Search Results for all things Podiatry, Chiropody Related at Deva Podiatry Foot Health Clinic, Chester. A Specialist Podiatrist Working to Best Practice Standards

05/06/2020 COVID-19 has undoubtedly affected us all in some way or another, so I thought I’d try and answer some of the FAQ’s that have been asked over the last few months. The information on this page is accurate, to the best of my knowledge at the time of writing. However information is changing all the time so I will endeavour to update this blog regularly. Are you open? Yes I am. At the start of the lockdown period Podiatry clinics were specifically mentioned by Government as essential businesses where anyone with an emergency foot problem could get an appointment to reduce the burden on the NHS and the spread of SARS-CoV-2 during this time non-essential treatments had to be postponed. Can I have an appointment now? Yes, following guidelines from our governing body - The College of Podiatry, all patients will now be triaged into red, amber and green categories. We are now able to treat ALL categories. If the situation changes and further lockdown is implemented then this may change. I will of course keep you all updated. Are you reducing the treatments you are able to offer at the moment? The advice from our governing body is to restrict treatments which cause a risk of infection, this however will be dealt with on an individual basis. For example yesterday I performed nail surgery on a patient as the risk of not having the surgery outweighed the risk of having it. Please note that I am able to prescribe you antibiotics if you have suspected infection. What precautions are you taking to make sure I’m safe? It’s really important to me that you feel as safe as possible when coming to Deva Podiatry so this list is by no means exhaustive but here are some of the things that are being done. Every door handle and surface including the floor that you may have touched gets wiped and cleaned down before you arrive following the last patient. Extra time between patients to avoid patient overlap. You can now make contactless card payments again reducing the risk of touching the keypad, however the glass screen of the keypad is cleaned following anyone touching it if you do need to use it. There is hand sanitiser for you to use upon entering and exiting the clinic. I’ll cover PPE in another question. Please ask me if you have any questions about this, as I want you to feel as safe as possible. Are you charging a Covid-19 Care surcharge? No. I have though long and hard about implementing a temporary surcharge to every appointment to help to cover the increasing costs of PPE and the extra time that has been given between appointments to prevent patient overlap. I have, however decided against a surcharge as I know that times are hard for everyone. I have just added my usual annual April price increase which this year is just £2. If my suppliers prices keep increasing then this may be subject to change. Is it possible to contract COVID-19 in the clinic? It is extremely unlikely but yes, despite our enhanced infection control procedures, it is still possible to catch COVID-19 while at Deva Podiatry. Podiatrists have always had very high standards of infection control, wear PPE as standard and have mandatory infection control training annually. When I set up Deva Podiatry, my mantra was to provide a service and clinic that I could be proud of and I have always worked to strict guidelines - so I feel well placed to keep you as safe as possible. Could I contract COVID-19 from the podiatrist? It is extremely unlikely but yes, you could. I use PPE following guidance from both Public Health England and the College of Podiatry. To date I have had no symptoms associated with COVID-19 and would follow the government’s guidance if I or anyone in my household developed symptoms. Could I contract COVID-19 from other patients? Again it is extremely unlikely. I have allowed extra time between patients so you shouldn’t cross paths with another patient while at Deva Podiatry. For anyone who arrives at clinic by car I would ask that you stay in your car until your appointment time. If you arrive on foot please arrive at your appointment time. All patients will be asked about their health when they book and are asked to cancel if they or anyone in their household develops symptoms of COVID-19 between booking and the appointments date. Every surface that patients may come in contact with or that I’m in contact with during their appointment will be decontaminated. How do you treat me while adhering to the 2m social distancing rule? In reality I can’t. This is why I have had a sneeze screen installed and wear appropriate PPE - to help keep us both safe. What happens when I arrive? You will be asked to wait in your car if you are early and only enter the clinic at your appointment time. There are gaps between appointments to allow for extra decontamination and avoid patients crossing paths. Hand sanitiser is to be used upon entering the clinic and leaving if you wish. Should I wear a mask? I would prefer you to wear a