TUC & high heels

Celebrating the success at the TUC of the debate on the wearing of high heels in the workplace.

This started in 2007 when I was asked by the Soceity of Chiropodists & Podiatrists to address a Parliamentary select committee on feet. The topic I was asked to speak about was "working feet" so I thought about all the women I saw in my hospital near Heathrow airport and the trouble they had with their feet.

The first group, the clickety clacks as I christened them, were unable, by the set dress code, to wear anything other than heeled court shoes; if we as foot specialists needed to change their shoes, even marginally, with a strap or a buckle we could not. If their foot problem demanded a change of shoes the woman (always the woman) would be moved to a back office position or, worse, be unable to carry out her tasks and therefore lose her job.

So to see this culminate in todays high profile debate, widespread media coverage and an acceptance of the legitimate concerns of the female workforce is a real joy.

NB High heels are a huge topic but not the only one to affect women!

dangers of flip flops!

Having spent a day out at Legoland I had a horrid blister in between my toe! An injury inflicted by flip flops. Really good ones, Havanas, and super comfortable until they caused a blister!
Amazingly sore and a real lesson in foot pain. Rescued by a silicon tube from Supplefeet.

Thongs aka Flip flops

I have only just realised that the word used in Australia for flip flops is thongs! So there is this wonderful sentence in the article on wearing high heels ; "thongs and ballet pumps not being the best option for women" a quote from an eminent senior Australian podiatrist, Mr Brown. He and I were both quoted in the article in The Sydney Morning Herald.

I shall be very mindful of the word difference for the future!

Australian news!

The Sydney Morning Herald has run an article on high heels. They have picked up on an article I contributed to for the Daily Mail and have run with the headline "Heels not arch villains after all".
How amazing and as I have a best friend in Oz (Angela) I do hope she saw it!
Essentially I am quoted as saying that feet are more strongly placed in a high heel that holds the foot and allows it to arch... I agree!

Summer Feet

Summer Foot tips

It is a truth that great feet make cheap shoes look good.

Do remember to get a professional pedicure at the start of the season and then carry out your At-Home treatments on a weekly basis.

Do cut toenails straight across and use a buffer to bring them to a real shine. Our Supplefeet pedicurists start with a horizontal line of polish which really helps give a clean edge to your nail paint. And a lick of glitter paint for at-home pedicures really acts as a super top coat.

So armed with the Supplefeet mantra of scrub and moisturise feet I wish you a pleasant Summer break.

Preparing for Summer feet

Warmer days are an excuse to treat yourself to a sexy new pair of sandals and proudly show off your newly pedicured toes. But how do we keep our feet looking beautifully healthy and sun kissed all summer long?

It is a fact that feet get dirty, especially if you’ve been out walking, or out sight- seeing on holiday. So take some time to care for them and reap the benefits of happy and healthy feet.

At the end of the day wash your feet well; give them a good scrub and follow with a foot massage to your feet with foot cream. Keeping them elevated for 10 minutes helps take the stress of your circulatory system.

Be sure to keep your feet clean and well moisturised: dry, cracking, peeling and sore skin can be the signs of a fungal infection, such as athletes foot, so apply an antifungal medication as soon as it occurs. Don’t forget to apply sunscreen to your feet, especially the tops and in between the toes, 20 to 30 minutes before going outdoors. Then, in the summer months ensure you wear shoes a half size bigger than usual to accommodate any daytime puffiness. If sweaty feet are a problem use an effective anti-perspirant as a final flourish for lovely fresh feet.

As your feet are on display during the summer months, invest in a great pedicure and then maintain your toes at home in perfect condition.

ingrowing toenails

IGTN (ingrowing toenail surgery)
This is a painful condition that occurs when the nail starts to press into the fleshy part of the adjacent skin. It can easily become infected and needs a professional podiatry opinion and treatment.
Painless removal of the spicule of nail can be carried out and if needed a minor surgical procedure to prevent recurrence. This is called a partial nail avulsion with phenolisation.

I had my toenails corrrected in this manner many years ago and have never suffered since.

(for the full picture see my piece on Ingrowing toenails that I did with NHS videos that is available on You tube)

Any questions please do get in contact.