I am Maise Cunill y Rubio, podiatrist. My professional career began in the world of healthcare and alternative therapies and, specifically, it was through foot reflexology that my interest in feet emerged and, from there, I went on to study a degree in podiatry.

Currently, I am the podiatrist at Clínica Santa Creu and I also pay special attention to the elderly, visiting them in residences and day centres.

Podiatry is a branch of medicine that deals with the study and care of the feet, anatomy, pathology, medical and surgical treatment.

From the moment we start walking, our feet take us everywhere we go throughout our lives and, in general, I don’t think we give them the attention they deserve. It has to be said that in daily consultations you realise that there is a lack of knowledge about this speciality and that people don’t really know what podiatrists do.

Feet are fundamental to our wellbeing and, above all, to our health. Some very common problems, such as back, hip or knee pain, can have their origin in the feet. For this reason, we recommend an annual visit to the chiropodist to prevent future pathologies. As Leonardo da Vinci said: “The human foot is a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art”.

The choice of a shoe goes beyond aesthetics, it is important to acquire healthy footwear habits and it is necessary to make an appropriate use for each of the stages of life.

At the Santa Creu Clinic we offer a global foot health care service, adapted to the needs of each person. We offer a chiropody service, which is the therapeutic cutting and milling of nails with delamination of hyperkeratosis, known as the removal of hard skin. We treat the enucleation of helomas, popularly known as chicken’s eye or callus; the different dermatological pathologies of both the skin and nails, and the removal of plantar warts. We make bandages for different types of injuries, we make silicone pieces to protect the toes from rubbing or to align deformities, we make customised insoles depending on the pathology and we also perform outpatient surgery.

The most common surgery in the practice is incarnate nail surgery or onychocryptosis. This is a condition that occurs when the edge of the toenail penetrates the skin of the toe, causing pain, poisoning and inflammation. We also find different pathologies of the nail where a partial or total resection of the nail is necessary. Other bone pathologies of the foot such as galindones, claw toes or hammer toes must be scheduled and we treat them in the operating theatre.

Of course, at the slightest discomfort, you should go to the podiatrist to avoid infection and all the problems that this entails.

As soon as we detect any anomaly: accidental injuries, unexplained pain, unusual discoloration of the nails, skin… At any age, from young children to the elderly.

We highlight onychomycosis (nail fungus), athlete’s foot (skin fungus), helomas (chicken eyes), bromhidrosis (bad smell), hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), hyperkeratosis (hard skin) and incarnata (ingrown nail).

When the fungus infects the nail, it grows and destroys it, making it weak and causing pain. Moreover, as it is contagious, it can affect all the nails, and this requires long-term treatment. In the case of the skin, it also causes a lot of discomfort such as scaling, pruritus (itching), inflammation and irritation. In both cases it has to be treated.

That’s right, there is a classification, on a general scale, of three criteria based on different aspects. The first, depending on the back of the foot or the type of footprint, known as pronator, supinator or neutral foot. The second is based on the shape of the arch of the foot, is it flat or hollow (cavus). The third, depending on the length of the toes, is known as Greek, Egyptian and square.
In the case of younger children, if parents see any alteration in their feet, is it enough to tell the paediatrician or is a visit to the podiatrist also necessary?

The first contact is with the paediatrician, but it is important to let the foot develop naturally. The paediatrician will monitor it, but if he or she sees any alteration, he or she will recommend parents to visit a podiatrist.

The choice of a shoe goes beyond aesthetics, it is important to acquire healthy footwear habits and it is necessary to use them appropriately for each of the stages of life. There are scientific studies that confirm that a large part of pathologies in adulthood are due to the use of inadequate footwear, or due to an incorrect adaptation of the same. Currently, I have presented to different entities a podiatric prevention programme for children’s feet, to explain and advise parents on the importance of a good adaptation of footwear during the growth stage.

Diabetic foot is one of the most common diabetic disorders. Diabetes is a condition in which blood glucose (sugar) levels are too high. These high glucose levels damage the nerves and blood vessels in the feet; damage to the nerves can lead to numbness, tingling, pain or loss of sensation and increased susceptibility to infection. For all these reasons, diabetic feet require very special attention with appropriate treatment to avoid serious consequences. Podiatry is vital to prevent and treat this disease.