mask if you are comfortable doing so. I have some masks in clinic if you would like one. Can I bring someone with me? You will be asked to attend the appointment on your own where possible. Children will need to attend with one parent. Those patients who require a chaperone, assistance or translators are of course able to bring someone with them. It would be helpful to know this in advance. Can I use the clinic toilet? Please plan to avoid using the clinic toilet if at all possible. However it is no problem if you do need to use it I will make sure that it fully decontaminated following use. How do I contact you? The same way as usual. The clinic landline is currently re-directed through to my mobile, so if you don’t get an answer please leave a message. Email is also a good way to get in touch with me. If you haven’t heard back from me in a couple of days please try again as it won’t have been intentional. Does COVID-19 affect the feet? One day I’ll do a separate blog just on this subject as it’s really interesting. Some patients who have recovered from COVID-19 have reported having chilblain like lesions on their toes. You are not, however, currently recommended to self-isolate if you have a rash on your toes. Why do you wear so much PPE? Deva Podiatry is following both Public Health England’s tables 2 and 4 as well as the College of Podiatry’s guidance. Podiatrists wear PPE as standard - many patients are used to seeing me in an apron, gloves and sometimes a mask. Someone in my household has been in contact with someone suspected of having COVID-19 should I cancel my appointment? Yes. Deva Podiatry has a strict COVID-19 policy. If anyone in your household has been in contact with a confirmed OR suspected COVID-19 case, then you are requested to cancel your appointment. If you have an urgent need for Podiatric care, I advise you to ring 111. If I cancel my appointment because of COVID-19 symptoms, will I need to pay a cancellation fee? Under normal circumstances, a fee is charged if you cancel your appointment with less than 24 hours notice . This fee will be waived if it is for COVID-19 reasons. This is to encourage you to stay at home if you or someone in your household has or has been in contact with someone who has COVID-19 related symptoms. What happens if you or I come down with COVID-19 symptoms after the appointment? Anyone with symptoms needs to arrange a test as soon as possible. https://www.nhs.uk/ask-for-a-coronavirus-test If you or I have a positive test, tracing contacts will be managed by Track and Trace. I am currently working as a clinical caseworker with Track and Trace so I know the drill. However it is unlikely that you or I would be considered a contact as I wear appropriate PPE. How can I help Deva Podiatry? Thank you to all my patients and colleagues who’ve checked up on me. Running a business during a pandemic is a new experience. The guidance is ever changing. Please be kind to all small business owners. Something that would help my small business, if you have the time, is to leave me a review at https://g.page/devapodiatry Written: 5th June 2020

Yes, its hard to believe that more than 20 million Britons have shoe sizing issues when they visit a retailer and try on the styles and ranges that are in stock. The figure could be even higher. So, wouldn't you think that with high street retailers struggling with the fallout from social distancing and online competition they would be seizing on opportunities to expand or attract new customers? Unfortunately, its not so straight forward. The range of shoe sizes accepted as being available off the shelf for women is typically sizes 4 to 8. Over the last 50 years average shoe size has risen. My daughter is now settled as a size 8 and yet she struggles constantly to find a high street retailer who accommodates her shoe length. When she does she then moves on to her next problem- shoe width! Shoe width starts at A and moves through the letters all the way up to 8E. Most retailers cover sizes A to D. For example my preferred running shoe is manufactured by New Balance and is available in a D width so when I replace this shoe with the latest version ( the colour and fashion is regularly changed) I have to check that New Balance are still manufacturing this particular shoe in a D width. If I should even attempt to compromise for a C or an alternative similar looking shoe from another manufacturer my ability to run would be compromised and my Mortons Neuroma would be severely irritated. A retailer must therefore stock a range of sizes ( for women) that if they were to cover every possible scenario could be up to 10 widths from A to 8E and 12 lengths from size 3 to size 8 ( when allowing for half sizes). For men it would be similar if you started at width of A to 8E and length from size 6 to size 11. With these numbers now established, it becomes obvious that if a retailer introduces a new style of shoe in just two colours for example brown and black; to cover every possible scenario would require each store to carry a stock of over 200 pairs of shoes - and that's just in one style! If