Treat your feet to something special each day, inspired by the classic holiday tune.

By Christmas, your feet will feel festive and refreshed!

Sorry we can’t help you with those Christmas preparations but at least your feet will be ready!

Day 1: A Partridge in a Pear Tree – Peppermint & Pear Foot Soak

Start your foot care journey with a luxurious “pear tree” inspired soak. Use warm water with Epsom salts and a few drops of peppermint oil for a refreshing treat. Add a hint of pear-scented oil or soap for a festive touch. Relax and let the stress melt away! Remember, comfortable, well-fitted shoes make a huge difference in preventing soreness, especially on those Christmas shopping trips.

Day 2: Two Turtle Doves – Double Treat

For your “two turtle doves” treatment, apply a rich foot cream like CCS Foot Care Cream and lock it in by wearing cozy socks (or bamboo socks) to help the moisture absorb deeply, especially overnight.

It’s also a great excuse for some “me” time—curl up with a festive book and enjoy a sneaky hot chocolate (don’t forget the marshmallows)!

Day 3: Three French Hens – French Lavender Foot Massage

Pamper your feet with a French-inspired lavender oil massage. Warm a little lavender-scented lotion or oil, then gently massage it into your feet, focusing on sore spots. Treat yourself to reflexology with Maria, a perfect way to unwind. Gift vouchers for reflexology are available at Medipod reception.

Day 4: Four Calling Birds – Perfectly Preened Feet

Keep your “calling bird” feet neat and tidy by trimming and shaping your toenails straight across to prevent ingrown nails. Book a standard appointment to have your nails, hard skin, and pesky corns expertly removed. Check availability through our website and get those feet ready to dance the night away!

Day 5: Five Golden Rings – Hydrating Foot Mask

Time for a golden treatment! Indulge your feet with a hydrating Emtrix foot mask with tea tree oil and Shea Butter.

Let the mask work its magic for 20 minutes while you enjoy mulled wine and a mince pie. Your feet will be soft and ready to shop.

Day 6: Six Geese a-Laying – Soothing Stretches

Give your feet a break from holiday errands with gentle stretches like ankle circles, toe curls, and calf raises.

These simple exercises help ease tension, improve circulation, and keep your feet feeling flexible.

Day 7: Seven Swans a-Swimming – Bamboo Sock Day

Slip into soft, bamboo socks today for “swan soft” comfort.

Bamboo socks are breathable, naturally odour-resistant, and perfect for keeping your feet warm without overheating. They also make great gifts!

Day 8: Eight Maids a-Milking – Milk & Honey Foot Soak

For silky-smooth feet, enjoy a “milk and honey” foot soak.

Add milk and honey to warm water for a soothing soak.

The lactic acid in milk gently exfoliates, while honey hydrates, leaving your feet feeling soft and refreshed.

Day 9: Nine Ladies Dancing – Party-Ready Pedicure

Inspired by “nine ladies dancing,” give yourself a festive pedicure! Choose bright colours like red, green, or gold, or add some sparkle. Dr. Remedy nail varnishes are perfect for a healthy, festive look, with hydration treatments that revamp dry nails. Selected colours available at reception

Day 10: Ten Lords a-Leaping – Energizing Foot Massage

Use a tennis ball, foot roller, or even a bottle to gently roll under your feet, focusing on the arches and heels.

This technique relieves tension, especially after a busy day of Christmas preparations.

Day 11: Eleven Pipers Piping – “Snow Day” Foot Care Kit

Create a mini “Snow Day” foot care kit with bamboo socks, travel-sized foot cream and toe warmers. This kit is perfect for a cozy winter night or a thoughtful gift for someone who could use some foot care.
For those of you that suffer from cold feet due to poor circulation try the Gehwol rich red cream. Massage in and let the cream gently warm and moisturise your feet.

Day 12: Twelve Drummers Drumming – Christmas Eve Foot Spa & Movie Night

End your foot care challenge with a spa night. Start with a relaxing soak, followed by a moisturizing massage, and finish by slipping on your bamboo socks. Prop up your feet, grab a cozy blanket, and enjoy a holiday movie to unwind before Christmas Eve.

I hope you have enjoyed the 12 Days of Christmas Footcare Challenge! From all of us at Medipod Clinics would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas, filled with peace, love and laughter.

We thank you for your continuing support and look forward to seeing you in the New Year.

Just remember we have some limited cover over the festive period so that we can continue your care. Please contact us by phone/email and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

Merry Christmas 🙂

Thank you for reading this months blog, 12 Days Of Christmas Footcare Challenge For 2024! .

Stay safe,
Faye, Natalie, Zoe, Mark, Maria, Laura and Julia

http://medipodclinics.com/

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1. How many feet does a slug have?
2. What is another term for a verruca?
3. What is the common term for a Onychocryptosis?
4. How many reindeer hooves power Santas Sleigh and can you name them?
5. How many bones do you have in your feet?
6. What is the average distance a person will walk in their lifetime?
7. What snack do toes enjoy eating?
8. Where would you find a dancing snowman?
9. If athletes get athlete’s foot, what do elves get?
10. Why do feet smell?

