Podiatry is the diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and prevention of health complaints of the feet, ankles and lower limbs. Podiatrists in Australia complete a bachelor degree and spend up to four years training. Whether you have pain in the lower limb, or a pesky problem such as warts or corns, a podiatrist may be able to help you. They can also help athletes to improve performance and function using podiatry techniques such as joint mobilising, bio-mechanical re-training & strengthening exercises.
Podiatry can help people of all ages and abilities. For example, if your healthy, active lifestyle is being held back by foot or lower limb concerns, a podiatrist at Upwell Health Collective in Camberwell can help.
For more information on podiatry, you may wish to read our blog.
At Upwell we treat all podiatric conditions and have an interest in musculoskeletal podiatry. We focus on the prevention, treatment and management of soft tissue and sports injuries of the lower limb and feet. Our areas of expertise include running/sport gait analysis, orthotics, sports footwear referrals, physical therapy of soft tissue including dry needling and exercise prescription to achieve the best results for you. We also treat common foot complaints and provide a general foot care service.
We utilise the most advanced equipment and technology to ensure your outcomes from podiatry treatment at Upwell are the very best they can be.
What makes Podiatry at Upwell unique?
Upwell was created to change the way to way medical services, specifically allied health services, are delivered in Australia. Our vision is to help people who care about their health, to live their best life… and our pillars of innovation, collaboration and inspiration are deeply ingrained in every service offering. Specifically, for podiatry:
What should I expect from a podiatry discovery session at Upwell?
If starting ground-up sounds pretty good to you, click here to make a podiatry appointment at Upwell.
PODIATRY FAQS
What is podiatry?
Podiatry is a physical form of manual and mechanical therapy delivered by a highly trained allied health professional, known as a podiatrist. Podiatry is the assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management of conditions involving the feet and lower limbs.
Read our blog on dispelling the myth that podiatry is all about your feet.
When should I see a podiatrist?
It is recommended that you see a podiatrist when you are:
Experiencing pain or discomfort in your lower limbs or feet
Wanting to know if you’re in the right shoes, or which ones to buy
Curious about how you walk or run and how it may impact you and your movement or performance
Why should I see a podiatrist?
Our feet are a very complex and equally very important part of our body. Our feet are our main point of contact with the ground and if there’s something that’s not functioning properly in your feet, that has the potential to impact the integrity of your body’s alignment.
In each foot there are 26 bones, 33 joints, 20 intrinsic muscles – as well as 13 extrinsic muscles starting in the leg and attaching into each foot and a podiatrist is specially trained on how all of these elements work together, along with the lower limbs.
What training and registration is required of a podiatrist?
A minimum tertiary study period of four years is required to become a podiatrist. A qualified podiatrist will also undertake additional training to specialise in specific areas including dry needling, mobilisation and manipulation, running assessment and running coaching and performance.
How is podiatry delivered at Upwell Health Collective, Camberwell?
Your first appointment at Upwell will be a 45-minute Up and Discover session, which will include:
Objective and Subjective Assessment
Diagnosis and Education
Treatment; and
A discussion about your Care Plan including exercises for you to do at home between appointments.
Following your initial consultation, you will be re-booked into one, or a number of subsequent consultations so that you have every opportunity to achieve your health and wellness goals as outlined in your Care Plan. If we feel your recovery would be assisted by input from any other Upwell services (e.g. exercise physiology, pilates, yoga, massage, podiatry, occupational therapy, personal training etc), we will recommend this as part of Care Plan discussion.
What should I wear to my podiatry appointment?
If your condition or injury involves a certain activity (eg. walking or running) then please wear or bring along clothes that will allow you to be comfortable while doing that activity in our centre and/or on a treadmill. We have changing facilities available so you will be able to change before your appointment should you need to.
Please also bring 4-5 pairs of shoes that you wear most commonly (i.e. your favourites!)
How regularly will I need to see a podiatrist?
This will depend on your health and wellness outcomes as agreed in your Care Plan.
Is podiatry claimable on my private health insurance?
Most health insurance agencies do cover podiatry as part of extras coverage, however we would encourage you to check with your individual provider to confirm. We can provide a quotation on what portion of your appointment fee will be covered under health insurance, so please free to give our Camberwell centre a call on (03) 8849 9096 to discuss this process.
Is podiatry claimable on Medicare?
You may be able to receive a Medicare rebate on your clinical appointment at Upwell Health Collective, Camberwell. In order to do so, you will need to obtain a GP Management Plan or Team Care Arrangements (formerly known as Enhanced Primary Care Plan) from your GP. Once you have your approved plan from your GP, you can then bring that into Upwell Health Collective and receive a Medicare rebate which will cover you for either a full or part-portion of the service fee.
Medicare rebate is available for a maximum of five services per patient each calendar year.
Do I need a referral from my doctor for podiatry?
No, you don’t. Our Podiatrist at Upwell Health Collective in Camberwell is a titled Primary Healthcare Practitioner, which means our patients can access their care without a referral from a GP or specialist. We do however accept referrals from GPs and/or specialists in cases where a GP Management Plan or Team Care Arrangements (formerly known as Enhanced Primary Care Plan) has been developed.
Many GPs and specialists are likely to refer you to seek podiatry intervention and we will work closely with your circle of care to ensure you achieve your health and wellbeing goals.
Podiatry & Orthotics Camberwell, Hawthorn East, Kew, Balwyn, Surrey Hills, Toorak, Glen Iris, Malvern, Ashburton, Tooronga.