you are a manufacturer of bespoke and handmade shoes such as Church, Cheaney,Barker or Grenson in Northampton, the above nightmare is not so daunting as they have archives of "lasts" ( shoe templates) that they have accumulated over generations. They can quite literally make a shoe for you that will fit like a glove and as such give you years of satisfaction and hopefully problem free feet. High street retailers are therefore faced with huge problems in making shoes and styles cost effective to both manufacture and retail. They can invest in technology and materials that make shoe construction easier. Moving production to the next region of the world where labour costs are low is another option ( although that choose is limited by increased consumer awareness of exploitation). The third solution and the one that appears to be favoured by most retailers is range rationalisation. This is where an average width is determined for the style of shoe on offer. Most retailers will settle for a width around B to D. Then they have years of data that determines the shoe size ranges of average customers. The average shoe sizes mentioned earlier would fall between 3 and 8 for women and 6 and 11 for men. Many retailers will strip out half sizes and often chop off the top and bottom end of the range still further. Some retailers will ensure that flagship branches initially receive an allocation of all sizes and are then replenished with stock throughout the season. If you visit an average branch you may not be so lucky.Range restrictions, out of stocks and non replenishment can create a really poor shopping experience. When you look at the numbers, an average branch could see their potential stock holding in a colour and style reduced from 200 different sizes to as little as 5! If you are one of the lucky people whose feet BOTH measure 6C for women and 9D for men then its your lucky day at every shoe retailer across the country! If you are not so fortunate ( like my daughter) finding a shoe that fits all around becomes a little like trying to fit into Cinderellas slipper and locating that needle in the haystack! In the scenarios mentioned above many people settle for ( dare I say accept? ) compromised and ill fitting shoes. They move up by an extra length size (thats 2 extra sizes if you include the half). In regards to width there are some quite serious scenarios that are regularly seen by podiatrists. To make a shoe fit better, linings are sometimes removed or for ease some may adapt to buying open toe shoes that allow for toes to squeeze into the front and overhang the sole. Others will wear extra socks in the belief that they are filling the space inside the shoe to give a better fit, or they will attach plasters and strapping to their feet and shoes to "help" the foot and shoe come together. The long term effect of ill fitting shoes can impact on the feet and body in a number of ways. If your shoes "flop" you may start to shuffle and flop and find yourself gripping your shoe with your toes each time you make a stride. Injuries to feet and ankles increase when shoes are too loose or where for ease you become comfortable having laces untied and the body of the shoe loose around your foot. Often ill fitting shoes can exacerbate / increase wear at critical points on the shoe such as the heel. If this goes unchecked the wear down accelerates and the body is forced to adjust to compensate. The adjustment is generally not for the long term benefit of your foot health and can affect your gait and movement through your body to a negative effect. If anything written here resonates with you there are some solutions:- You can make an appointment to consult with a Podiatrist at Deva Podiatry who may be able to put you back on the right track regarding your foot wear chooses. Many people have done so and with our recommendations have seen huge improvements in not only their foot health but increased mobility and overall health. If you are replacing your sports shoes / trainers a visit to a specialist sports shoe retailer can be of immense benefit. They can take your sizings and recommend the most suitable size and manufacturer for you ( some manufacturers will focus on mainstream sizing as it brings in the most revenue). Others such as New Balance will make available wider fittings but only in selected styles which is great unless you have your heart set on this seasons on trend colour that isn't in your above average size! My daughter visited a specialist recently and was looking to replace her worn out pair of Asics. They spent time with her assessing her needs and shoe sizing and recommended that the most suitable trainer for her reinvigorated love of running was a pair manufactured by Saucony . She has been using them for around 6 weeks and is thoroughly delighted with them. If you are one of that huge pool of 20 million people who thinks that there is no hope and you are a lost cause don't despair, in my next post i'll introduce you to a long established British company who are doing all they can to address your "non-average", "non-typical" individual shoe sizing.

