About the community podiatry services we offer
Many lower limb and foot problems (particularly in the elderly and in people with long term conditions), need on-going care and management to keep them mobile and pain free. To support this, we offer a range of services including:
We offer podiatric assessment, diagnosis, planning and implementation, delivery and evaluation of high-risk foot management including;
- Radical debridement
- Wound swabbing and appropriate antibiotic cover
- Complex wound management
- Pressure relief via production of temporary orthotics and the use of non-weight bearing devices eg. Air Casts, use of deflective padding and temporary footwear.
- Vascular and neurological assessment
- Health education for patients and carers.
We offer assessment and management of foot problems associated with many conditions affecting joints, tendons, ligaments, bones, and muscles - rheumatological conditions. Our services include;
- Biomechanical assessment
- Provision of appropriate insoles/orthoses/total contact insoles (TCI)
- Assessment of vascular, neurological and disease activity to help with treatment planning
- Wound care
- Footwear advice and footwear referral
- High risk foot care and referral to multi-disciplinary team (MDT)
- Education and advice
Biomechanical care includes orthotic devices which align, support, or correct deformities, or improve the movement of joints, spine, or limbs. eg. braces, casts, foot inserts, and splints, physical therapy and other treatments that support improving managing how you move.
“Specialist biomechanics clinics” are currently limited to high risk, paediatric and acute complex biomechanical problems. For general footcare and foot pain please see our link to our Self-Help page.
Our Community Podiatry service provides biomechanical care in a range of highly specialised settings and clinics which include;
- Strengthening and stretching exercise programmes
- Strapping techniques
- Steroid injection therapy
- Neurological assessments
- Advanced casting techniques
- Prescription, manufacture, issue and evaluation of a wide range of orthotic devices.
This service currently involves only minor surgical procedures for infected ingrowing toe nails under local anaesthesia.
We use hand held ultrasound machines to test the circulation in the lower limbs which gives an indication of the quality of circulation.