by Lee Short MScDPodM and Bob Longworth MSc DPodM
A question we are often asked is “what’s the difference between a Podiatrist and a Chiropodist?”. My standard answer is that Podiatry is an umbrella term which encompasses many aspects of foot care, of which Chiropody is one.
We class Chiropody as treating nails, corns and calluses. Corns are one of the most common reasons for foot pain but can easily be treated with a visit to our clinic.
Why do we get painful hard skin and corns? Well, it’s all part of your bodies protection mechanisms.
If you put constant pressure onto skin it can ulcerate (that’s what bed sores are). If there is a lot of intermittent pressure or friction on a particular area, hard skin forms as protection (it’s better than having an ulcer!). If this continues, over time the skin at the epicentre of the pressure changes into a harder type with a cone shape. The spike of the cone digs into the skin causing pain…….which means you’ll do something about it.
Skin is made up of a protein called Keratin, which is what animals horns and our nails and hair are made out of. This is how corns get their name: The Latin for horn is ‘cornu’.
We can easily remove corns and hard skin but stopping them coming back depends on what caused them in the first place. A common cause is the wrong type of, or ill-fitting shoe. The research shows that 70% of people wear shoes that don’t fit them properly – no wonder the feet need to ‘protect’ themselves.
Along with the correct footwear, corns under the foot can be stopped with insoles that deflect pressure away from them. Silicone rubber toe splints and crescents that distribute shoe pressure away from the affected area can do the same for toes
So – Don’t walk around in pain – come and get your feet sorted with us.
Get Rid of your corns
by Lee Short MScDPodM and Bob Longworth MSc DPodM