Before I worked at a podiatry clinic, I had a fairly vague idea of what podiatrists actually did. Feet, obviously. Nails, probably. Something to do with insoles, maybe.
What I found, sitting at that reception desk and watching people come and go, was rather more impressive than I’d expected. The range of what a good podiatrist can do — and the difference it makes to people’s daily lives — genuinely surprised me. Someone who’d been limping for months walking out pain-free. An elderly patient whose infected nail had been a serious health risk, sorted in a single appointment. A runner finally understanding why the same injury kept coming back.
If you’re not sure whether a podiatrist can help with your particular problem, the answer is more often yes than no.
What Is a Podiatrist?
A podiatrist is a regulated healthcare professional specialising in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of conditions affecting the feet, ankles, and lower limbs. In the UK, the title is protected by law — only practitioners registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) can use it.
Podiatrists complete a degree-level qualification (typically a BSc in Podiatry) covering anatomy, physiology, pathology, biomechanics, pharmacology, and clinical practice. They are trained to diagnose, prescribe certain medications, perform minor surgery, and manage both acute and chronic conditions.
The older term chiropodist means exactly the same thing — same qualification, same registration, same scope of practice. Read our full guide to podiatrist vs chiropodist.
What Does a Podiatrist Treat?
The scope of podiatry is considerably broader than most people realise. Here’s a plain-English guide to the main areas.
Routine Foot Care
This is the bread and butter of many podiatry practices — and it’s genuinely valuable, particularly for people who struggle to manage their own foot care due to age, reduced mobility, or health conditions.
Routine podiatry includes:
- Nail care — cutting, filing, and managing nails that have become thickened, curved, or difficult to manage at home
- Hard skin and callus removal — safely debriding the build-up of hard skin that causes pressure and discomfort, particularly on the heels and ball of the foot
- Corn treatment — removing corns carefully and painlessly. Read our guide to corn removal and cracked heels.
- General foot health assessment — checking circulation, sensation, skin condition, and nail health, with particular importance for patients with diabetes or vascular conditions
Nail Conditions
Nails are a significant part of a podiatrist’s caseload, and the range of nail problems they manage is wider than people expect.
- Ingrown toenails — a podiatrist can treat ingrown nails conservatively or surgically under local anaesthetic in more persistent cases. Read our guide to ingrown toenail treatment.
- Fungal nail infections — assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of onychomycosis. Read our guide to fungal nail treatment.
- Thickened or damaged nails — caused by trauma, fungal infection, or age-related changes; managed to reduce discomfort and improve appearance
- Nail surgery — minor procedures performed under local anaesthetic to permanently correct severely ingrown or involuted nails
Skin Conditions
- Verrucas — podiatrists offer several treatment options beyond pharmacy products, including cryotherapy, needling, and Swift microwave therapy. Read our guide to verruca treatment.
- Athlete’s foot — diagnosis and treatment of fungal skin infections, including assessment of whether the infection has spread to the nails. Read our guide to athlete’s foot treatment.
- Cracked heels — particularly deep or infected fissures that require professional debridement. Read our guide to cracked heel treatment.
- Chilblains — assessment and management, including investigation of any underlying circulatory factors. Read our guide to chilblains treatment.
Heel and Arch Pain
Heel pain is one of the most common reasons people seek podiatry help, and it’s an area where a podiatrist’s input is genuinely more effective than waiting to see if it resolves.
- Plantar fasciitis — the most prevalent cause of heel pain; podiatrists can diagnose it definitively, provide targeted treatment, prescribe orthotic insoles, and give a rehabilitation exercise plan. Read our guide to plantar fasciitis exercises.
- Heel bursitis and fat pad atrophy — other causes of heel pain that require different management from plantar fasciitis
- Arch pain — assessed in the context of foot structure, footwear, and activity level
Biomechanics and Orthotics
This is the area that surprised me most when I worked at the clinic — watching a podiatrist work through a full biomechanical assessment, analysing someone’s gait, identifying a pattern in the way they walked that explained a knee problem they’d had for years.
