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51 questions – here are the top questions we’re asked every week

Alternatively,  head over to our blog page for our latest blog articles that will help answer your questions.
Foot pain and orthotics (Click here to read more.) 

 1. I have foot pain, should I see a podiatrist or my GP?
A podiatrist specialises in foot pain. We treat foot pain every day. Although GPs have a general understanding of feet they will tend to refer to a podiatrist.

2. What happens in an appointment at Capital Podiatry for sore feet and legs?
Sore feet and legs can be caused by a variety of things. We provide a thorough assessment of your gait and mechanics of your lower limbs. From there we are able to tailor-make a treatment plan.  

3. Will I need to get orthotics?
Our treatments are specific to your needs, therefore we only prescribe orthotics if we think this will be the best option for your issue.

4. What kind of sore feet and leg problems do you treat?
We can treat any type of biomechanical issue involving the lower limb. These may include: plantar fasciitis, bunions, heel spurs, cuboid syndrome, calf pain, achilles tendinopathy, knee pain and hip pain. 

5. How can you help me with heel pain?
We would book you in for a biomechanical appointment. This is a 45-minute appointment. The podiatrist will typically ask you to walk on our research-grade gait analysis system, which shows you in real time what happens when you walk. The podiatrist will then go through the findings – a series of diagrams and statistics which can pinpoint any dysfunctions in your feet, knees or hips. From there the podiatrist will conduct a thorough physical examination followed by treatment, for example with manual mobilisation for stuck joints, fascial massage, shockwave therapy, dry needling and we may also prescribe orthotics. Depending on your condition, the podiatrist will also give you a series of rehabilitation exercises.

6. I experience pain when I go running, what can you do to help with this?
Yes, we use a state-of-the-art gait analysis to help identify what is happening when you walk and run. We have a research-grade machine, Zebris, which has hundreds of pressure pads and is hooked up to cameras. When you run, you will be facing a big screen so you and the podiatrist will be able to see your biomechanics in real time.  From there the podiatrist will show you through a series of graphs and statistics to highlight any issues you may have, which could include how your feet strike the ground or the mechanics of your knees and hips.

7. How long will it take my orthotics to arrive?
Your customised orthotics will take a maximum of two weeks.

8. Are there any exercises I can do at home for first aid to treat my heel pain?
If your heel is inflamed or painful, you may like to consider the first aid principle of POLICE- protection, optimal loading, ice, compression and elevation. We have published our most popular exercise sheets on our website. Have a look for them under our resources tab.

9. Can you email me the video and report of my running session on your gait analysis machine?
Yes, we’re very happy to do this, just ask.

10. How many appointments are typically needed when I have sore feet and legs?
During the initial appointment the podiatrist will advise if you will need any further appointments. As a general rule of thumb, if you’ve been in pain for months, it won’t disappear overnight!

11. What sort of clothes should I wear to an appointment for sore feet and legs?
Wear shorts or loose pants which can be rolled above the knees. Our podiatrists may need to see your knees, especially for gait analysis.

12. I’m getting painful feet first thing in the morning when I get out of bed. Is this something you can help with?
Yes, a common symptom of plantar fasciits is painful feet first thing in the morning that feel better when you’ve walked around a bit, It’s one of the most common issues we see. We can assess and treat your pain and give you some rehabilitation advice to stop this happening again and again.

13. If I have painful feet should I just wait it out, rest my feet and take painkillers, or should I come to you?
When painful feet are caused or aggravated by weight-bearing activity, it’s unlikely to be resolved quickly so we recommend that you book an appointment to have your pain addressed early.

14. What have been some of your success stories for treating people with painful feet and legs?
We’re most proud of the times when patients have been told that they might need surgery. We love that we’ve been able to solve their pain through measures such as mobilisation for stuck joints, dry needling and shockwave.

15. I’m recovering from bunion surgery, and I want some reassurance that the shoes I’ve chosen are the right ones. Is this something you can help with?
Yes, we can definitely help with footwear advice. We find this is really helpful with people who are going back to work and worried because they’ll be on their feet all day. We can treat your feet and also write a footwear prescription that you can take when you’re shopping for shoes.

16. I’ve heard about Shockwave, what is it?
Shockwave is one of our latest tools for treating sore feet and legs. It’s a machine we use which produces radial shockwaves or pressure waves and it’s most useful for treating conditions such as trigger points, plantar fasciitis and chronic conditions such as achilles tendinopathy. We may use shockwave in conjunction with manual mobilisation of stuck joints and dry needling to treat your pain.

