Foot Health Practitioner (Advanced)

There is no greater satisfaction than to care for others, and our Foot Health Practitioner course gives you the opportunity to accomplish this in your own practice. The human foot is one of the most complex and neglected of body parts. Every step we take places 2.5 times our body weight on the 26 bones that make up each foot, and it has been estimated that we walk 3 times around the planet in a lifetime. The foot is highly sensitive, and like any machine part, suffers wear or damage when injured or stressed beyond its capability.

Here's where you come in. Though there may be little wrong with their feet, circumstances may prevent people looking after them. Arthritis, painful hip joints or stiff knees may put their feet out of reach or prevent use of scissors or nippers. However, others do have problems with their feet, from corns, calluses, verrucae, flat-foot and bunions, to nail conditions and structural defects, many of which can be treated without surgery or medical intervention. Some people just enjoy being pampered or are concerned with maintaining their bodies in optimum condition. All of these people need the help of a Foot Health Practitioner: a professional trained to deliver care and advice either in a private surgery or in the home.

This course is made up of twelve lessons of theory training, which you complete from the comfort of your own home, and two weeks of practical foot health practitioner training, which is completed at one of our state-of-the-art Foot Health Training Centres.

Syllabus

Lesson 1:

Intro/ organisation/ tissues/ cartilage/ ligament/ tendon/ bone/ fractures/ skeletal development/ the human skeleton/ leg skeleton/ foot skeleton/ anatomical planes/ terms of reference/ foot arches

Normal stance and posture/ pes planus/ articulations/ tendons/ retinaculae/ movement/ pes plano-valgus

Lesson 2:

Muscle tissues/ structure/ groups/ muscles of the leg and foot, HAV limitus/ rigidus/ metatarsalgia/ arthritis/ gout/ sprains/ treatment of pes plano-valgus

Lesson 3:

Blood structure/ heart/ vessels/ circulation/ arteries/veins/ capillaries/ respiration/ circulatory disorders/ atherosclerosis/ stenosis/thrombosis/ ulceration/ varicosity/ pulses/ blood borne disease/ pathogens/ fungi/ viruses/ bacteria/ exercise and the cardiovascular system/ disinfection and sterilisation

Lesson 4:

Integumentary system/ skin hair and nails/ normal function and growth mechanisms/ homeostasis/ instruments / skin pathologies-corns, callus, etc/ nail dystrophies/ peripheral perfusion/ tissue viability/ gangrene/ malignancies

Lesson 5:

Materia medica/ antiseptics/ styptics/ varnishes/ creams/ pre and post ops/ cleanliness and personal hygiene/ self-presentation/ diagnosis/ prognosis/ records and book-keeping/ styles of practise

Lesson 6:

Lymphatic circulation/ relationship to blood circulation/ lymphoedema/ path of infection/ route of metastasis/ when and how to refer

Lesson 7:

CNS/ ANS/ nerve supply to foot sensation and pain/ areas served by individual nerves/ peripheral circulation examination/ Raynauds syndrome/ neuropathy/ neurological examination

Lesson 8:

Endocrine system and hormones/ diabetes mellitus and its significance/ neuropathy/ paddings and dressings

Lesson 9:

External respiration/ gaseous exchange in the lungs/ internal respiration/ measurement of blood pressure/ the ankle brachial pressure index/ varicose veins/ skin disorders and conditions/ differential diagnosis/ fungal infections/ yeast infections/ sweating disorders/ instruments/

Lesson 10:

Pathology/ organ changes/ factors causing hypertrophy and hyperplasia/ factors causing atrophy/ neoplasms/ elements of nutrition/ setting up a practice

Lesson 11:

Starting Your Own Business

Lesson 12:

Marketing Your Business

On completion of your course, you will receive the dual award:

Award 1 is issued by Stonebridge Associated Colleges: Foot Health Practitioner Diploma

Award 2 is issued by our Awarding Body: Level 4 Foot Health Practitioner Award

At the end of this course successful learners will also receive a Level 4 NCFE Award Certificate of Achievement. Our course has been accredited under our NCFE IIQ Licence and the course measurable learning outcomes have been benchmarked at Level 4 (using Ofqual's Qualification and Credit Framework (QCF) level descriptors) to allow you to consider the depth of study, difficulty, and level of achievement involved.

There is no experience or previous qualifications required for enrolment on this course. It is available to all students, of all academic backgrounds.