What is your professional role and when and where did you qualify from?
I’m a podiatrist, and qualified in 1994 from the Northampton School of Podiatry. My role combines postgraduate research and lecturing and an almost full time clinical private MSK case load. I have worked within the NHS and private sector, but have been solely within the private sector now for over 10 years. I am the director of the Podiatry Centre, which has myself and 5 associates supplying most aspects of podiatric care.
Tell us a little bit about what your role covers
My patient caseload is only MSK, including specialised areas such as sports medicine, rheumatology, paediatrics and neurological patients. In my career I have prescribed more than 10,000 pairs of foot orthotics.
I have published papers as part of my MSc and also out of general research interest in orthotic outcomes, first ray function, podiatric MSK theory, gait analysis, taping and specific orthotic modification for patients with a medial STJ axis (the MOSI).
My current research is tied in with my ongoing PhD, and is involved in the clinical application of gait analysis.
Why did you become interested or involved with biomechanics?
Because it is so interesting!
Which research paper has really had an impact on your practice and why?
Cornwall and McPoil’s paper into the validity of subtalar joint neutral theory from 1994. Reading this paper the year I qualified was impossible to make sense. But now the Rootian theory in a clinical situation has become a lifeline to me.
You have designed the BioUnified range. Why?
Having a non-custom orthotic designed to reduce pronation moments while not impinging (and so hopefully helping) 1st ray function simply was not available anywhere until LBG MEDICAL wanted to develop one. Being able to add MOSI modifications is just amazing. This is the quick, easy and comfortable solution I’ve been looking for from a prefabricated orthosis.