Frequently Asked Questions

Your toe nails should be even with the ends of your toes. Trim or file your nails straight-across. Do not cut into the corners, and do not cut a “V” in the free end of the nail. If your nails are especially thick, file them gently with an emery board, after your foot bath. If they are ingrown or infected, call our office for treatment.

If you have poor circulation or diabetes, avoid circular garters. Do not expose your feet to very hot or cold water and do not sit with crossed legs. Never attempt to cut corns or callouses. Do not smoke, as this seriously hinders blood circulation to the legs and feet. It is also recommended that a proper foot assessment be performed in order to assure that proper care and maintenance procedures are followed

Naturally you want your child to be strong and healthy and your podiatrist will lead you and your child to healthy feet. Those little developing feet which will have to carry the entire weight of the body through a lifetime of standing, walking and running, are composed of 52 bones. This is 25% of all bones in the body, plus, there are many muscles, tendons, ligaments, arteries, veins and nerves in your feet. Because the feet of young children are soft and pliable, abnormal pressures can easily cause deformities.

The Canadian Podiatry Association points out that many adult foot ailments have their origin in childhood and that periodic professional attention and foot care when needed, can minimize problems in later life.

The beneficial effects of sports activity on the heart and lungs and overall conditioning are well documented. The positive mental effects have been found to be most desirable as well. In return, sports activities demand much of the body’s stamina and agility. Many parts of the body undergo considerable stress during play, and the feet, which provide all-important mobility, are high on this overworked list!

Neither serious athletes nor “weekend” athletes can fully avoid an injury list, which includes: ankle sprains, pulled muscles and ligaments, tendonitis, stress fractures, heel spurs, bone bruises, calluses, blisters and others.

The following is a list of do’s and don’t’s for persons engaging in physical activity:

The average person walks an average of 184,000 km during their lifetime.

• Do specific flexibility and warm up exercises prior to your sport. On completion of the sport, stretch and cool down gently
• Strengthen surrounding muscles that are not used very much in the engaged sport.
• Powder your feet and shoes. This will absorb moisture and reduce friction.
• Use moisture wicking socks to provide the best foot environment and to enable the feet to breath more easily.
• If you have a blister or a friction problem, use vaseline and gauze.
• Always use the right shoe for the right sport.

• Don’t try to run through pain.
• Don’t try to do too much too soon. Build up your level or duration gradually.
• Never take pills to mask pain.
• Don’t attempt a 100% workout in the following conditions:
  • Extreme conditions of heat or humidity.
  • After a full meal
  • If you have a fever.
  • If you are just back from a layoff or injury.
• Use “R.I.C.E” for treatment of injuries (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation)

Yes.  Laser treatments for toenail fungus are the safest, most effective way to treat this kind of toenail infection.

There is an 86%-90% chance of success with this treatment. We try to raise that percentage by giving the patient added “homework” to do at home.

Not right away.  Results will show in the re-growth of the toenail. Some patients will see results failry quickly depending on how quickly the nails grow.  It takes several months for the toenail to grow out completely.

Typically 3 treatments are needed in total.  In some cases, additional touch up treatments may be needed depending upon the severity of the fungal infection.

No.  There is no pain associated with the laser.  What you will feel is a warming sensation on the toenail.

Costs vary from $300.00 to $1200.00 for laster treatment.  If additional touch up treatments are needed, there will be a cost associated on a per treatment basis.

Some private insurance companies will cover a small portion of your laser treatment.  If you are unsure, please ask your insurance company if they will cover “Laser surgery under Podiatric care”.

Wear properly fitted shoes with round toe style, and a fairly high toe box which will not cause pressure on the toes. Wear the lowest heel with which you feel comfortable. Consider crepe or rubber soled shoes to reduce the jarring forces of concrete, terrazo and other hard surfaces.

When purchasing footwear for use with orthotics devices, always make sure shoes have removeable insoles, a stiff heel counter, and a stiff sole (w/ shank if possible)

Properly fitted ski-boots are essential. They should fit snugly, but not uncomfortably. Toes should wriggle, but the heel, instep, and the ball of the foot should be effectively immobilized. Fit comes first. If a boot is not comfortable when you try it on in the shop, you will not ski well.

For adults and children, skates should be tried on over skating socks–preferrably a combination of orlon, cotton and nylon.

The heel should be pulled back to the heel cup of the boot, and the toe should come close to the front. A boot should provide excellent support, particularly in the arch in order to avoid foot fatigue and injury.

Finally, skaters with structural imbalances will function better with the aid of balancing insoles or orthotic foot devices. We, as sports-oriented podiatrist can be helpful if a skater has reason to suspect structural imbalances.

A podiatrist, also called a doctor of podiatric medicine, is a specialist who provides medical diagnosis and treatment of foot and ankle problems, such as bunions, heel pain, spurs, hammertoes, neuromas, ingrown toenails, warts, corns and calluses. A podiatrist also renders care of sprains, fractures, infections, and injuries of the foot, ankle and heel. In addition to undergraduate medical school training, podiatrists also attend graduate school for a doctorate degree in podiatry. Podiatrists are required to pass provincial and national exams, as well as be licensed by the province in which they practice.

Currently, there are an estimated 70 registered podiatrists in Ontario. Podiatrists are in demand more than ever today because of a rapidly aging population. In addition, according to the Canadian Podiatric Medical Association, foot disorders are among the most widespread and neglected health problems affecting people in this country.

Typically, podiatrists:

• Consult with patients and other physicians on how to prevent foot problems.
• Diagnose and treat tumors, ulcers, fractures, skin and nail diseases, and deformities.
• Perform surgeries to correct or remedy such problems as bunions, clawtoes, fractures, hammertoes, infections, and injuries to ligaments and tendons.
• Prescribe therapies and make use of diagnostic test results including ultrasound and lab tests.
• Prescribe or fit patients with inserts called orthotics that correct walking patterns.
• Treat conditions such as: bone disorders, bunions, corns, calluses, cysts, heel spurs, infections, ingrown nails, and plantar fasciitis.

Remember this about podiatrists: around the world, no segment of the health profession sees and treats more foot problems day by day than a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine. If symptoms develop, see your podiatrist promptly. We only have one pair of feet to last a lifetime!

There are differences in the scope of practice between podiatrists and chiropodists, with podiatrists having a broader scope of practice than that of chiropodists.

In Ontario, new podiatrists are not being registered as podiatrists. Instead, they are licensed as chiropodists with the inability to perform many procedures such as hammertoe or bunion surgery, which involves working on the bone.

Even if a DPM (doctor of podiatric medicine) is highly qualified with postgraduate surgical residencies, he/she must be registered as a chiropodist and cannot perform theses procedures in Ontario. DPM’s registered in Ontario prior to 1993, face no such restrictions and can perform bone surgery.

In our practice, we also refer some cases to qualified DPM’s in Quebec where no such restrictions apply.

Each province determines its own health standards, and chiropodists are not entitled to practice in British Columbia, Alberta, and Quebec. In fact, Ontario is unique in Canada with these restrictions on accepting new podiatrists.

Regardless, we are regulated by the same governing body

We are required by law to follow the rules and regulations of both the Canadian Federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act and the Province of Ontario’s Personal Health Information Protection Act.

More information on these acts can be found through the Canadian Government’s portal web site and the Ontario Legislation’s portal web site.

Our privacy policy can also be viewed via the link on our homepage

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