Littlehampton Natural Health Centre
Welcome to the Littlehampton Natural Health Centre, a multidisciplinary clinic offering various health treatments, with our specialist Podiatrist focusing on the specialised treatment of the feet and ankles. A podiatrist is an expert on feet and ankle-related issues and is able to provide specific care to reduce pain and maintain mobility for all ages. Even if you feel your feet are in good condition it can be worth consulting a podiatrist to carry out an assessment of the feet, as well as giving advice on general foot care.
Our clinic is based in the town of Littlehampton, close proximity to the beach on the south coast of West Sussex. Our practitioners are passionate about promoting natural health and well-being through a positive lifestyle. Not to worry if this doesn’t sound like your current lifestyle, our Podiatrist is here to help! Our Podiatrist specialises in Podiatry for the whole family, providing Podiatry foot care services, treatment, and education on how to maintain healthy feet.
Welcome To Podiatry!
When visiting our clinic in Littlehampton you will be greeted with a big smile by our receptionist! We invite you to make yourself feel at home in our waiting area while you wait. We advise all our patients to arrive at least 5 minutes prior to their appointment; this will allow time to settle into the clinic before the start of an appointment.
We have plenty of on-street parking located in close proximity to the clinic, directly out the front of our clinic and many roads surrounding, making access and parking for our patients easy and stress-free.
If it’s your first Podiatry appointment, or we haven’t seen you for a few years, we like to spend some time getting to know you, or catching up on your life and health situation. This will include an informal chat, a personal history (including details on any past injuries, current medication, and any related conditions), and of course your reason for visiting the clinic. Once we have all the relevant information, your Podiatrist will assess your overall foot health, and focus on what is causing your issue. They will then explain their findings and the necessary stages to help you. If you and your Podiatrist are both happy to proceed and no further information is required, your first treatment will then be offered at your first appointment.
Our Specialities
Our Podiatrist doesn’t just specialise in one area, they have expert knowledge and experience in many areas including;
- Foot & Ankle Rehabilitation
- Diabetic Foot Problems
- Thickened & Painful Nails
- Fungal Nails
- Corn Removal
- Callus Removal
- Foot & Ankle Pain
- Arch Pain
- Plantarfacitis
- Orthotic Prescription
- And much more!
What is Podiatry?
Podiatry is a specialised health profession that deals with the treatment of the feet and ankles. A podiatrist is an expert in diagnosing and treating foot and ankle problems and can provide customized care to alleviate pain and maintain mobility for individuals of all ages. People typically seek out the services of a podiatrist for guidance and treatment of a variety of symptoms and issues, including thickened, painful, or fungal nails, corn and callus removal, diabetes-related foot problems, and ankle or foot pain. Even if you believe your feet are in good condition, it can be beneficial to consult with a podiatrist for a comprehensive assessment of your feet, as well as receive advice on general foot care.
In real-world terms, Podiatrists and Chiropodists carry the same levels of qualification and can offer the same level of foot care, the only true difference is in the title! We offer Podiatry in Littlehampton. At Littlehampton Natural Health Centre you can rest assured that your feet are in good hands.
Our Patients
There are many reasons why patients come and visit the clinic. Some will originally visit us needing help with issues such as plantar fasciitis, ingrown toenails, foot ulcers, ankle pain, or just needing their nails cut, but once they are feeling back to normal, many will keep coming back for occasional check-ups to ensure their foot health is well maintained, stopping any loss of function or pain from returning in future.
At the Littlehampton Natural Health Centre, we have many families visiting the clinic for regular treatments – this includes the children, Mum, Dad, Grandma, and Grandad, everyone is welcome!
We are passionate about sports! Not only do we see patients with sports injuries, but also lots of patients who understand how correctly fitted Orthotics (arch supports and heel lifts) can improve performance in their chosen sport, whilst reducing the chance of injury. Many top athletes use Podiatrists as part of their teams to help them to maintain an optimum gait & improve performance.
Podiatry is a mainstream healthcare profession that helps people from all walks of life.
What is the cause of your Symptoms?
Our feet are a complex web of muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, and nerves. When everything works as it should, everything seems effortless and smooth. However, when one part of this web stops working as it should; normal function turns to dysfunction, which in turn leads to pain, stiffness, tightness, loss of mobility, injury, and many other limiting symptoms.
