Our Services
General Chiropody
General or Standard Podiatry covers a range of skin and nail related treatments concerning pain, discomfort, prevention of foot problem and aesthetic improvement.
A typical standard appointment involves nail care (cutting, shaping, cleaning, thinning as needed) and callus and corn removal from the foot and heels.
Footcare advice is given to improve foot health and reduce recurrence.
Nail Care
We provide a short, reduced cost treatment for patients requiring regular nail care. This may be because or poor sight or mobility or that the nails are misshapen, thick, fungal infected or hard.
We suggest nails need cutting between 6-12 weeks depending on rate of growth and foot health.
Cosmetic Nail Replacement
The Pedique toenail replacement is a cosmetic improvement to damaged and unsightly toenails. It could also be described as a prosthetic nail replacement or gel nail. It requires some amount of nail to bond to.
The gel is specifically for use on toe nails and is an acrylester (not an acrylic) bonded permanently to the exposed nail where it usually remains until it grows out. This can last from between 2 months and an average of 6 months. It usually requires some shaping and tidying over time depending on how the nail underneath grows and moves the pedique up.
The gel has a slight softness to allow it to flex in shoes, and if too much pressure is applied it should break to avoid damaging the toe or real nail underneath.
Verruca
Verrucae are warts in the foot. They can be ignored and considered harmless unless. they start spreading or becoming thick and uncomfortable. over half or warts and verrucae resolve within two years.
The treatments we provide are mainly destructive to the verruca – for example salicylic acid, cryotherapy, curettage, pyrogallol acid and monochloracetic acid. We also use Verrutop – a nitrizinic painless liquid that dries the DNA of the verruca and does not need to be kept dry after treatment.
We also provide dry needling treatment which aims to stimulate the immune system to fight the infection. This is useful where there are many verrucae or previous treatment has been unresponsive.
No treatment is guaranteed and the options will be discussed at the initial consultation and a treatment plan produced. Typically 4-6 treatments are required.
Biomechanics
Biomechanical issues can cause low back, hip and knee pain, painful ankles, feet and arches. They can be as a result foot and lower limb function as well as the way the foot adapts to a sport or activity, footwear, weight change or medical conditions such as arthritis.
We start by discussing the problems and concerns relating to you feet, then assess the joints, standing and walking postures and footwear. We can assess timing of gait and pressure distribution with the Podotech foot pressure dynamic analysis system.
In many cases a combination of footwear advice, orthoses or insoles to support the foot and some exercises remedy the problem. In other cases we would refer or involve physiotherapy or orthopaedic consultants for imaging (X-ray, ultrasound or MRI) or further treatment.
Nail Surgery
Ingrown toenails can be painful. The nail curls into the skin and causes a reaction and swelling of the nail borders. In some cases careful cutting and shaping of the nail can remedy this. In other cases a minor procedure is required to reduce the width of the nail by a few millimetres.
This its called a partial nail ablation, and a chemical called phenol is applied the the root of the nail to destroy that section and prevent it growing back. The result is a slightly narrower nail which no longer embeds into the toe.
The procedure is carried out in the clinic with a local anaesthetic to the toe. A bandage is applied to leave on 2 days then smaller bandages applied at home for the following 3 weeks to keep it clean as the toe heals.
Urgent Care
We do receive calls regarding emergency or urgent care and we are often able to fit patients in during or at the start or end of the clinic.
We are not able to provide X-ray facilities or antibiotics.
In the past we have seen patients with glass, thorns, cat hair, sea urchins in their foot. We also have patients with very sore ingrown toenails, corns and cracks or concerns due to diabetes and ulcers.
You can select the emergency appointment option online and see if there is any obvious availability. If not then please email or call and we will see if we can see you. The earlier in the day the better. The website would show if gaps have occurred due to overnight cancellations so feel free to check at 4am or 8am too!
MLS Laser Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis and foot pain
MLS Laser therapy is a completely safe, non-invasive and painless method of managing acute or chronic pain and inflammation including in the cases of arthritis or injury. The laser supplies infrared light energy directly to your cells which encourages your body’s own healing process and reduces pain.
After an initial treatment to assess and diagnose, a treatment plan will be constructed. Typically we aim to provide a series of 6 treatments over 3 weeks with them closer together at the start of the process. Treatment times for one area e.g. a foot is 10-15 minutes. Results are seen within 2-4 sessions typically and the effects are long lasting.
Physiotherapy
Naomi is a specialist Physiotherapist with 10+ years of experience working with patients of all ages to help them to feel better, faster.
After qualifying from King’s College London, she worked at King’s College NHS Trust for five years, gaining experience in musculoskeletal conditions, trauma and orthopaedics at one of London’s busiest Major Trauma Centres. Since leaving the NHS in 2014, she has been working privately in North/NW London and Hertfordshire, seeing patients from age 5+ all the way through to the elderly.
Specialist interests include physiotherapy for orthopaedic patients, headaches and migraines, children with hypermobility, pre and post-natal pain, sports and soft tissue injuries, as well as rehabilitation for patients with arthritis, back and neck pain and general mobility issues.
Naomi often uses a combination of hands-on manual treatment, as well as exercise therapy, acupuncture and Pilates to provide holistic and personalised treatment plans for all of my patients. She is registered to treat patients insured by most major insurance companies.
MLS for arthritis and tendonitis
MLS Laser therapy is a completely safe, non-invasive and painless method of managing acute or chronic pain and inflammation including in the cases of arthritis or injury. The laser supplies infrared light energy directly to your cells which encourages your body’s own healing process and reduces pain.
After an initial treatment to assess and diagnose, a treatment plan will be constructed. We will often ensure that you have seen a physiotherapist or will arrange to see our physiotherapist to ensure you have a suitable rehabilitation and strengthening plan.
Typically we aim to provide a series of treatments over 3-4 weeks. Initially spaced at three times a week reducing to once or twice a week as the healing progresses.
Treatment times for one area e.g. a knee is 15 minutes. The effects can be long lasting and we have treated patients with severe achilles tendonitis and knee arthritis that are still pain free over 18 months since initial treatment. However due to the nature of the treatment, unrestricted top-up treatment can be conducted safely at any time if needed. This compares favourably to steroid injections that are limited in use.
Dry Needling Procedure
The dry needling used to be carried out on problematic verrucae although there is an increasing trend to use this as a first treatment. The technique is intended to break down the verruca and create a controlled inflammatory response which, in turn, stimulates the body’s immune system to fight the infection. One treatment is sufficient for about 80% of cases and if a second treatment is needed, the outcome is often higher.
A local anaesthetic is applied to the ankle (to numb the sole of the foot) or toe and the verruca is ‘stabbed’ multiple times to push the virus into the fat pad behind to stimulate the bodies immune response. It may be sore for the next day but forms a scab within a few days. The verruca is ignored for 3 months and then reviewed and repeated if necessary.
Remote Video Consultations
We are able to provide remove secure videolinked podiatry consultations or can discuss via email/photos for those patients who would like some information on treatment suitability or treatment thoughts prior to making a full face to face consultation. In addition we may be able to provide a second opinion for those that would like an alternative view.
You can book a telehealth appointment online or can email some information and we can take it from there.
