Best foot forward

Advice is also given about caring for your feet. If you have an in-grown toenail, for instance, the chiropodist will show you how to cut it, not too short or down the sides, to prevent recurrences. You will probably be advised to stop wearing tight shoes with high heels that are the cause of many foot problems.

What is it good for?
Chiropody can help all kinds of foot and lower limb problems, such as corns, verrucae, athlete's foot, chilblains, sweaty feet, calluses, in-growing toenails, heel pain (plantar fasciitis), gout, bunions and other toe deformities, as well as problems associated with diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and elderly feet.

What to watch out for
Looking for a chiropodist in the Yellow Pages reveals a confusingly wide range of letters after names. Only state-registered chiropodists who have a three-year Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Podiatry are recognised by the NHS and are entitled to call themselves 'state-registered.' They are members of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists and their qualifications approved for NHS practice in 1954.

Look out for the letters SRCh (State Registered Chiropodist) and MChS or FChS (Member or Fellow of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists). FCPod(Surg) means a Fellow of the Faculty of Surgery of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists. DPodM (Diploma in Podiatric Medicine) is an older qualification that has been replaced by BSc (Hons) Podiatry.

Other practitioners call themselves chiropodists and podiatrists and even say they are 'registered' or 'fully qualified', but their training is not as thorough as state-registered practitioners. Some have gained diplomas after a two-year distance learning or one-year full-time course, but others may have done as little as 12 correspondence lessons and ten days' practical training. State-registered chiropodists are concerned that inadequately trained practitioners may cause damage by prescribing the wrong kind of shoe inserts that can make a situation worse, failing to recognise symptoms of diabetes or not maintaining adequate standards of hygiene or sterilisation of instruments.

How much does it cost?
If you are elderly or suffer from diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis, you will be a priority for NHS foot care, although it may not be available in all areas. Private fees vary according to location and the practitioner's experience, but £25-£30 for 30-40 minutes is average.