Yesterday whilst shopping in Boots, I took the opportunity to walk on over and peruse the section dedicated to foot health. Every time I visit, the range of products seems to be ever increasing both in choice and price! Similarly, If you type in to Google ( or Bing) a request for todays blog title" Fungal Nail Treatment" the information returned will be a mad panic of dozens of companies offering you their version of a cure-all for fungal nail treatment. Fungal Nail is one of the foot conditions most seen in clinic and as such I am familiar with the names of many of the products aimed at fungal nail - from many peoples experience of them either from purchasing online or from high street retailers. When people visit a podiatrist;such as myself,it tends to be at the point when all hope in such products working has been lost. There are a combination of reasons why this is so. Fungal nail conditions can be present on and around a nail for many months or years going pretty much unnoticed in many people. Other people notice that over time one particular nail is presenting as a fungal nail. Maybe it starts to yellow slightly or in other cases crumbling occurs and the nail starts to become unsightly. In others slightly weakened immunity or underlying symptoms of another condition can contribute to changes to the nail. For many a trip to the foot care section will, they hope,bring about a swift resolution to the issue. But then you have to make choices. Do you read the small print and directions? Maybe you try to compare on price and then notice that one product is £10 for 10ml and another is £30 for 3ml so is TEN TIMES dearer! Does this mean it works ten times faster? or is ten times as good? You look at another product and like the funky packaging and the nifty container. It contains an active ingredient at 0.5% ( so must be good).The small print tells you that the bottle is £20 is expected to last 2-3 weeks and that success is not guaranteed for anyone who does not continue to apply the product twice daily for 6-9 months. A quick calculation and you realise that this product is going to cost £300 plus. Rather than leave empty handed you choose either one bottle of the cheapest and "give it a go" or a mid range product that you think was used by your great aunt in the 1950's so must be good because its still around! Or maybe you do nothing, leave empty handed and decide to research more on the internet! Then, you discover that vinegar, baking soda, tooth paste and even vicks vaporub ( Yes Really !!!) are amongst the wonder cures recommended. A couple of weeks of trial, error and various concoctions and the fungal nail still remains refusing to go. One last visit to the internet and you are bombarded by "Americas No1 Fungal Treatment" who are ready to offer you a lifetimes supply for a one off special price of just $500 in three easy installments! If this sounds like you -don't worry, the above is pretty much the standard path taken by many people who visit us at Deva Podiatry seeking advice and a resolution of their fungal nail infection. This week a new patient visited Deva Podiatry looking for advice on how to address their fungal nail issues. The scenario listed above was pretty much their story. However, in addition they had made a visit to a clinic elsewhere approximately 12 months ago. The clinician offered no solution or in clinic supervised treatment programme. Instead a recommendation to purchase an off the shelf product that "whitens" the nail so that it appears to have improved was given. I mention this here with very heavy disappointment. A cornerstone to visiting Deva Podiatry is that we want to help you and resolve your foot health problem. It is what we are passionate about. We want to put you on a path to better foot health. There have been many advances in podiatry in recent years and it is important that a podiatrist can, where possible combine their knowledge and experience with best practice modern podiatry methods, so that they can satisfy the patients requirements. Upon consultation , the patient referred to above met the criteria for embarking on Nail Fenestration or the Lacuna Method at Deva Podiatry Foot Health Clinic. Within the consultation considerable work was carried out to remove most of the infected fungal nail to one toe and prepare a second toe for treatment.Over the next 6 months they will visit clinic once every 5-6 weeks for a 40 minute review which includes further nail treatment as the new nail grows through. The fee structure for this treatment is clearly listed on the treatment page and is comparable to the pricing of regular routine podiatry. If anything you have read here resonates with you then either contact us via the contact form with a brief description of your fungal nail problem ( not too graphic please!) or when you make an appointment there is an opportunity to state that the appointment will be for fungal nail consultation. It should be noted that in a small number of cases a patient will present with advanced fungal nail infection. In such an event your Podiatrist will advise as to why Fungal Nail Treatment ( Fenestration) is not a practical solution and other alternative nail management arrangements will be discussed. Images of your condition will be taken at the time of consultation and are used within your clinic treatment notes to record the treatment process. Images are never reused or passed on to third parties. Fungal Nail Treatment under supervision of a Podiatrist has proven to be a successful treatment of Resolution Podiatry. We at Deva Podiatry proactively promote Resolution Podiatry and define it as treatment where the patient and Podiatrist proactively work towards better foot health care and management by implementing changes to foot health that have proven to have a positive impact on overall health and well-being. You can find out more by clicking on our webpage dedicated to fungal nail treatment here.

