GOING to the dentist to check your teeth or to the opticians to check your eyes is common practice but checking the health of your feet is something people might not consider.

That’s why qualified Podiatrist Katie Eyre, from Sough near Earby, wants to raise awareness of the importance of having healthy feet.

Patients go to the clinic she runs in Barrowford with a range of problems including fungal nails and hard skin on their feet.

It is over two years since Ms Eyre opened Katie Lee Chiropody & Podiatry in Gisburn Road in December 2016.

And the clinic sees up to 12 patients a day and over 2,000 people a year but she wants more people to come forward and use the service.

Ms Eyre, 36, a qualified podiatrist of nine years, said: “I opened the clinic about two years ago in December 2016.

“I’ve been qualified as a podiatrist for nine years.

“The clinic treats people with a range of foot and ankle problems.

“These include fungal nails, thickened nails and skin problems in the feet such as hard skin and corns which is round pebbles of hard skin.”

She said that conditions such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, circulation problems and eczema, can cause problems with the feet.

Left untreated , she said that conditions such as diabetes can lead to foot amputations.

She said: “I hold clinic appointments in Barrowford but also throughout Pendle on a mobile basis.

“I will mainly offer advice to patients and can refer them to GPs with letters or advise them to go to the pharmacist.

“Although I can’t prescribe medication, I can sell certain medication.

Now, Ms Eyre wants to raise awareness of foot health and is supporting The College of Podiatry’s ‘Foot Health Month’ in April.

It takes place every year to promote the profession and the importance of keeping your feet happy and healthy.

Ms Eyre said: “There is a total misconception about the types of people who have problems with foot health.

“It’s not just the older lady but also younger people who want to maintain and keep their feet healthy.

“We’ve had one patient as young as four and the eldest has been 102.

“It really is something of the utmost importance to look after your feet which is why foot health awareness months can only help.

“We try to aim to look after people’s feet to prevent further problems which at their most severe could mean foot amputations from diabetes.”

She added: “People will go to a dentist for six-month check-ups or an opticians for regular eye check-ups, so should people be doing that with their feet?

“Foot health is something some people don’t want to talk about as it can be embarrassing to open up and talk about it.

“Men especially tend to not open up about their health in general.

“So my message would be for people to come forward and check the health of their feet.”

For more information about foot health, people can visit Ms Eyre’s website https://www.katieleechiropody.co.uk/about-me/