In celebration of Podiatry Week, we had the pleasure of catching up with Emily Pezzaniti, a dedicated podiatrist at Pro Health Care, to discuss the importance of foot health and how podiatry plays a crucial role in overall wellbeing. From choosing the right shoes to preventing common foot conditions, Emily shares valuable insights and tips that everyone can benefit from.
👣 What’s one piece of advice you wish everyone knew about foot health?
A good pair of shoes with adequate support for your feet can go a long way in helping to avoid injuries. When playing sports or getting back into exercise, the foot is put under a lot of pressure. Some important things to look for when purchasing shoes include a good amount of bending at the toes however we don’t want the shoe to be able to twist and bend in half. Another important feature is a firm heel counter in order to keep the rearfoot supported.
👣 What are some common foot problems you see?
Some common foot problems that I see regularly include plantar fasciitis and fungal nail infections. We have a number of different options for both of these conditions, generally plantar fasciitis, if mild, can be resolved with some simple stretches and appropriate footwear. When it comes to fungal nail treatment, a lot of the time, the topical treatments that you can buy at the chemist aren’t very effective. At Pro Health Care, we provide Lunula laser treatment which has an 80% success rate in clearing fungal nails.
👣 How do podiatrists collaborate with other healthcare professionals for comprehensive patient care?
We work in an allied team with physios and exercise physiologists to come up with the best plan for each individual patient to achieve their goals. This will usually involve strength and conditioning exercises and may or may not include other interventions such as orthotic therapy, shockwave therapy and dry needling. In addition to this, we will also work with GPs to address any medical conditions that a patient may have and take this into consideration when carrying out treatment.
👣 What inspired you to become a podiatrist?
I have always enjoyed working in a patient based setting and wanted to work within health to provide support and care to patients that need it the most. Being able to work in a job where patients leave feeling better then when they came in is such a rewarding part of the job as well.