Unlike painkillers and anti-inflammatories which can mask your symptoms, Podiatrists look to diagnose the main underlying cause of your symptoms and treat these accordingly. To find the cause we take a full case history, and perform a thorough foot examination; this can include a range of motion testing, muscle strength testing, neurological examination, nail assessment, capillary refill, gait evaluation, and other specific functional tests. There may be times when your Podiatrist may need to refer you back to your GP for further tests.
Your Podiatrist will use effective treatments to help improve the health of your feet and get you feeling more comfortable.
Meet our Podiatrist
We are a diverse team at Littlehampton Natural Health Centre, offering a fresh approach to health and well-being. We understand that one approach isn’t always what's needed and often a multi-disciplinary treatment plan can be more effective at achieving your long-term health aspirations.
Podiatrist in Littlehampton
Tom graduated from Southampton University with BSc Hons degree in Podiatry in 2015. Since then he has been working for a private Podiatry clinic where he has been able to gain valuable skills and experiences whilst working with a wide range of patients from all ages and walks of life. Combining his previous education in Sports Therapy, Tom particularly enjoys carrying out biomechanical assessments, helping patients get relief from their symptoms, and improving gait biomechanics.
Tom enjoys his work as a podiatrist, as it allows him to help people of all ages with a range of lower limb issues.
Tom is registered with the HCPC (The Health and Care Professions Council) and is a member of The College of Podiatry.
Common Symptoms
Patients visit Podiatrists with a variety of symptoms. Here you can find out more about some of the most common symptoms, what their potential causes are, and how your Podiatrist can help.
Knee Pain
Foot & Ankle Pain
Leg Pain
Book Your First Appointment Online
If you are ready to start your journey back to foot health, you can book your First Podiatry Appointment in multiple ways. You can either call our friendly reception team on 01903 734373, or you can click the link below to go to our Online Booking page. The ability to book online isn't just available for new patients, this can also be used to book future adjustment appointments, allowing you the flexibility to book appointments at your leisure and from anywhere.
After booking your appointment, you will be sent 2 emails; the first will simply confirming your appointment is booked. The second will include a link where you can complete your New Patient Intake questionnaire, completing this prior to your appointment will allow your Podiatrist to review the information before sitting down to consult with you.
Checklist for New or Returning Patients:
If it is your first time visiting the clinic, or if you haven’t seen us for a few years, we like to spend some time going through your current and previous health and lifestyle, catching up, and ensuring we have a full view of your history. Below are some of the details you will need to complete on your Online Intake Form, or will need to bring along to your New Patient Appointment.
- List of current medications and dosage
- Details of diagnosed conditions (including dates)
- Details of operations and other medical procedures (including dates)
If you are able to complete the Online Intake Form prior to the appointment, this will give your Podiatrist enough time to review these details prior to your appointment. If not, your Podiatrist will run through these with you at your appointment and have the opportunity to review them in-depth prior to your next appointment, more information about these initial appointments is discussed below.
First Appointment - Initial Consultation
Your foot health journey starts here... when you book your first appointment we will email you an online health questionnaire, helping your Podiatrist to build a complete picture of who you are and why you are coming to see us.
Your Podiatrist will then consult with you about your symptoms, how they started, and what makes them better or worse, discuss any previous treatment you have tried and ask some specific questions to help them determine their next course of action. Once your Podiatrist is happy they have all of the information about you and your symptoms, they will then proceed with the physical examination.
The physical examination will vary depending on the reason for your visit. Most examinations will start with a visual inspection of your feet, checking their colour, assessing any areas of inflammation or swelling, and palpating any areas of concern. They will then do various tests for blood flow, check which areas may be painful, assess your range of motion, and then perform more specific tests based on your symptoms. Podiatrists are experts in locating the cause of your symptoms and if needed will perform more advanced physiological and neurological testing.
Following your examination, it may be necessary to refer you back to your GP for further diagnostic testing to ensure it is both safe and appropriate to continue with care, however, this is on rare occasions when your Podiatrist suspects there may be something else causing your issues. These further tests, if needed, will then help to form your Podiatrists rationale for care and ensure you are getting the most appropriate care based on your condition.
Once your Podiatrist is happy they have all the necessary information to assess your case, they will explain their initial findings, and if you are both happy they will proceed with your first treatment. After your first treatment, your Podiatrist will recommend a treatment plan aimed at addressing your symptoms and keeping them under control in the future.
