32 THE PRACTICE BUSINESS HOW TO...
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THE PATIENT REALLY DOES KNOW BEST
All podiatrists should listen to their patients, but it’s particularly important with high-level sportspeople and dancers who know their bodies incredibly well. Although you are the professional, dancers and athletes know their feet much better than you do. The best thing any podiatrist can do initially is just to talk to them about what they like and don’t like.
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Treat dancers and athletes For podiatrists, the world of professional sports and dancing is less about finding marginal gains, and more about ruling out marginal pains, explains Royal Ballet podiatrist Denzil Trebilcock. Interview Matt Lamy
FORGET CLASSICAL ENUCLEATION
Some dancers like to keep a little bit of hard skin because they know that provides protection for them. In dance, there are a lot of shearing forces and friction. If you’re treating someone who is dancing that night and they can’t really put too much padding in their shoe – and you’re going all the way down to a classical enucleation or debridement – then they are going to be quite sensitive after that process. It’s got to be a balancing act of not going too far but still taking enough off to relieve pressure.
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NO PROBLEM TOO SMALL
Always be aware of any niggling problems and treat them as quickly as possible. I’ve looked after a world champion boxer. He came to me with something very small and simple to treat, which he knew would affect how he generated his power. At elite level, small issues with the feet can actually lead to major compromises in performance. T H E P O D I AT R I ST J U LY/AU G U ST 2 0 2 1
32-33 THE PRACTICE HOW TO_THE PODIATRIST JULY AUG_Podiatry Now.indd 32
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