For the past five years ,around about this time in mid October I look forward to the opportunity to visit an Internationally recognised Podiatry Exhibition that is dedicated to all things podiatry related. As a podiatrist who gained their Podiatry degree from Salford, did her training in the region, works within acute diabetic podiatry in the Liverpool area and has a private practice in Chester I am especially proud of the fact that The Foot & Ankle Show has been held initially at Salford and in the last couple of years in Liverpool. The shows organiser is a highly motivated fellow podiatrist from Manchester. Sadly in 2020 as events unfolded it became clear that the ability to hold such an exhibition in a conference centre would be all but important. The good news is that OSGO pulled out all the stops and were able to transform the show into an online virtual reality version of the usual show. On Friday 16th October I spent a number of hours visiting over 50 exhibitors who had signed up to the exhibition hall of the virtual conference. Many of my suppliers were present and were showcasing new and exciting developments in the field of Podiatry and Podiatric Medicine. There were suppliers from across Europe, North America and Australia who had embraced this new online concept. Over the coming months, I have identified a number of exciting new developments in podiatry that I hope to incorporate into the podiatry services offered at Deva Podiatry Foot Health Clinic Chester. In addition there are a number of new products available to the United Kingdom that may be of benefit to patients in easing some of the daily discomfort they face from various foot health conditions. Some of these products would not normally be supplied via a podiatry treatment or a direct recommendation from a podiatrist but are never the less worthy of featuring in a future blog post as they are technically or medically advanced enough to review. Day two of the exhibition and I was able to relax at home on the sofa, earbuds in and with the ipad in front of me whilst some of the leading speakers in the field of Podiatry gave online accounts of the future of podiatry. Overall it was a positive experience and the team at OSGO need commending for their vision and dedication to ensuring that a digital exhibition was a credible alternative. As a health care professional I am doing all that I can to ensure that safe practices are in place in these difficult times. From Online booking and Covid-19 questionnaires to implementation of QR Codes for track and trace. We never stop looking for ways to minimise risk to patients and ourselves. This week we introduced into the clinic a small additional safety improvement. When you enter the clinic the hand sanitizer is now contained within a sensor activated dispenser! Deva Podiatry where your feet and now your hands are in safe hands!

As we leave the long cold month of January I realised that for most of the month I was hearing Vegan-uary more frequently than January. October is often known as Stop-tober in recognition of one campaign and Mo-vember is now well established as the month that many men grow a moustache in support of mens health. It got me thinking that as I launch my new website for devapodiatry.com in time for February 1st it was a perfect opportunity to utilise www.instagram.com/devapodiatry and publish throughout the month a range of information with the intention of promoting good foot health. As we move out of the long dark cold winter months refreshing the house through spring cleaning or assessing the garden for spring chores move to the front of the mind. Unfortunately, your poor old feet that have spent the winter in hibernation wrapped up in socks or slippers tend to be the last thing on your mind. Fear not , look out for the regular instagram posts of Deva Podiatry Foot Health Clinic, Chester and hopefully you will find some really useful tips on caring for and maintaining your feet.

You may be surprised to know that certain symptoms in your feet and lower limbs can warn you of a potential loss of life or limb. Public Health England collate information that continues to show that heart disease is the number 1 cause of mortality in the general population not just in the UK but worldwide. Peripheral Arterial Disease is a condition where over time arteries start to see a build-up of plaque. This build up of plaque in the arteries will eventually lead to blockages in the blood flow. If Peripheral Arterial Disease is left untreated, it can lead to amputations heart attacks and stroke. Symptoms of Peripheral Arterial Disease to be aware of are: 1. Absent or Weak Foot Pulses. If the blood flow through an artery on top of the foot (Dorsalis Pedis) and one at the ankle (Posterior Tibial) is low or restricted a test carried out by a podiatrist will show a weak or absent pulse. 2. Cramping in the Calves When Walking. When the muscles in the legs do not get sufficient blood supply due to blockage in the arteries, a cramping pain can occur. The pain known as intermittent claudication typically goes away once you stop walking and rest your legs. 3. Cold Feet, A podiatrist is trained to look for variations in the colour, texture and integrity of your skin which may indicate that your blood supply to the feet is impaired. 4. Slow-healing Wounds on feet and toes. Wounds need a number of healing components from the blood. With poor blood flow, it can take longer for wounds to heal. 5. Loss of hair on Feet or Toes. Little or no hair growth on feet and toes can be an indicator of poor blood flow. In order for hair to grow, sufficient blood circulation needs to occur within the skin of the lower limbs and feet. If you experience any of these symptoms, it is very important that you do not ignore them. Have your podiatrist check your circulation. A diagnosis of poor circulation can put your feet at risk if you have thickened or ingrowing toenails, corns and hard skin. An assessment of your feet can also tell you a lot about your heart health. Today is St Valentine’s Day the day of love. Fall back in love with your feet by having your podiatrist carry out a thorough and medically recognised inspection.

