Questions people ask before booking

Podiatrists diagnose, treat and prevent conditions of the feet, ankles and lower legs. That covers routine nail and skin care at one end and complex biomechanical problems at the other — heel pain, bunions and toe deformities, ingrown and fungal nails, corns and callus, sprains and fractures, arthritis in the foot and ankle, nerve pain, diabetic foot care, and sports injuries. Podiatrists also prescribe custom orthotics, perform minor nail surgery under local anaesthetic, and give footwear advice.

When something has been sore for more than a couple of weeks, when it keeps coming back, or when the skin or nails have changed. Foot problems rarely resolve on their own, and most are easier and cheaper to treat early. Pain when walking or standing, ongoing heel pain, ingrown or thickened nails, cracked heels, numbness or tingling, recurrent blisters or sores, a change in foot shape, repeated ankle sprains, or uneven wear on your shoes are all worth an assessment. If you have diabetes or reduced circulation, don't wait — small problems escalate quickly on a foot that heals slowly.

No. Podiatry is a direct-access profession in Australia and you can book without seeing anyone first. A referral only matters for funding: a GP chronic disease management plan is what unlocks a Medicare rebate, and some DVA and NDIS arrangements need paperwork. If you have any of those, bring them.

Mostly no. Nail and skin care are usually painless, and minor procedures like ingrown toenail surgery are done under local anaesthetic so you don't feel the procedure itself. Where the problem is already painful, reducing that pain is part of the treatment. Your podiatrist will tell you what to expect before doing anything, and you can ask them to stop at any point.

It depends on what's wrong. A corn or a callus is often one or two visits. A biomechanical problem or a long-standing tendon issue is a plan measured in months, with reviews along the way. Your podiatrist will give you a realistic number after the first assessment rather than before it, and will tell you if it changes.

No. Pain is the common reason people book, but the scope is wider: preventative care, gait and posture assessment, diabetic foot checks and ulcer prevention, skin and nail conditions, wound care, nail surgery, footwear and orthotic advice, and routine foot care for people who can't manage their own nails safely.

Yes. Thickened, discoloured or crumbling nails are one of the most common things people book for, and a podiatrist can confirm whether it's actually fungal before anything is treated — several things look identical, including nail trauma, psoriasis and a bruise under the nail, and none of them respond to antifungals. Treatment usually means reducing the nail, clearing the infected material, and a topical or oral course depending on how much of the nail is involved. Nails grow slowly, so a toenail takes nine to twelve months to grow out fully. See fungal nail treatment.

In Australia, nothing — they're the same profession under an older name. "Chiropodist" was the standard term until the 1970s and is still used in the UK and by some older patients here. In Australia the profession is podiatry, the qualification is a podiatry degree, and registration is with the Podiatry Board of Australia. If you were referred to a chiropodist, a podiatrist is who you're looking for.

A podiatrist is the foot and lower limb specialist: nails and skin, foot and ankle mechanics, orthotics, and conditions from the knee down. A physiotherapist works across the whole body and treats movement and musculoskeletal problems generally. There's genuine overlap around the ankle, calf and knee, and plenty of people see both. If your problem is in the foot itself — or you're not sure whether the foot is causing something further up — a podiatrist is the right place to start.

A university degree in podiatry, and registration with the Podiatry Board of Australia through AHPRA. Registration is not optional: it's an offence to call yourself a podiatrist without it, and it requires ongoing professional development and recency of practice every year. You can check any practitioner's registration yourself on the AHPRA register of practitioners.

Some can, and it depends on their endorsements. Nail surgery under local anaesthetic — removing part or all of a problem nail — is standard podiatry and is done here; see ingrown toenail treatment. Prescribing scheduled medicines requires a separate endorsement that not all podiatrists hold. Reconstructive foot surgery is done by podiatric surgeons, a recognised specialty with additional training, and by orthopaedic surgeons; where that's what's needed, your podiatrist will refer you.

The shoes you wear most, and the ones that hurt if those are different. A list of your medications and any relevant medical history — diabetes and circulation problems particularly. Any imaging or specialist letters you have. Your existing orthotics if you use them. And your health fund card, so we can claim on the spot. If you have a GP care plan, NDIS paperwork or a DVA card, bring that too.

Something that lets your podiatrist see your feet and lower legs easily. Shorts, trackpants, or trousers that roll up above the knee are ideal, especially if your appointment involves looking at how you walk or at muscle and joint function. If you're coming about pain when you run, wear or bring your running shoes.

Whatever you actually want to know. The ones worth asking every time: what do you think is causing this, what are my options, what will it cost, how long should this take, and what should I be doing between now and my next appointment. If you don't understand an answer, say so — an explanation you can act on is the point of the visit.

An initial consultation is longer than a standard one, because it includes a full history and assessment. If you're claiming under a care plan, tell reception when you book.

