Our Services
The UWA Podiatry clinic covers a range of conditions relating to the foot, ankle and lower limb.
Common foot disorders
There are many lower limb problems podiatrists are trained to diagnose and treat. The following information presents a brief description of the more common disorders and the treatments available to effectively manage them.
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Heel Pain
Heel pain is one of the most common conditions that present in our clinic. It is easy to jump to a conclusion such as plantar fasciitis, but this sort of pain can be due to many other reasons. Therefore, it is important to understand the cause to provide a successful treatment. Book now to get your foot assessed and treated by our talented specialist team.
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Ingrown nails
This can be a very painful condition to have. Often these do not resolve until the nail edge is cleanly and successfully removed. Our clinicians are able to provide conservative and permanent solutions to prevent ingrown nails from occurring again.
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Fungal Infections (skin and nails)
Itchy skin or discoloured thick toenails could be a sign of an active fungal infection. Fungal infections are a very common, highly contagious, condition that can affect both the skin and nails - if left untreated this may result in permanent changes. Our clinic is well equipped with Laser and staff who can prescribe antifungal medications if required. Act fast and book an appointment for assessment and treatment.
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Shin Splints, Leg Pain, Lower Back Pain
Pain in your lower limbs and back can be due to postural malalignment and imbalances such as leg length differences as well as poor foot posture. Treatment ranges from footwear advice to orthotic therapy. Our clinicians are highly trained to provide the best care for your needs.
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Bunions
A progressive deformity of the big toe joint. The joint can become painful due to arthritic changes which can be managed by sensible footwear choices and orthotic therapy. However, if it is affecting your quality of life and prevents you from your day-to-day activities, surgical options are available. Onsite we have an x-ray machine to provide on the spot imaging to help determine the most suitable treatment option for your bunion(s).
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Stretching & Strengthening Prescription
Exercise prescription can include stretching and strengthening. This is an essential part to preventing and managing lower limb injury or the effects from chronic diseases. Stretching helps to lengthen muscles to increase flexibility. Strengthening improves muscle tone, control and stability to support joints and handle loads such as running.
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Morton’s Neuromas
Characterised by numbness, tingling or shooting pains into the toes, a neuroma is considered a chronic thickening in the nerve branch area in the ball of the foot. This can be due to a number of mechanisms but also can represent other problems. Podiatrists at the clinic are able to thoroughly assess the issue, diagnose using ultrasound imaging and offer the latest in therapy from conservative to invasive interventions.
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Gait and Posture issues
Improper posture, walking or running techniques can eventually lead to overuse problems or early joint issues such as arthritis.
Podiatrists are highly trained to assess standing, walking and running patterns in order to diagnose abnormal movements and recommend therapies to improve. This can be strength/conditioning, footwear and orthotic insoles.
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Achilles Pain
Pain or stiffness in the back of your calf muscle or into the back of the heel may be a result of an injured achilles tendon.
It can either be the result of a one-off strain, or repetitive “micro” strains over a period of time such as running, or long periods of standing. It is important to treat this injury correctly immediately to prevent further injury and debilitation. Our podiatrists can diagnose this issue through a number of assessments, and implement the most up-to-date research-based treatments for recovery.
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Footwear related problems
Incorrect or old footwear can lead to a multitude of issues and sometimes is the cause to lower limb pain. Cushioning doesn’t necessarily mean your feet are being supported and are commonly confused concepts. Depending on your foot type as well as activities, selecting the appropriate shoes are crucial to ensuring adequate support suited to your needs. Our clinicians are able to educate and advise appropriate footwear for your foot type / activities.
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Children’s Foot & Leg Problems
Growing pains, frequent tripping or developmental problems can all impact a child’s ability to move normally. A healthy child needs to move frequently and often pains or coordination issues are related to poor posture in the feet and legs. Using the latest evidence is children’s assessment, podiatrists can offer advice on the source of the child’s lower limb problems and construct the appropriate therapy for improving normal movement.
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Diabetes
Diabetes can have a profound effect on foot health through changes in both the circulation to the foot and normal sensations. This can lead to more significant problems if left untreated or not monitored frequently. The recommended frequency is at least annually for low-risk patients through to regular visits if high risk. Podiatrist are very well trained to assess all levels of circulation and sensation in the feet, as well as ongoing care for skin/nail health to drastically reduce complications.
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Warts, Corns and Calluses
Commonly known as plantar warts, these can be painful to walk on and are highly contagious. There are different ways to treat warts such as topical cream application to surgical removal. It is recommended you see one of our clinicians to effectively treat your warts.
Corns are commonly confused with warts as they are also quite painful and found on the bottom of the foot or sometimes between the toes. These are not contagious but result due to high pressure areas. Calluses are an accumulation of hard skin as the bodies mechanism to protect areas of high friction. Corns and calluses can be reduced using sterile medical blades to debulk the area. Our clinic provides these services and prides itself with the highest level of infection control measures.
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Claw/hammer Toe
A deformity where the toe develops into the shape of a claw. Commonly due to an imbalance of power whereby the muscles on the top overpower the muscle on the bottom of the toe. Treatment options include conservative management to relieve friction experienced from the position of the toe as well as permanently straightening the toe via surgical correction. Our team are able to provide both conservative and surgical options suited to your needs.
Surgical Services
Our podiatric surgeons treat a range of lower limb surgical conditions including bony and soft tissue procedures, including the following:
- Bunions
- Ingrown Nails (wedge resection)
- Claw Toe
- Morton’s Neuroma
- Ganglion
Ask a question
Contact us to make an appointment or ask a question.
What to bring to your Appointment
Being well-prepared for your appointment will ensure that your Podiatrist has all of the needed information to provide the best possible care for you and help you get the best results in the shortest time. It will also help relieve any unnecessary anxiety you may be feeling.
If this is your first appointment, please fill out and bring the New Patient form [PDF 137KB].
Additionally, please bring with you:
- List of any medications you are taking
- Letters from specialists or any practitioners you have seen for the same condition/issue
- Any relevant medical imaging studies. (ie. xrays, MRI scans)
- Shorts and T-shirt in case a biomechanical assessment is necessary
- Footwear that you wear most often, as well as your sneakers