One of the questions I get asked when somebody makes an initial enquiry is " We notice that your appointment for an initial consultation is up to 60 minutes. When we look elsewhere the norm seems to be 30 -45 minutes, why such a difference?" My mission when I made the decision to embark on private practice with Deva Podiatry Foot Health Clinic, was to make the experience not only as robust and detailed as possible but also ensure that within the period of time allocated to the appointment I could allow for the trepidation and anxiety often faced by people in new situations. When you make the decision to come to Deva Podiatry you do so knowing that you are visiting a clinical professional with a skill set and knowledge base that can address your ailment. It is why I hold a degree in Podiatric Medicine and built up many years of expertise in acute areas of podiatry within the NHS. It may be that your issue has been underlying for sometime. You may have reached the point that something needs to be done and a clinical diagnosis is needed. It is common that some people are anxious seeking a resolution. Will the podiatrist be friendly and patient? Will the treatment be gentle? If I show nervousness, will the podiatrist recognise this and be kind and reassuring? Will the chiropodist pay attention to my issues? Just some of the thoughts that may go through your mind when considering making your first podiatry appointment. In recognition of such genuine issues, in the founding days of Deva Podiatry a decision was made that up to 1 hour for an initial appointment was necessary to provide a satisfactory space of time to address concerns surrounding an initial treatment. You may be looking for a podiatry clinic on behalf of a relative who needs easy access to a ground floor clinic. This might just be one of your requirements. Limited mobility may mean that you or your loved one needs more time to prepare for the treatment and when the treatment is completed- again there may be a need to complete at a slower pace to allow for your limited mobility. We fully understand and in addition by allowing up to 1 hour for your initial assessment we can go further with the detail of the treatment. There is never any pressure on you to re-book. That decision is yours based on the satisfaction you have received and your willingness to take notice of our recommendations and advised treatment plan. If you do re-book and commence maintenance podiatry, the routine treatment is typically up to 40 minutes. This is in line with most podiatry clinics. Where there may be additional needs identified from an initial treatment that may require a slightly longer appointment we will work with you and accommodate your needs. By allocating up to 1 hour for your initial treatment we try to ensure that subject to you arriving on time that period is for you. Throughout the appointment there is no distraction , ambient music is played in the background and the focus is on you. No interruption from phones or leaving you waiting,whilst I check my social media! You may wish to attend an appointment with a companion in attendance , no problem. We recognise the Equality Act 2010 and offer access to guide dogs if the need arises. We haven't just looked at routine podiatry treatments. In the process we determined that for the more complex chiropody / podiatry treatments there was the potential for extra needs in developing a best practice approach. Nail Surgery is an area of podiatry where we are able to resolve what for many has been a long term anxiety. If it is determined that surgery is recommended, we will never pressure you in to having the procedure. There may be a number of factors that determine your preparedness for surgery. We understand, and it is quite common for a patient to delay until they feel comfortable. When this decision is finally made we ensure that the period before and after a surgery is blocked off. You will arrive to a quiet clinic. The clinic is fully prepared, equipment is sterilised and set out at the start of a surgery. Consent forms and surgery check lists are completed. We will often timetable surgery for an evening or Saturday afternoon so as to ensure a calm environment and allow a better start to your recovery. if this is your first time researching podiatry /chiropody I hope this post gives some reassurance to you, remember too a post can convey a positive message but if you want it reaffirmed and have more questions either contact us via the contact us form or alternatively you can call us on 01244 680365 and speak directly to me or leave a message for me to return your call. Happy to help. Sarah

As we move out of the long cold nights and short days of winter, the chores and jobs of spring come round again. Gardening and household maintenance and renewals now bring themselves to the fore. It may come as a surprise to many that foot health can slip backwards in your list of priorities. Its easy to see why- often we wake and dress in the dark ,return home in the cold and dark and by early March have potentially not given our feet a second glance for nearly 6 months!!! 6 months of neglect for your loyal friends who have carried you through yet another winter , not once complaining or failing to work. During this period your toenails will have grown at a slower rate and your feet may have worked harder to regulate your body temperature. Your footwear will have been exposed to the elements and there may have been occasions where you were unaware that your foot wear remained damp and cold day after day. You may be a regular sportsperson and again that pair of damp wet boots gets thrown in the bag until next weeks game. Your nylon football socks may wash perfectly and retain the vibrant colour you remember from when you purchased them 5 years ago or more. When we actually stop and consider the toil we put our feet through isn't it time we invested some TLC in them. At Deva Podiatry Foot Health Clinic we not only help you with medical conditions but can also advise you on best foot health practices to preserve your feet and improve their general condition. Why not book yourself in for a foot health MOT and let us return your feet back to glory.

