Today we welcome Alison Charlton to our Podiatrist Spotlight. Alison is a Podiatry at Problems Afoot Podiatry, 140 Oxford Road, Kidlington, Oxford.

 

What attracted you to a career in podiatry?

I had an interest in musculo-skeletal problems and I like working with individuals on a one-to-one basis, so for that reason it fit! There is often a feeling of immediate job satisfaction and there aren’t many jobs where you get that from the client; you just can’t beat that feeling, when somebody says “ooh that’s better!”

 

How did your career develop?

I’ve worked in both private practice and the NHS. I set up my own private practice in the 80s, which I ran for a few years, and I then moved on to the NHS due to family circumstances. In the NHS, I was a specialist in wound care working on the stroke unit. This taught me to be very careful and gentle with people. I then relocated and moved to Cheshire, where I worked as an associate Podiatrist privately, and was regularly complimented on the gentle care I gave to clients. Last month, I moved to Oxfordshire where I’ve opened Problems Afoot, my own practice.

 

What are the most common foot problems you see?

The most common foot problems I see are skin disorders and ingrown toenails. The skin disorders I see include hard corns, calluses and cracked heels, which require debridement and advice. The advice I always give to clients is to regularly use cream on their feet.

 

What’s your number one tip on how to look after your feet?

My number one top tip would be to moisturise regularly. Moisturising your feet has numerous benefits. It maintains the integrity of the skin and if there are neurological problems causing a loss of sensation in your feet, the simple action of rubbing cream into the skin also allows you to detect any problems which may have gone unnoticed such as corns, calluses or breaks in the skin. It’s also important to maintain a good level of foot hygiene, to regularly check them over and contact a podiatrist if you have any problems.

 

Thank you to Alison for taking part in our Podiatry Spotlight. To book an appointment with Alison please contact 07739 354447 or online at www.problemsafoot.com.

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