Biomechanics is the study of how the body moves — and the foot is the foundation of that movement. Podiatrists trained in biomechanics can:
- Carry out gait analysis — observing and often filming how you walk or run to identify mechanical issues
- Assess muscle strength, flexibility, and joint range of motion
- Prescribe custom orthotic insoles designed to correct specific mechanical problems. Read our guide to arch support insoles.
- Advise on appropriate footwear for your foot type and activity
- Treat sports injuries with a biomechanical origin. Read our guide to sports podiatry.
Diabetic Foot Care
Podiatry plays a critical role in the management of diabetes. Poor circulation and reduced sensation in the feet mean that minor injuries can go unnoticed and become serious complications quickly. Regular podiatric assessment is a key part of managing diabetic foot health — and in many cases, it’s available on the NHS for eligible patients.
I watched this at close quarters through my father-in-law’s Type 2 diagnosis. The podiatrists at the clinic he attended were meticulous, caring, and frankly essential to his ongoing wellbeing. It gave me a very clear-eyed view of how important this aspect of podiatry is. Read our guide to diabetic foot care.
Children’s Foot Health
Children’s feet develop significantly throughout childhood, and not always smoothly. Podiatrists assess and treat:
- Flat feet and in-toeing or out-toeing gait patterns
- Growing pains and Sever’s disease (heel pain in active children)
- Verrucas and skin conditions common in children who swim or use communal changing areas
- Concerns about the way a child walks or runs
If you’re unsure whether your child’s foot development is typical, a podiatric assessment provides a clear, expert answer — and peace of mind either way. Find a podiatrist for children’s foot health.
What Happens at a Podiatry Appointment?
If you’ve never seen a podiatrist before, knowing what to expect makes the whole thing less daunting.
At a first appointment you can typically expect:
- A discussion of your main concern, your medical history, and any relevant medications
- A visual assessment of your feet — skin, nails, circulation, sensation
- Depending on your presentation: treatment at the same appointment (for routine care or straightforward conditions), or a clear plan for what happens next
- Advice on footwear, self-care between appointments, and any products that might help
- A frank assessment of whether further appointments are needed — and how many
First appointments usually last 30–60 minutes. Routine follow-up appointments are typically 30 minutes.
One thing I noticed working at the clinic: people almost always left feeling better than when they came in — not just physically, but because someone had actually listened to them and taken their foot problem seriously. Foot pain has a habit of being dismissed. A good podiatrist doesn’t dismiss it.
Do I Need a Referral?
For private podiatry — no. You can self-refer and book directly. No GP letter required.
For NHS podiatry, a referral is usually needed, and eligibility criteria apply. NHS services are generally prioritised for high-risk patients, particularly those with diabetes or vascular conditions.
Our directory lists HCPC-registered podiatrists across the UK. Find a podiatrist near you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is seeing a podiatrist worth it for something minor?
Usually, yes. What feels minor — a persistent corn, a nail that keeps causing problems, heel pain that’s been grumbling for months — often has a straightforward fix that makes a disproportionate difference to daily comfort. The question worth asking isn’t “is this serious enough?” but “has this gone on long enough?”
How do I know if a podiatrist is qualified?
Check the HCPC register at hcpc-uk.org before booking. Both podiatrist and chiropodist are protected titles in the UK — only registered practitioners can legally use them.
What’s the difference between a podiatrist and a foot health practitioner?
A foot health practitioner (FHP) is not HCPC registered and is not a podiatrist or chiropodist. FHPs may offer routine nail and skin care but cannot diagnose or treat clinical conditions. For anything beyond basic maintenance, see an HCPC-registered podiatrist. Read our full guide.
Can a podiatrist help with knee or back pain?
Potentially, yes — if the underlying cause is biomechanical and originates in the foot or lower limb. Gait abnormalities, overpronation, and leg length discrepancies can all contribute to pain higher up the chain. A biomechanical assessment will identify whether that’s what’s happening. Read our sports podiatry guide.
How much does a podiatrist cost?
Private podiatry typically costs £35–£60 for a routine appointment, rising to £60–£120 for a biomechanical assessment. Custom orthotics are priced separately. See our full podiatrist cost guide.
The information on this page is for general guidance only and does not constitute medical advice. Always verify a practitioner’s HCPC registration before booking. If you are unsure about a foot condition, please consult a qualified podiatrist or GP.