It depends on why you're coming. A specific problem is usually a short course of appointments and then you're done. Routine nail and skin care is commonly every six to twelve weeks, set by how fast your nails grow and how quickly hard skin rebuilds rather than by a schedule anyone sells you. If you have diabetes or reduced circulation, an annual foot assessment is recommended regardless of symptoms, and more often if you've had problems before.

Every consultation fee and item code is published on our fees and rebates page, so you can see the number before you book rather than at the desk afterwards. What you actually pay depends on your health fund, because we claim on the spot.

Yes. We have HICAPS on site, so your rebate is processed at the desk and you pay only the gap. Bring your health fund card. The rebate amount depends on your level of cover — quote the item code from the fees page to your fund if you want to know it in advance.

On most extras policies, yes. How much comes back depends on your level of cover, your annual limit and any waiting period, and those vary a lot between funds. Your fund can tell you exactly, and the item code they'll ask for is on our fees page.

It can be, under a GP chronic disease management plan. Your GP prepares the plan and can refer you for up to five allied health services in a calendar year — that's five across all providers combined, not five each. Podiatry is item 10962. We can't tell you what you'll get back, because that depends on your circumstances and only Medicare can confirm it — but the item number and the schedule fee are on our Medicare page so you can check.

Yes. Arrangements differ between funding types, so call reception before your first appointment and tell them which one applies — they'll confirm what paperwork you need and what will be claimable. Bring your DVA card or your NDIS plan details with you.

Not here — this is a private clinic and every appointment is charged. Free or heavily subsidised podiatry does exist in Australia, through public hospital outpatient clinics and community health services, and eligibility is usually based on a health care card, a specific condition such as diabetes, or a referral from a hospital. Waiting lists are often long. Your GP is the person who can tell you whether you qualify and refer you. Separately, a GP care plan can rebate part of the fee here — see how Medicare rebates work.

Yes, and a lot of what parents bring in turns out to be normal development — which is useful to know rather than a wasted visit. Common reasons are flat feet, in-toeing, tripping, growing pains, heel pain during a growth spurt, ingrown toenails and plantar warts.

Yes, and routine foot care for older adults is a large part of the practice. Thickened nails you can no longer reach safely, dry and cracking skin, corns and callus, arthritic joints, circulation checks and balance. It's preventative work: a nail that presses into the toe or callus that breaks down changes how someone walks, and that's a fall risk.

Yes, and it's a common time to need it — weight change, fluid retention and the hormone relaxin all affect the feet. Assessment, footwear advice, padding, orthotics and nail care are all used through pregnancy. Shockwave therapy is the exception and isn't used during pregnancy. Tell your podiatrist you're pregnant and how far along at the start of the appointment.

Sometimes, and it depends on whether your feet are part of the cause. Foot alignment changes how load travels up through the knee, hip and lower back, so a biomechanical assessment can identify whether that's contributing. Where it is, orthotics, footwear changes and strengthening may help. Where it isn't, your podiatrist will tell you that rather than treat your feet for someone else's problem.

Podiatrists specialise in the foot, ankle and lower limb, with additional training in nail and skin conditions, minor foot surgery, and prescribing custom orthotics. Physiotherapists work across the whole musculoskeletal system on movement, strength and rehabilitation. For a foot or ankle problem, or for anything involving nails, skin or orthotics, a podiatrist is the more specific fit. For a broader rehabilitation programme, a physiotherapist is.

Orthotics are devices worn inside your shoes that change how load is distributed across your foot as you walk. They do not rebuild an arch, and your foot is the same shape when you take them out — what they can do is take strain off a tissue that's being overloaded. You'll know whether you need them after an assessment, not before: plenty of foot pain is better handled with footwear changes, a loading programme or treatment of the tissue itself, and those get considered first. Where they are recommended, your podiatrist will explain why and what the alternatives were. See foot orthotics.

Seek prompt medical attention for sudden or severe foot or ankle pain, a wound or ulcer that isn't healing, signs of infection such as redness, swelling, pus or fever, new numbness or loss of sensation, or feet that have changed colour — pale, blue or dark red. These can indicate circulation problems, nerve damage or infection. If you have diabetes, treat any of them as urgent.

Wear shoes that fit and suit what you're doing in them. Wash and dry your feet daily, including between the toes, and moisturise everywhere except between them. Cut toenails straight across rather than down the sides. Change socks daily and don't go barefoot in communal showers or around pools. Keep some strength and mobility in your feet and ankles. And book a check if you have diabetes, poor circulation, or a history of foot problems.

The fat padding under the foot thins, joints stiffen and become arthritic, circulation declines, and skin heals more slowly. On top of that there's decades of accumulated wear and whatever footwear habits went with it. None of that is reversible, but most of its consequences are manageable, which is what routine care is for.

Fit first. There should be roughly a thumb's width beyond your longest toe, and the widest part of the shoe should sit at the widest part of your foot. Buy shoes late in the day, when your feet are at their largest. Look for a sole you can't twist easily, a firm heel counter, and adjustable fastening — laces or straps — rather than a slip-on. And match the shoe to the activity: a walking shoe is not a court shoe.