I am a Mobile Foot Health Practitioner. Offering a full range of services for your feet! Learn more what the areas we serve below
Fungal Infections
Ingrowing toenails
callus & hard skin
cracked heels
nail reconstruction
verrucaes
nail trimming
Advice on foot health
corns
What is a Foot Health Practitioner
A Foot Health Practioner (FHP) is qualified to provide routine footcare and maintenance for your feet. They can assess the condition of your feet and treat as appropriate and refer you if necessary.
Our feet are with us our whole lifetime and more and more people need some form of simple footcare to maintain the well being of their feet and ensure they remain mobile and have an excellent quality of life.
FUN FACTS
The human foot has 26 bones 52 bones in each pair of feet; this is almost a quarter of all the bones in the human skeleton.
The foot also has 33 joints and more than a hundred muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
It is estimated that we walk the equivalent of three and a half times around the planet in a lifetime.
20,000 women a year in the UK are hospitalised due to their footwear!
The Diabetic's 'Do's' and 'Don'ts' Guide to Healthy Happy Feet
- DO wash your feet daily in warm, but not hot water. Test the temperature of the water with the elbow or a thermometer – not the hand, which may also be affected. Use soap, not detergent or an emulsion prescribed by your GP if the skin is excessively dry. Dry the feet thoroughly with a soft towel, patting rather than rubbing the skin. Ensure that you have dried thoroughly between your toes.
- DO use an emollient based foot cream to massage your feet morning and night to keep the skin soft and smooth.
- DO examine your feet thoroughly on a daily basis. Inspect all surfaces of the foot, check between the toes for cracks, corns, blisters etc. Use a mirror on the floor to see underneath the foot if this helps. If you cannot see well enough to do this for yourself, ask the assistance of someone who can.
ALWAYS have your Foot Health Practitioner or Podiatrist/Chiropodist trim your nails because an ingrown nail or even the slightest nick in the skin from nail scissors or an abrasion to the skin can lead to a serious infection. - DO see your Foot Health Practitioner or Podiatrist/Chiropodist at least once a month to two months at the very most. These visits depend on you and the severity of your diabetes.
- DO seek the help of your GP, Foot Health Practitioner or Podiatrist/Chiropodist if you discover a problem. Apply a mild antiseptic and a clean bandage as necessary.
- DO ask your GP to prescribe a safe foot powder or soak if your feet perspire excessively.
- DO change your socks or hosiery daily for fresh, clean items, which should be free of darns, holes or prominent seams. Be sure your socks fit properly and comfortably and do not cramp the toes. The best socks to wear are wool, cotton or nylon-blend.
- DO wear soft leather shoes that have sufficient room within and beware of discontinuities such as stitching and decorative features that might cause rubbing of the foot. Before putting your shoes on, check them inside to ensure they are free from stones or sharp edges that may cause injury. Your shoes should fit properly and comfortably with no points of irritation. It is also best to avoid high boots as these are likely to constrict the lower leg circulation.
- DO rotate the shoes you wear to allow them to dry out after you have worn them. It can take 24 hours for your shoe to completely dry out from either perspiration or wet weather so do not wear the same pair every day. Fungus can thrive in the damp, dark and warm crevices inside the shoe.
- DO protect your legs and feet from the sun to avoid burning, and protect them against the cold and chilblains.
- DO get plenty of exercise to stimulate circulation, control your diet and take your medication as prescribed. Avoid tobacco and caffeine as these impair circulation.
- DO NOT sit on a problem, but instead seek the help of your GP, Foot Health Practitioner or Podiatrist/Chiropodist.
- DO NOT trim your own nails and NEVER try to treat the simplest foot problem on your own, even a corn or callus, as this could lead to an infection.
- DO NOT cut down the sides of the nail or poke anything under or down the sides of the nail. If you have difficulty in cutting your nails you should seek the help of a Foot Health Practitioner or Podiatrist/Chiropodist. It is not advisable to let a helpful neighbour or friend to do this for you. The risk is too great to trust any but a properly trained person to assist you in this matter.
- DO NOT use chemicals or lotions or creams that have a drying effect on the skin.
- DO NOT use creams between the toes as this can make the area moist which can then lead to fungal infections or corns.
- DO NOT use any over the counter medications on your feet, for example, corn or callus medications or antiseptics, unless they are prescribed for you. Some corn and callus remedies contain salicylic acid which can burn the skin and this can lead to serious complications such as ulceration.
- DO NOT walk barefoot. It is easy to stub a toe or step on splinters or other objects and if you have loss of sensation in your feet you will not feel them or any injuries you may incur. Wear slippers and shoes and in public swimming baths always wear flip flops.
- DO NOT wear shoes that are too tight and avoid those made of plastic, patent leather, or other synthetic materials as they are not porous or flexible enough and could lead to irritation and or circulatory problems.
MEDICAL DISCLAIMER:-
This document is provided for information only. The information is NOT a substitute for professional medical care by a qualified doctor or other health care professional. ALWAYS check with your doctor if you have any concerns about your condition or treatment.