17. Why can’t I just buy the cheaper orthotics at my chemist?
There’s no comparison between the custom orthotics we prescribe and the innersoles that you can buy from a chemist. For a start, our orthotics are made from sturdy, long-lasting materials, to last for at least five years. Before we fit you for your pair of orthotics, we do a full biomechanical assessment and gait analysis, to understand your foot mechanics and work out what needs attention. We work out what issues need to be corrected, such as your alignment and foot structure. We 3D scan your feet and your orthotics are 3D printed in a lab that we know and trust. This process gives a completely unique orthotic to suit each individual patient. On the other hand, the chemist-style orthotics come in just a few sizes, their light weight material compresses quickly, and they’re not customised.

18. My orthotics are a couple of years old and the covers look worn out, what can I do?
We can spruce them up with a new cover. We take them right back to basics and rebuild them so they’re as good as new. This process takes a couple of days – for a start it takes a while to break down the glue.

19. What are flat feet?
Flat feet is a broad term, which usually describes when your arch has collapsed. But flat feet can be caused by other things, such as being hypermobile, or it can simply be a family trait.

20. I have a new pair of orthotics, how long will they last?
The orthotics we supply will last at least five years. If the top cover gets frayed in the meantime, we can spruce them up with a new cover. And to help your orthotics last longer, we can also supply a second pair at a reduced price. That would mean that you don’t have to constantly be pulling them out of one pair of shoes to put into another pair.

21. What should I bring to my appointment for sore feet and legs?
Bring along the shoes you use for walking or exercise and bring the shoes you most often wear to work or during the day. We’d also be keen to see any relevant x-rays or imaging reports. Make sure you wear shorts or pants that can be easily rolled above the knee.

22. I have back pain, could my feet cause this?
Yes, everything is connected. If you’re misaligned, this could influence your gait, your posture and your back

Warts (Click here to read more.)

23. I have hard-to-treat warts, I’ve tried everything. Can you help?
We certainly can! Here at Capital Podiatry we provide SWIFT  therapy. SWIFT therapy is a medical microwave technology that is highly effective at resolving warts. A focused microwave signal is emitted into the skin. A process called heat shock occurs within the infected skin cells. This causes the wart to release certain proteins into the circulatory system, allowing the immune system to recognise the infection and begin to fight the virus.

24. My child has warts on the sole of his feet. Do you treat children?
Yes, we use our Swift medical microwave technology and we reduce the power of the waves for children. We have successfully treated many children for plantar warts.

Fungal nails (Click here to read more.)

25. Can you treat fungal nails?
Yes, we have recently transitioned to a cold laser, called the Lunula laser. The Lunula laser stimulates your immune system and blood flow to enable your nails to grow clear and healthy.  The laser light passes through the nail without causing damage to it or the surrounding skin and kills the fungal spores.

26. What happens when I come in for an appointment for fungal nails?
Your first appointment will be with one of our podiatrists, they will confirm that your nails have a fungal infection then trim and file your nails so they’re as neat as possible. They will also take a photo of your nails so we can better compare your progress. You will then have our cold laser treatment which is 12 minutes on each foot. You will have four appointments in all, about a week apart, following the manufacturer’s recommendations. Once you have finished the four treatments, we book you in for a free appointment in three months time for a review. It will be about four months from your initial appointment, and this is the minimum time that we’d expect to see clear nail growing back. At the review, your podiatrist will check your nails against the photo taken on day one, trim and file your nails, and take you for another (complementary) session on the laser machine. 

27. I have hard-to-treat fungal nails. I’ve tried everything. Can you help?
Yes, the Lunula “cold” laser is a revolutionary low-level device bringing new hope to people suffering from painful, discoloured and disfigured toenails associated with nail fungus. It uses low-level laser light to stimulate the growth of strong, clear and healthy nails. 

28. How long does it take to notice a difference after treatment for fungal nails?
We follow the manufacturer’s guidelines and ask you to come back in for a free review appointment three months after your four weekly treatments. Three months is the minimum time it takes for toenails to start growing out and showing clear new nails.

29. My child has a fungal infection in their toenails. Is your laser treatment ok for children?
Yes, our laser treatment is safe and completely painless. Our Lunula laser is a low-level laser and, unlike some other lasers, you don’t need to wear goggles to protect your eyes.

30. It looks like my fingernails have a fungal infection. Can I come to you for that?
Yes, we treat fingernails. Unfortunately, we cannot trim or file your fingernails because our insurance will not cover us for fingernails. However, we can simply treat your fingernails with our “cold” Lunula laser. There is absolutely no sensation and no pain, so the treatment is suitable for fingernails. 

31. Can I paint my nails after fungal treatment?
It’s not a good idea. You could be cross-infecting all your nails with your nail polish brush. We’d advise waiting until your treatment finishes before using nail polish again. You should throw out all your old nail polish and start again with new polish after your treatment.

Ingrown toenails (Click here to read more.)

