Amongst the other necessary preparations for the holiday season – topping up on the sunscreen, getting the travelling essentials or updating our wardrobe for the hotter weather – you may want to get your feet sandal ready and in healthy shape for summer.
However, if you’re self-conscious about the appearance of your feet or you’ve been experiencing problems or pain, this may be more challenging than simply giving them a clean and scrub. There are a number of skin, nail of foot function conditions which can leave feet looking run down:
- Calluses and corns
- Cracked and dry skin on the sole of the foot
- Verrucae or ulceration
- In-grown, fungal or distorted toe nails
- Heel or arch pain
- Weak ankles and poor foot function
These problems may be aggravated by the drier climate in summer or may prevent you from fully taking part in the summer activities that you’d like to do. However, they are common conditions that can be effectively improved or prevented through different podiatry techniques.
What is podiatry?
Podiatry (formerly known as chiropody) is a specialist area of healthcare aiming to identify and treat the problems relating to the foot and ankle. Podiatry is also used to prevent any issues with the feet or in connection to other parts of the body that could become worse over time or with improper care.
So, for those wanting to bare their feet for summer without the worry of having problems on show, podiatry will help to improve their appearance as well as their overall health and the health of your body.
What’s involved?
Firstly, your podiatrist will gain an understanding of your medical history and assess your foot and ankle function, as well as your gait, to determine the best course of treatment.
If you have any concerns, you’ll be able to discuss these with your podiatrist and gain professional advice on which treatments would be best for you. Podiatrists use a wide range of treatment methods depending on the problem, some of which can be done very quickly, such as the removal of hard skin, calluses or corns. In some cases, for verrucae and ingrowing toe nails for instance, minor surgery under local anaesthesia may be needed.
At Riverside Dental Spa, our experienced podiatrist is registered with the professional industry body for podiatry and can help to alleviate a range of skin, nail and foot problems using expert techniques. We’d be happy to assist with any of your concerns to help you get your feet ready and looking great for summer.
To find out more about our podiatry services or to book your consultation, please call our Vauxhall practice on 020 7091 0677, email reception@riversidedentalspa.com or contact us here.
