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Podiatry is a highly specialised discipline that deals with the assessment, diagnosis, treatment and prevention
of foot and lower limb problems. A Podiatrist can carry out routine chiropody including nail cutting, callus and corn reduction, perform nail surgery, assess the Diabetic foot, assess the biomechanics of the lower limbs and feet, provide therapeutic stretching and strengthening programmes and orthoses if necessary.
The scope of practice of a podiatrist is often much wider than many people realise.
In the UK, podiatrists usually undertake a 3 year undergraduate Bachelor of Science (Podiatry). The scope of practice of a podiatrist falls into five key
categories: General clinics, Biomechanics, High risk patient management and Surgery. There are two levels of surgical practice. As part of general podiatric care, podiatrists as HPC (Health Professions Council)
registered practitioners are involved with nail and minor soft tissue surgical procedures and qualified to administer local anaesthetics. From 1st August 2012, the HPC is being rebranded to the HCPC (Health &
Care Professions Council)
1. General Clinics
2. Biomechanics
3. Children
4. High Risk Patient Management
5. Foot Surgery
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