32. I have an ingrown nail, should I go to the podiatrist for this, or my GP?
Podiatrists treat toenails every day so it’s a better option to see a podiatrist for your ingrown toenails than a GP. If you’re an existing patient, we can definitely help. We’re not accepting any new patients for general nail and skin appointments and this includes for ingrown toenails. If your ingrown toenail becomes chronic, we can talk to you about a simple operation that we can do in the clinic to permanently stop your ingrown toenail from recurring. 

33. When would I book in for nail surgery? What happens in surgery?
If you have a chronic ingrown toenail, we can book you in for surgery. This is a routine operation that we perform at the clinic. What we do is permanently kill the millimetre or so of nail bed on the side that’s causing a problem. Sometimes our patients just need one nail operated on, sometimes two nails. Surgery takes between 45 minutes to an hour and then we schedule two dressing checks after surgery to ensure that you are healing properly.

Opening hours, booking appointments and all the rest (Click here to read more.)

34. What is the difference between a podiatrist and a physiotherapist?
A podiatrist is a medical professional devoted to the treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle, and related structures of the legs. A physiotherapist helps people affected by injury, illness or disability through movement and exercise, manual therapy, education and advice.

35. Do you work on weekends?
Yes, we are usually open every second Saturday.

36. What do the podiatry assistants do at Capital Podiatry?
Our podiatry assistants just about run the place! They do so much. For a start, they support our podiatrists by setting up their rooms in the mornings, cleaning up after each patient and helping with surgeries and orthotics fittings. They also restock the rooms with essential supplies. Then, they work on the administrative side of the practice. They take payments and rebook our patients, they deal with our inbox and help with the marketing. They also treat their own low-risk patients who come in for routine general skin and nail treatments. 

37. Do you work with other allied health professionals such as physiotherapists and osteopaths? How does this help?
Yes, we have set up good trusted relationships with several physiotherapists and osteopaths. Our whole focus is helping people achieve their goals and be the best version of themselves. We think of it as setting up a care team, and we work together to treat your pain.

38. Are your treatments painful?
Generally no, our treatments are not at all painful. For example, our treatment for sore feet and legs is gentle and you can feel it doing you good! Think of it like a massage for your joints. Our laser for fungal nails is absolutely pain free. Our Swift treatment for warts can be painful, but we can dial the power right down for you and the treatment is quick.

39. How are your instruments sterilised?

We use the most up-to-date sterilising processes. We have a dental-grade autoclave and our whole process is regularly audited by ACT Health.

40. What is your full range of services?
Our practice is primarily focused on biomechanical services, which means treating painful feet and legs. Our services include gait analysis, prescribing orthotics and a range of services including mobilising stuck joints, dry needling, shockwave therapy rehabilitation exercises and more, all aimed to reduce your pain. We also offer “cold” Lunula laser for fungal toenails and fingernails. And we have Swift microwave therapy to treat those hard-to-treat warts. 

41. Can I use my private health insurance at Capital Podiatry?
Yes, we have HiCaps and we take all private health insurance cards. We can also give you a quote on our services. Some private health insurance firms now have card-free claims and we’re set up for these.

42. Can I use Zip Pay or Afterpay?
Yes, our clinic offers both.

43. I’m embarrassed about how my feet look, how will you make me feel comfortable?
We see feet every day all day. We pride ourselves on being a friendly, welcoming practice. We’re here to treat your feet and make you feel comfortable.

44. Where are you? Where should I park?
We’re in Homeworld in Greenway. There is two hours free parking in the Homeworld carpark. We’re in the arcade with all the cafes.

45. What products do you sell?
Our biggest-selling products are foot creams for dry and cracked feet. They’re from our medical supply company and they have a high concentration of urea, an essential ingredient for treating dry feet. We also sell a lot of therabands for rehabilitation exercises. We can order supplies such as nail clippers.

46. Do you treat kids?
Yes, we treat children for issues such as painful feet and legs and plantar warts.

47. Is it worth going to a podiatrist?
Many of the conditions we treat don’t go away by themselves. For example, many of our patients with sore feet and legs book in to see us after trying to manage the pain themselves for six months or even two years. 

48. How can I book an appointment?
You can book most types of appointments online or give us a call on 62933300 during business hours.

49. Do you offer home visits?
Unfortunately no, we don’t. We can recommend Eric Sutherland, who runs a home visit practice from his base in Fisher.

50. How long will my appointment be?
Our new biomechanical appointments – for sore feet and legs – are 45 minutes and returning biomechanical appointments are 30 minutes. Our first laser appointments – for fungal toenails – are 45 minutes and returning laser appointments are 30 minutes. Our wart treatment appointments are all 30 minutes. Our appointments for general treatment – nails and skin – are all 30 minutes.

51. Do I need a referral to come and see you?
You don’t need a referral to see one of our podiatrists, call our clinic to book an appointment.

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