Some of the treatment modalities offered to Podiatrists are expensive to purchase, and may not live up to sales claims. I’m thinking particularly of laser therapy for fungal nails. This is a treatment which I discussed at length with a member at Conference the year before last. It is not particularly highly thought-of amongst those “in the know”.

I was thinking about laser therapy last week for some reason, when something else which has been on the periphery of my new treatment modality radar popped up, in the shape of a rep wanting to publicise his diagnostic ultrasound machines.

These are expensive! the black and white basic model is over £4,000.00. The top-of-the-range colour hi-definition model is over £10,000.00. But they do work. They can be found in various NHS departments where they are used to pinpoint soft tissue injury, and to grade severity, and I think they can also be used to guide a needle for cortisone injections.

So, useful in Podiatry? In general footcare, no. But in a Sports Podiatry practice, or injection therapy, probably.