Understanding common foot conditions will help you prepare for the cases you'll see during placements.

Common nail conditions

During your placements, you'll encounter various nail pathologies that require podiatric management, including:

• onychocryptosis (ingrown toenails)

• onychomycosis (fungal nail infections)

• onychauxis (thickened nails)

• onycholysis (nail separation)

Speak to your course tutor about:

• progression of nail condition management through your training

• specific assessment techniques for nail conditions

• clinical guidance on when you can treat different nail conditions

• supervision requirements for nail procedures

Skin conditions

Podiatrists frequently manage a range of skin conditions affecting the foot, including:

• hyperkeratosis (callus)

• heloma durum (corn)

• tinea pedis (athlete's foot)

• verrucae (plantar warts)

Speak to your course tutor about:

• diagnostic criteria for different skin conditions

• appropriate student involvement in skin condition management

• referral protocols for complex skin conditions

• infection control considerations for contagious conditions

Musculoskeletal conditions

Understanding foot biomechanics and musculoskeletal conditions is a core part of podiatric practice. Common conditions include:

• plantar fasciitis

• achilles tendinopathy

• metatarsalgia

• hallux valgus (bunions)

Speak to your course tutor about:

• assessment techniques appropriate for your practice

• conservative management options within your scope

• biomechanical assessment progression through training

• orthotic prescription limitations for students

Vascular and neurological conditions

Assessment of vascular and neurological status is essential for safe podiatric management. You'll learn to assess:

• peripheral arterial disease

• peripheral neuropathy

• venous insufficiency

• neurological disorders affecting the foot

Speak to your course tutor about:

• risk stratification tools used in podiatry practice

• your scope of practice with high-risk patients

• emergency protocols for vascular complications

• documentation requirements for neurovascular assessments

Assessment approaches

Systematic assessment is fundamental to effective podiatric care. Key assessment approaches include:

• comprehensive history taking

• vascular assessment

• neurological assessment

• biomechanical assessment

• dermatological assessment

Speak to your course tutor about:

• standardised assessment frameworks used by your university

• progression of assessment skills through training

• documentation requirements for student assessments

• common assessment tools and equipment

• validation of student assessment findings

Standard treatment protocols

Evidence-based protocols guide the management of podiatric conditions. These typically include:

• conservative management approaches

• appropriate referral pathways

• follow-up protocols

• evaluation of outcomes

Speak to your course tutor about:

• treatment protocols appropriate for student implementation

• supervision requirements for different treatments

• record-keeping requirements for treatments

• evaluation of treatment effectiveness

• protocols for managing treatment complications

When to refer to specialists

Recognising when to refer is an important professional skill. Consider referral when:

• the condition is outside your scope of practice

• the patient requires specialist intervention

• the condition isn't responding to treatment

• there are red flag symptoms

Speak to your course tutor about:

• specific referral criteria for common conditions

• referral pathways in different healthcare settings

• documentation requirements for referrals

• urgent vs. routine referral protocols

• student role in the referral process

Patient education resources

Effective patient education is an essential component of podiatric care. Resources include:

• self-care advice leaflets

• foot health promotion materials

• condition-specific guidance

• exercise prescription information

Speak to your course tutor about:

• approved resources for your use in patient education

• evidence-based self-care advice for common conditions

• scope of student involvement in patient education

• evaluation of patient understanding

• digital resources available for patient education