and peeling at interdigital skin.

Fungal nail infections (onychomycosis) can present with yellowing and at times thickening of the nails. It is essential for nails to be reduced in thickness through proper footcare prior to application of any topical mediation in order to increase effectiveness of treatment.

Fungal and toe nail infections are very common and can be at times difficult to resolve.

Conservative foot  care, proper treatment plans and patient education all play a key  role in the treatment of these infections.