What a podologist does: inside our Mokotów practice

What does a podologist do? A podologist looks after the skin and nails of your feet. They work on changes that make walking difficult and help keep your feet in good shape day to day. People come to a podologist with a corn, a callus, a plantar wart or cracked heels, for example. Others come with a toenail that is ingrown or lifting from the nail bed. At ORTHOPODO in Mokotów we start every visit with a calm conversation and a foot assessment, and only then choose the procedure. We give each visit as much time as it needs. Below we describe what you can come to us with, when it's worth coming in and what your first visit looks like.

What a podologist does

A podologist is a specialist in caring for the skin and nails of the feet. They work on hard skin, corns and calluses, look after thickened, ingrown or damaged toenails and advise you on caring for your feet at home.

What sets podiatry apart from a classic pedicure is the starting point. Podiatry is not only about how feet look: the procedure starts with the question of what exactly is bothering you and where it comes from. We look for the cause. If a corn keeps coming back in the same place, we check what’s pressing on it and tell you what can change. We work with specialist podiatry instruments and follow hygiene standards, and at the end we choose care products and home-care advice for you.

What you can come to ORTHOPODO with

Each topic on the list has its own page:

• onycholysis, a toenail lifting from the nail bed,
• plantar warts, which we work on without a scalpel,
• corns, including corns with a core,
• calluses, thickened skin on the soles and heels,
• cracked heels and very dry skin on the feet,
• ingrown toenails, for which we fit nail braces that guide how the nail grows,
• a bruised toenail after a knock or pressure from a shoe,
• green nail, which develops in the gap under the nail plate,
• thickened and misshapen nails that are hard to trim yourself,
• toenail reconstruction after an injury or procedure,
• podological pedicure, regular care of your feet and nails,
• custom insoles made after foot diagnostics.

You don’t need to know what your problem is called. Just tell us what’s bothering you.

When to see a podologist

You don’t have to wait until something hurts. It’s worth booking a visit if, for example:

• your feet, heels, corns or calluses hurt,
• your heels crack or hard skin keeps coming back despite creams,
• your toenails are thick, misshapen or growing into the skin,
• a nail is lifting, has changed colour or was injured,
• your feet are tired by the end of the day and walking feels uncomfortable,
• you want to look after your feet before any problems start.

An early visit lets us spot changes while they’re still small and easier to work on. If the problem goes beyond podiatry, we’ll tell you which specialist to see.

Why regular foot care matters

Your feet work all day. Long walks around the city, standing at work and uncomfortable shoes make the skin thicken and keep the nails under pressure. Changes build up slowly, so they’re easy to miss until they start to hurt.

Regular visits help you:

• keep your feet and nails looking well cared for,
• walk more comfortably, without hard skin pressing,
• stop corns and cracks from coming back,
• keep your nails trimmed so they don’t grow in.

How often should you come? The skin renews itself in a cycle of about 28 days, which is why a podological pedicure is recommended every 4 weeks. With bigger problems, we set the rhythm of visits after the first assessment.

Who comes to our Mokotów practice

All kinds of people see a podologist, for example:

• active people who walk a lot, run and train,
• anyone who works on their feet,
• people who aren’t happy with how their nails look,
• older people who find it harder to look after their feet on their own,
• anyone who simply wants well-kept, comfortable feet.

You don’t need a serious problem to come in. Podiatry can be part of your regular self-care, not just a response to trouble.

What your first visit looks like

Your first visit starts with a conversation. We ask what’s bothering you, since when, and how you look after your feet at home. Then we assess your skin and nails and how you load your feet day to day. Based on that, we tell you what we can do straight away and what is better spread over further visits.

If you’d just like an assessment and a plan to start with, there’s a podiatry consultation without a procedure. It takes about 30 minutes and costs 90 PLN.

Before your visit, wash your feet and wear comfortable shoes, and bring any test results from previous injuries.

The ORTHOPODO team

ORTHOPODO was founded by Oksana Holovko, a podologist since 2009, orthopodology specialist and lecturer. She leads foot diagnostics and the fitting of custom insoles. About her work she says: “My philosophy is simple: without fear and without aggressive methods.”

She works with podiatry specialists who carry out podological pedicures and skin and nail care. After the procedure you can book a follow-up visit. Meet our team: when booking, you can choose a specific specialist.

Summary

A podologist helps when your feet hurt, and when you want to keep them from starting to. Regular care usually means less hard skin, more comfortable walking and nails that don’t cause trouble.

You can come to ORTHOPODO with any of the problems described here. Our podiatry practice in Mokotów welcomes people who are just starting to look after their feet and those who come back for regular visits.