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The Difference between Chiropodists and Foot Health Practitioners

Lisa Moore • Sep 28, 2023

Chiropodist or a Foot Health Practitioner: What is the difference?


What is a foot health practitioner?


A foot health practitioner is someone who provides routine foot care and maintenance to people’s feet. This can be trimming nails, hard skin, corn and callus removal, thickened nail treatment, the treatment of fungal infections, ingrown toenails, dry cracked heels and diabetes foot checks. 


What is the difference between a chiropodist and a foot health practitioner?


Podiatrists and chiropodists can diagnose conditions and prescribe medication. They are also trained to deliver specialist surgical and invasive treatments when it is needed. Foot Health Practitioners work on a wide range of foot procedures that are less invasive. So if its just your nails trimming, hard skin or corn and callus removal then a foot health practitioner is far then capable of doing these treatments.



What can a foot health practitioner do?


A Registered Foot Health Practitioner is an individual that is qualified to carry out routine foot care treatments. Their services often include nail trimming, reducing and removing hard skin, corns and callus, preventing and treating fungal nail infections treating dry cracked heels, treating ingrown toenails and carrying out general check-ups on feet especially diabetic foot checks.



Are foot health practitioners regulated? 


Foot health practitioners are regulated and have their own regulations and legislation that allows them to treat feet and their related structures. However, they are also allowed to treat the rest of the body and will be insured to do so.




Our feet are invaluable to us if we want to remain active, mobile and healthy. If things go wrong with our feet then it can have a massive impact through the body. Those of you who have suffered with an ingrown toenail, a corn or even a blister, will know how painful and uncomfortable each step can be. 



All of our foot health practitioners are fully qualified with at least 12 months practical and theory based training. They regularly complete CPD (continuing professional development) courses to update and learn new techniques and add to their qualifications.


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