Report of Findings
Following your examination and first treatment, your Podiatrist will then recommend the most appropriate treatment plan aimed at addressing your symptoms. These treatment plans are different for each patient, with the number of treatments, treatment frequency, and length varying significantly. However, most treatment plans typically follow this rough structure;
Phase 1; the first phase of care is typically focused on addressing your initial issue. This varies significantly depending on your issue; an ingrown toenail will require a much longer and more complex treatment strategy compared to a basic nail trim. More complex issues may require treatments at 2 to 6-week intervals, however, more simple issues may only require a treatment 6 to 12 weeks apart from each other.
Phase 2; following the successful completion of the initial phase of care, you will then move into the second phase, which is focused on assuring that your issue does not return in the short term. Here appointment gaps may look to be extended to every 4 to 12 weeks, and may only require 1 to 3 treatments to ensure that you are not having any regression in your symptoms.
Phase 3; by the end of the second phase of care, we would expect the majority of patients to be in a stable and easily maintainable position. Anyone ending care at this point is recommended to keep up with any self-help strategies the Podiatrist may have recommended. For some patients however a schedule of maintenance is required to keep any issues under control in the longer term. Conditions that fall under this maintenance recommendation may include; arch supports (as these can wear out over a period of time), nail trims (for those who are unable to maintain their own nails), certain fungal nail issues, diabetic-related foot issues, those with a tendency for ingrown toenails. Should your Podiatrist think maintenance is the best option for you, they will let you know.
What Does Treatment Involve?
Podiatry treatment can involve many different forms of care. For the most part treatment centers around improving your foot health. Podiatrists regularly help patients with nail and skin problems including ingrown toenails, corns and callous etc, common muscle and bone problems such as plantar fasciitis or sports injuries, wound treatment and reducing the risk of wounds, creating insoles and orthotics to help with foot disorders, health promotion, giving advice on keeping feet healthy and wearing appropriate footwear.
Tom will always take the time to wash your feet in our specialist Foot Bath, always using warm water. This helps to make your feet clean and fresh, ready for Tom to do any work that is required. Tom also includes a short foot massage to help relax you and release tension in your feet. This service helps to set us apart from most other Podiatry clinics locally.
Overall the most important role is in educating their patients in self-management of foot conditions, giving at-home tasks to help maintain foot health and signs to look for when they require a professional approach from their Podiatrist.
Littlehampton Natural Health Centre is a multidisciplinary clinic, allowing your Podiatrist to refer to our Physiotherapist when needed.
Podiatry isn’t only useful for acute or chronic conditions, Podiatrists can also help prevent problems by pinpointing potential issues before they develop further. Prevention of always better than the cure, so maintaining your foot health is key to a healthy and mobile body in the long term.
Common Podiatry Treatments offered by Tom
Orthotics
Podiatrists are very well-trained and experienced in both making and recommending a variety of orthotics for various foot issues. This can include treatment for fallen arches, high arches, foot imbalances causing knee pain, and many other reasons. Speak to Tom about how he can help you.
Nail Cut and File
Cutting, trimming, and filing nails are one of the most common reasons for people coming to visit a podiatrist. Tom is very experienced in trimming even the toughest nails, aiming to make your nails as well-shaped and presentable as possible.
Foot Bath & Foot Massage
Tom will take the time to wash your feet in our specialist Foot Bath, always using warm water. This helps to make your feet clean and fresh, ready for Tom to do any work that is required. Tom also includes a short foot massage to help relax you and release tension in your feet.
Callus & Corn Removal
The removal of calluses and corns is a common request by patients visiting the clinic. Common symptoms can be pain when walking, or standing, or even difficulty putting on and removing shoes. Tom will remove these to help ease your symptoms and manage them in the future.
Fungal & Thickened Toenails
Tom is experienced in both assessing and treating Fungal nail infections. Depending on the severity and how long it has been present will often depend on the approach that Tom will choose. Prior to any treatment, Tom will discuss the best options based on your circumstances.
Biomechanical Assessment
Podiatrists are experts in the assessment of the biomechanics of feet, ankles, and the lower limb. They use this assessment to help diagnose lower limb pains and issues, whether it be from an injury or the way someone walks. Tom will then formalise a treatment plan to help correct it.
Diabetic Wound Care
Keeping diabetic foot wounds clean and well-managed is very important for those who have type 1 or 2 diabetes. Tom has many years of experience in managing these issues and will be able to help manage your body's natural healing of these, keeping the wound clean, dry, and covered.
