Consultation Process
All new patients have a 30 minute consultation and patients
attending Cloth Fair will be sent a detailed questionnaire to
complete in advance. The new patient consultation will enable us to
assess your problem, discuss the treatment options with you and
detail a treatment plan.
Should you have a complicated problem or require a detailed
biomechanical / gait assessment, then we would recommend you
schedule a gait analysis appointment at the same time (see below).
This is particularly beneficial if you are travelling a long way or
need to implement a treatment plan quickly. However, we do not
advise a gait analysis if you are in significant pain as this will
effect the assessment.
What to wear to the consultation
We often need to assess knee and hip function, so clothes that
allow easy access are preferable (e.g. shorts etc.). If your shoe
style varies, please bring a selection of shoes so that these can
be assessed.
Sports patients should bring their sports shoes. We sometimes
use specialist insoles that enable us to analyse the forces
underneath the feet during walking. These insoles are placed in
your shoes and linked to the computer. It is therefore preferable
that you bring your most commonly worn shoe and try to avoid ankle
boots or sandals.
Assessment & Treatment
In addition to standard assessment techniques, we utilise video
and computerised gait analysis with treatment including advice,
exercises, mobilisation techniques, footwear advice and provision,
simple shoe inserts, custom made shoe inserts and foot surgery. It
is therefore difficult to determine the most appropriate options
and length of treatment for your case until you have been assessed.
However, it is our intention to provide you with an effective,
evidenced based treatment plan that enables you to return to normal
activity with the minimum of intervention.
Gait analysis, casting and orthotics issue are generally
performed by associates to minimise the cost of treatment.