Answers – Festive Foot Quiz

1. A slug has a single muscular foot
2. Verruca is another term for warts. Warts are small, rough growths that appear on the skin, typically on the hands or feet. They are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) and can be contagious. Here at Medipod Clinics we have several treatments for verruci – see our website for details.
3. An onychocryptosis is a common term used to describe an ingrown toenail. This occurs when the edge of the toenail grows into the surrounding skin, causing pain, redness, and swelling. It is a common condition that can be caused by cutting nails too short and down the sides, tight shoes, or trauma to the toe. If you have an ingrown toenail, it is best to see a podiatrist as early as possible.
4. There are traditionally 8 reindeers: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen but nine if you include Rudolph therefore there are 36 hooves!
5. There are 52 bones in your feet. (26 bones in each foot)
6. Every day, the average person walks between 8,000 and 10,000 steps. In an average lifespan, this equates to nearly 115,000 miles – that’s more than four trips around the world!
7. Dori-toes!
8. At a Snowball!
9. Mistle-toes!
   Athlete foot commonly causes itching between the toes. Treatments depend on what type of athlete’s foot you have. Over-the-counter remedies are always a good starting point. But if your symptoms. Persist for longer than 2 weeks, you need to see a podiatrist for advice.
10. You have125,000 sweat glands. While they do help keep you cool, they can also be the cause of smelly feet because those sweat glands create fluids. However, you may be surprised to learn that it’s not actually the fluids that make your feet smell. Loads of different bacteria can create their homes on warm, sweaty feet. where they survive on the dead skin cells and oils on the feet. Bacteria create acids as a result and these acids have a foul odour.

If you don’t want your feet to stink, clean your feet daily, wear clean socks with your shoes and avoid the accumulation of bacteria. You could also try dabbing cotton wool dipped in surgical sprit between your toes to reduce the moisture and bacteria. Your podiatrist will be able to advise you.

All of us at Medipod Clinics would like to take this opportunity to wish you a very Merry Christmas, filled with peace, love and laughter.

We thank you for your continuing support and look forward to seeing you in the New Year.

Just remember we have emergency cover over the festive period so any problems and we will be happy to help. Please contact us by phone/email and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

Thank you for reading – Festive Foot Quiz.

Faye, Natalie, Lisa, Maria, Zoe, Claire and Julia

http://medipodclinics.com/

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Looking after your feet is important. Feet are your body’s foundation, so keeping them healthy is vital to your overall health. Years of wear and tear can be hard on your feet and Santa’s feet are no exception.

Christmas is about helping others, giving selflessly and being thankful for what you have! So let’s unfold Santa’s footcare journey!

Footwear Advice

Santa came to the clinic with oversized boots! I just could not believe it! Too much movement of your foot in the shoes creates unnecessary friction and pressure that leads to blisters, corns, and calluses. In addition, your natural stride gets disrupted as you try to keep the shoe in place. This contributes to pain at the back of your heel (Achilles tendinitis) or pain at the ball of your feet (metatarsalgia).
Santa was advised to have his feet measured in terms of length and width, and he was given a couple of different shoe catalogues to help him find some new boots.

Fungal infections

Apparently, Santa has been trying to get rid of his fungal nail infection for many years! He has tried numerous over the counter nail paints but nothing has worked.

There are three types of fungus commonly found on the skin: mould, yeast, and tinea unguium. Healthy skin forms a barrier that protects the body from infection. If the skin gets damaged or unhealthy, issues arise. The warm and moist environment in your shoes and socks allows the fungus to grow. Skin and nails contain keratin, which is exactly what foot fungus needs for growth. Fungal skin is usually flaky and will often peel, crack, itch or burn. The skin may also be dry and red and is often mistaken for extremely dry skin. People tend to apply moisturising cream without much success. If the toenails are infected, they are often yellow, thickened, and brittle and may be lifting from the nail bed.

Looking at the extent of the fungal infection, it was evident that too much nail was involved. If more that 70% of the surface of the nail is affected, it is unlikely that anything over the counter will be effective. So, I had to write to his GP in North Pole to request some oral antifungals to tackle this nasty fungus! If that was not enough, the skin on his feet was also affected.

Therefore, a combination of antifungal agents (creams and sprays) was issued and advised to use for minimum 3 months. Santa’s New Year Resolution is to get rid of his fungus from his feet! Needless to say, I booked him in after Christmas for a review!

Foot Supports

It was lovely to see that Santa has been wearing custom-made foot supports for his flat feet! He told me that he has had them for over 10 years, and it was time to upgrade them. Therefore, we organised another appointment for him for a biomechanical assessment with casting so that we can issue a brand new pair of orthoses for him in time for Christmas.

A biomechanical assessment is a thorough examination of the way you walk including gait analysis. This involves taking multiple measurements from your feet, ankles, knees, hips, and lower back. We look at muscle strength, range, and quality of movement as well as any structural abnormalities. Then, a template of your feet is taken out of plaster of Paris, and a prescription is prepared according to the type of shoes you are wearing and your specific requirements.

At the end, Santa was delighted with the treatment he received. He felt like he was walking on air!

Ho Ho Ho!

If you think you can relate to any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact us.

At Medipod Clinics we take great care of your feet. Our experienced staff will treat your feet with the respect and attention they deserve. Give us a call today on 01455 246100 to chat through your needs.

We also offer a very wide range of treatments such as verruca treatments, ingrown toenail management, fungal infection treatment, heel pain management, diabetic footcare and sports injuries management. I can assure you that we will do our best to exceed your expectations. Our staff will treat your feet with the respect and attention they deserve. For more information and to get in touch, please contact us on 01455 246100. You are also, welcome to visit us at 45 Rugby Rd, Hinckley, LE10 0QA. We will be delighted to see you!

Thank you for reading – Santa Claus is coming to…Medipod!

Faye Vogiatzoglou
Clinical Director

http://medipodclinics.com/

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