Heel Pain
There are many causes of heel pain. Tom will perform a thorough assessment of your heels to determine the best course of action to remedy this symptom. Rest assured your feet are in experienced hands, and the most appropriate treatment will be given.
FREE Assessment
If you are unsure whether Podiatry is the right option for you, we would like to invite you to attend a FREE Assessment. This is an opportunity for you to come and consult with our Podiatrist at NO charge. What does the FREE Assessment entail and how could it help you?
- Intake Form - prior to the appointment we are going to ask you to complete a new patient intake form, this will provide your Podiatrist with your health and lifestyle background, allowing them to build a complete picture of your health.
- Consultation - this is where your Podiatrist will discuss your symptoms, and ask leading questions which will help them to gain all relevant and required information to determine the best and most appropriate course of action. This consultation focuses on your symptoms and reason for visiting the clinic. The podiatrist will ask questions about where your symptoms are, what they feel like, when and how they started, and other relevant questions.
- Examination - after your Podiatrist has all of the information they require, they will then perform a brief examination to assess your foot health and try to determine which areas are causing your symptoms.
- Explanation of Findings - after your Podiatrist has consulted with you and examined your feet, they will then explain their initial findings and what they recommend next.
Book Your FREE Assessment
To book this FREE Assessment appointment, please either call us at 01903 734373, or you can Book Online by either clicking the link below or following the steps on this page.
What's Next?
If after your consultation and examination, your Podiatrist is satisfied that they are able to help you and you would like to start your recovery journey, they will then explain the next stages. This could include a more thorough examination of your feet, or any need to refer for further testing. Once they have all the information required, they will look to provide your first treatment. If you do decide to proceed with treatment or any diagnostic testing, these will be chargeable and any costs will be discussed fully with you prior to proceeding.
To book this FREE Assessment appointment, please either call us at 01903 734373, or you can Book Online by either clicking the link below or following the steps on this page.
Frequently Asked Questions
In real-world terms, Podiatrists and Chiropodists carry the same levels of qualification and can offer the same level of foot care, the only true difference is in the title! We offer Podiatry in Littlehampton. At Littlehampton Natural Health Centre you can rest assured that your feet are in good hands. No. We view every patient on an individual basis and formulate treatment plans to suit them. On some visits there may only be one or two areas that require treatment, however, sometimes the many areas and other parts of the body may require attention. During your first consultation, your podiatrist will take a full medical history as well as carry out basic tests. Any concerns can be discussed at this point and if appropriate, minor issues can be identified and treated in the consultation. Further sessions may be necessary, in which case a treatment plan, specifically tailored to your needs can be discussed. Depending on the problem and the treatment offered, you may be given advice on self-care, regular podiatry follow-up consultations, or referral for further treatment with other practitioners. Podiatrists have to complete a 3-year Batchelor of Science Degree in Podiatry. Over the course of this degree, they study human anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, pathology, rehabilitation, differential diagnosis, health & safety, patient assessment, and practical treatment skills. Over the three years, Podiatrists develop their practical skills working on patient assessment, physical screening, and safe effective treatment. Once qualified the learning doesn’t stop, with Tom completing extensive Continuing Professional Development, which includes further training courses, research, and many other learning activities. No, it shouldn't. The majority of treatments are non-invasive and pain-free for most people. We do use instruments such as scalpels to remove hard skin however the vast majority of patients are fine throughout treatment. If at any point your treatment is not comfortable, please let your Podiatrist know. The length of time between treatments varies between individuals and the type of foot problems they have. The average time between treatments is 6 to 8 weeks, however for those going through an active treatment plan for more serious issues may be every 1 to 3 weeks initially. However, most patients tend to book when they start feeling discomfort. Yes. Your Podiatrist has completed over 3 years of training and has many years of experience in practice. Podiatrists are experts in assessing and correcting foot and ankle-related issues. Podiatrists also complete regular Continual Professional Development to keep up to date with the latest research and techniques.
If you’re unsure whether Podiatry is the right option for you please come in for a FREE Assessment. To book this FREE Assessment, please either call us at 01903 734373, or you can Book Online by either clicking the link below or following the steps on this page.
Book Your FREE Assessment Call To Book - 01903 734373
Look forward to seeing you soon!
- Littlehampton Natural Health Centre
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