Musculoskeletal Podiatry

Aims of the Service

 

The Musculoskeletal Podiatry Service in Cornwall aims to diagnose and treat musculoskeletal conditions of the foot and ankle as well as musculoskeletal conditions in other parts of the body resulting from foot and ankle dysfunction. Biomechanical assessment and gait analysis are incorporated into the assessment process to identify mechanical abnormalities that could predispose to these conditions and affect their management.

 

Referral to the Service

Patients can be referred for conditions according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria below.

Podiatry Service Referral Form Available Here

 

Inclusion Criteria

 

Painful, benign musculoskeletal conditions

This includes pain of soft tissues, bones and joints.

• Referrals may be made when such pain occurs within the foot and ankle.
• Referrals may also be made for musculoskeletal pain proximal to the foot/ankle, if the pain is related to foot and ankle dysfunction.

 Foot and Ankle Deformity

• Fixed deformities: Referrals can be made when pressure redistribution techniques, shock attenuation and stability are required

Neurological problems

• Referrals may be made for neurological symptoms resulting from foot/ankle dysfunction
• Referrals may be made for foot and ankle dysfunction resulting from neurological conditions

 

Exclusion Criteria

• Lumps or bumps eg ganglion/masses
• Acute traumatic conditions
• Severe unremitting pain
• Where serious pathology is suspected eg fracture, tendon rupture
• Where immediate surgery is indicated

 

 Location of clinics and to whom to refer 

Musculoskeletal clinics take place in all the larger podiatry clinics, throughout Cornwall. They are coordinated by the specialist musculoskeletal podiatrists within their respective regions whose contact details are listed in the below table along with the location of their clinics.

 

 

Specialist Podiatrist	Contact details	Location of clinic
Sarah Powlesland	Podiatry Department Liskeard Hospital Clemo Road Liskeard PL14 3XA Tel:  01579 335203	-Liskeard Hospital -Bodmin Hospital -St Austell Community Hospital
David Haines	Podiatry Department Truro Health Park, Infirmary Hill Truro TR1 2JA. Tel:  01872 354321	-Falmouth Health Centre -Newquay Hospital -Truro Health Park
Beverly Bowring	Podiatry Department Penzance Health Office Bellair Alverton Penzance TR18 4TA Tel:  01736  575517	-Camborne Redruth Community Hospital -West Cornwall Hospital, Penzance (please send Penzance area referrals to Bellair Health Office)

 

Please send your referral to the nearest musculoskeletal clinic (please see above) where it will be paper triaged by the specialist podiatrist and sent to the relevant podiatry clinic.

 

 

 

Date reviewed                     25/06/2019

Next review due                  25/06/2020

Sifter name                          Dr Rebecca Hopkins

 

Consultant name + any other contributors    Dr Natalie Dawes

 

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