For anyone who may be wondering whether they have an ingrown toenail, or expect that they may require surgery to remove an ingrown toe nail, the following video is an excellent reference point for you. Produced by the College Of Podiatry ( the organisation that Deva Podiatry Foot Health Clinic is affiliated to and fully insured by.) The video lasts for just over 2 minutes so is an easy watch. If you are squeamish or uncomfortable with any aspects of surgery then it may not be for you. If that is the case , don't worry I have created a follow on post in which I have included a gallery of photos that contain the podiatry related terms with easy to understand writing that hopefully demystifies the procedure. Deva Podiatry Foot Health Clinic is located in Chester, England. We are a podiatry practice who are passionate about Podiatry Chiropody and it is our mission to engage with our patients and help them fully understand their foot condition. Deva Podiatry believe that engagement and explanation is key to managing your expectations of the quality of service you expect from your medical practitioner.

Gallery of instruments and sterile dressings used at Deva Podiatry Foot Health Clinic, Chester. The previous post of an extremely informative video produced by The College Of Podiatry https://cop.org.uk was a step by step process of the best practice procedure for a nail surgery in the United Kingdom. For a Podiatrist, nail surgery is a procedure that is commonly carried out on disorders of the toenails. The most common disorders presented at Deva Podiatry Foot Health Clinic are as a result of severe trauma to the toe ( trauma), infection to the toe ( infectious) , inflammation to the toe ( inflammatory) , congenital ( present from birth). Quite often I see people who have self diagnosed via an online search that is often very different to the actual condition present in, or on the foot. Returning to Nail Surgery , following a thorough detailed pre-operative assessment you may be advised that nail surgery would be a suitable option. Your podiatrist at Deva Podiatry will discuss how next to proceed. The following is a detailed description of a typical nail surgery procedure, as carried out by a podiatrist. An ingrown toenail may present in different ways. and the presence of an infection, swelling redness and pus are common features of this condition. Following assessment the outcome may be to proceed to nail surgery, this may result in the removal of a small part of a nail or the whole nail depending on the severity. When undertaking nail surgery the affected area will be anaesthetised ( numbed) via a few injections in the toe that is affected. The area will then be tested to ensure that the anaesthetic has fully worked, the sensation may feel strange and is described as " feeling movement" but nothing sharp. The podiatrist will then prepare the area of your foot for the procedure.This will include cleaning your foot to provide as sterile an environment as is possible. The application of a tourniquet helps to reduce the blood flow to the area. and enable the procedure to be undertaken. The podiatrist will then proceed to remove the section of nail that has been agreed with you at the assessment. In the case of a partial nail avulsion, it is a single side of the nail, that is carefully and precisely cut out. It is then excised to remove the area of redundant nail that has been causing the inflammation and pain. One option that a podiatrist will discuss with you is the introduction of a chemical that is applied to the area of the nail that has been removed and will stop that part of the nail growing back and causing you problems. When it is all finished the tourniquet is removed and the blood supply returns to the toe.It is then dressed carefully with a sterile bandage and advise is given on keeping it clean and dry. When there is an infection present you may have to start or need to start taking antibiotics to help with the heeling process. At all stages along the way your podiatrist will involve you in deciding which is the best treatment plan. Here at Deva Podiatry we are keen to ensure that you receive the most attentive aftercare. As part of the treatment plan we encourage you to return to the clinic on 3 occasions post surgery. At each appointment your operation site will be examined dressings are removed, the site of the operation cleansed and fresh sterile dressings applied. update 25th July 2020 This post was originally created in early February 2020 , a period now known as Pre- Covid. As a profession podiatry is renowned for its high standards and in May 2020 our governing organisation The College Of Podiatry introduced new standards to deal with the post Covid world. We follow those standards and have in place a Covid-19 policy which can be viewed here. Over time the covid policy will be amended in line with government guidelines it was felt that for the purpose of this blog post references to elements of it could be outdated hence the belief that the direction to the actual policy will ensure relevance.

