Meet our new Podiatrist Scott Blake!
Body & Soul: What brought you to Shanghai and Body & Soul?
Scott: I came to Shanghai with my partner who had a career opportunity here. I was fortunate enough to find Body & Soul and connect with the previous podiatrist, Vaishali Patel, who was preparing to leave. It was wonderful to be able to come in and fill the needs of the patients she had been helping. I look forward to getting to know the rest of the Shanghai podiatry patients and working with the team here at Body & Soul.
Body & Soul: What are some of your special areas of expertise in podiatry?
Scott: I have a lot of experience with ingrown nails. Ingrown toenails are quite a common problem everywhere and a lot of the Shanghai podiatry patients seek help for ingrown nails. In addition to regular maintenance of ingrown nails, I have experience with nail wedge resectioning surgery for more severe/chronic cases. I have also worked a lot with biomechanics…joint movement, how the person walks, and assessing biomechanical factors that may be contributing to aches and pains. Often the patient comes in because of foot or knee problems and may be referred by a physiotherapist or other practitioner.
Body & Soul: What types of podiatry issues have you been addressing so far in your time at Body & Soul?
Scott: The biggest percentage of Shanghai podiatry patients come in for ingrown toenails. Additionally, I see issues like corns, calluses, fungal infections and cracked heels/fissures. The Shanghai expat population tends to be a fairly healthy, working age group and Body & Soul’s focus on wellness means that the patients tend to have good health generally. They usually want to maintain good health and conservatively treat issues that come up so they don’t cause further problems or pain.
Many patients are very active and put a lot of wear and tear on their feet just walking the hard streets of Shanghai, so I also see foot pain with different causes…plantar fasciitis, bunions, or something related to injury or footwear. I can analyze biomechanical issues and provide footwear counseling and treatments. Orthotics can be helpful for issues like bunions and foot pain. Fortunately, we have a specialist in orthotics here at Body &Soul, our chiropractor Herman Szeto, who gets them specially made in Hong Kong. By addressing pain early, we can help patients stay active and healthy so they can keep up with their busy lifestyles. By managing issues like bunions conservatively, we strive to help patients prevent the need for surgical intervention.
Body & Soul: Can you offer a few quick tips for keeping our feet healthy?
Scott:
- Shoe fit is essential (anything that is too tight or too loose can worsen ingrown toenails and bunions and cause foot pain, corns and more).
- Consider the style and comfort of the shoe. Minimize wearing ultra-high heels (and make sure they fit well and have a more conservative angle…i.e. less pressure on the front of the foot).
- Keep feet moisturized, especially during dry winter months. For more on winter foot health in Shanghai make sure you go through Scott’s article about winter foot care!
Click here or call (+86 21) 5101 9262 to make an appointment with Scott for any of your Shanghai podiatry needs.