Podiatry involves the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of conditions related to the foot, ankle, and lower limb.

Our feet can have a huge impact on our health and movement. High or low arches in the feet, differences in leg length or injuries from sports can all cause problems throughout the body. In some cases, we adapt to these differences with no problems, but they can cause pain and injury as the body is forced to adapt.

Our expert podiatrists check for abnormalities and possible causes of pain in the foot, ankle, knee.

They use a range of diagnostic tests such as gait analysis to analyse your movement and function, making recommendations for treatments such as customised orthotics, trainer/footwear advice and, where appropriate, a structured training or rehabilitation programme.

Patients often see a podiatrist to help with their sports including running, football, skiing and rugby.

The podiatry team works with our other specialists to analyse a variety of orthopaedic conditions and design a personalised treatment plan for each patient.

You will normally be referred to a podiatrist by one of our orthopaedic surgeons. Patients can also self-refer.

Common conditions

• Activity related lower back pain associated with foot posture
• Ankle instability (re-occurring sprains)
• Functional knee pain or other knee conditions
• Foot profile concerns (pronated or supinated feet)
• Iliotibial band (ITB) syndrome (runner’s knee)
• Exercise induced shin pain (shin splints)
• Metatarsal pain on activity (metatarsalgia)
• Morton’s neuroma
• Any activity related pain affecting the foot and ankle

How is my condition diagnosed?
 

You will be biomechanically assessed during your first appointment by being recorded standing and walking on a treadmill to analyse your gait. This allows your podiatrist to determine your structure and alignment and design a personalised and targeted treatment plan.

Your initial appointment will take approximately an hour. We recommend you wear shorts or loose trousers that allow appropriate movement and bring your usual sports trainers and everyday footwear for a full evaluation.