Working in a health profession and responsible for face to face interaction with patients requires a podiatrist to be fully engaged in all aspects of infection control. Infection control is a requirement or ongoing commitment of my CPD ( Continuous Professional Development). I am committed to attending courses and lectures that will guide me to ensure that at Deva Podiatry Foot Health Clinic, I strive to attain best practice methods of control. I was delighted to discover that locally located within Chester, there is a manufacturer of products related to infection control called Medipure. It is always my desire to source supplies of products and goods as locally as possible, when it is a product that is of relevance to clinical hygiene within my podiatry clinic , then even better!! The company in question is www.Medipure.com who are based at Saighton, Chester and manufacture in North Wales under a brand called Suprox. At the time of writing February 23rd 2020, their is ongoing concern over the spread and containment of the Coronavirus. It seems natural that I should review my in clinic procedures. The range of products delivered today cover a broad range of personal and clinical hygiene within a clinic setting. The range is effective against MRSA, E-coli, Salmonella, Listeria, Mycobacterium and C.difficile spores. Suprox - High Level Surface Disinfectant & Sporicidal Solution intended for cleaning and disinfecting hard surfaces. Suprox - ANK wipes. These are Bactericidal, Virucidal, Fungicidal and Sporicidal preventing wipes suitable for wiping down areas such as the clinic chairs. Suprox - Hand sanitiser pens that contain a solution of suprox for self cleansing of hands. Any patients visiting the clinic can be reassured and that we are maintaining standards. They will also be offered the opportunity to sanitize prior to the commencement of treatment.

Monday 9th March 2020 marks the start of # National Feet Week. What is National Feet Week? National Feet Week is taking place from 9th to 15th March 2020 , the purpose of the campaign is to encourage people of all ages to prioritise foot health. The majority of people will automatically book regular check-ups at the dentist or optician, but how often do those people consider the benefits of an annual foot examination? Why is it important to look after my feet? Most of us take our feet for granted until its too late and pains or problems have started to develop. It is extremely important to ensure you take care of your feet before they limit your ability to function. Visiting a local podiatrist when you are experiencing foot pain is advisable. Foot problems can also be prevented before they occur by seeing your Podiatrist for advice on how to keep your feet healthy. Why see a Podiatrist? Podiatrists are highly trained professionals registered by the Health and Care Profession Council (HCPC) that have trained solely in the area of the foot and lower limb. Podiatrists are the only medical professionals who exclusively specialise in treating the foot and ankle. A podiatrist can treat or advise on a whole raft of foot conditions including: - Athlete's Foot -Blisters -Bunions -Corns and Callus -Footwear -Heel Pain -Insoles -Ingrown Toenails -Sweaty Feet -Toenail Cutting -Verrucae If you are concerned about your foot health , perhaps you are experiencing difficulties in mobility post surgery and as a result are worried that your feet have become somewhat neglected call or contact Deva Podiatry today. We are able to conduct a thorough assessment of your foot and lower limb and offer you constructive and helpful advise on ongoing foot maintenance with a fully qualified and insured Podiatrist.