Menu
scroll
Until the end of the 19th century foot care was typically provided by barbers and hairdressers. At this time independent practitioners began to appear in larger cities. The evolution of the practise is credited to Dr. Scholl, who trained foot care specialists in many parts of the world and instituted standards of hygiene based on new medical knowledge.
It was thanks to work of Dr. Scholl that Tomáš Baťa was able to introduce chiropody to Czechoslovakia in 1929.
Chiropody, or foot care, involves the medical treatment of the skin and nails on the feet and the use of specially developed tools to remove thickened skin, among other treatments, without pain or bleeding. All sanitary precautions are taken to protect the health of the customer as well as the practitioner. In our stores, the treatments take place in special booths where customers learn about foot defects and the effect of footwear on the shape and functioning of the feet.
Advice is provided regarding the types of shoes best suited to the individual's feet. The latest advances in science and technology are applied during treatments in order to optimize foot function and ensure customers are able to perform their work energetically and efficiently.
With the introduction of chiropody departments - ie. professional foot care centres - in our stores, we are offering the possibility of permanent relief to all those who suffer from treatable foot ailments. If a treatment is not feasible, we will advise as to how the problem might be mitigated. An immense number of people suffer from corns, calluses and ingrown toenails; many other from excessive perspiration of the feet, which is a nuisance as well as a social embarrassment.
We would like to help you get rid of these problems - discreetly, conscientiously and professionally. You can trust us.
Sdělení, 1. 9. 1928
Regular cleansing, refreshing foot baths in hot water (over 35°C), and washing the legs up to the knees with soap.
Removal of any abnormal layers of thickened skin (blisters, calluses, corns)
Care for the toenails, with polish if desired
Irradiation of the feet prior to massage
Foot massage and exercises
Recommendation of proper footwear, orthotics and products for hygienic foot care
The treatment booths must be kept as clean as possible. They should be free of dust, rubbish and litter as these provide breeding grounds for bacteria that threaten the health of both visitors and practitioners, and the safety of the procedures. Waste bins must be emptied daily and the waste incinerated. Flies and other insects are evidence that waste is being kept onsite, which will discourage customers.
No unnecessary items must be kept in the treatment booths (purchased food, snacks, clothing that might collect dust - even pots of flowers pose a risk as tetanus can be transmitted from soil). Curtains must be clean, with any metal parts polished and free of dust. Proper ventilation must be in place to ensure that the air is constantly refreshed and maintained at the correct temperature (18 - 20°C). An adequate source of heat must be provided in winter. The foot bath must always be clean, thoroughly scrubbed with soap after each customer, rinsed with hot water and, if necessary, disinfected.
The treatment booth should include a footrest for the customer and an adjacent swivel chair for the practitioner. The footrest may be in the form of a small carpet or a low stool. A free-standing coatrack should be positioned at the entrance to the booth, on the left-hand side. The booth must be enclosed by white curtains suspended on a rod structure. Waste is removed into a pedal bin; if the booth is equipped with a specially-designed chiropody table, it will include a designated drawer for dirty tissues and a removable bin.
Any framed items as well as the chiropodist's diploma must be placed in a suitable location within the booth. A magazine rack should hang from the coatrack or from one of the curtain rods. If there is a communal waiting area serving several booths, that day's selection of magazines should be placed on a table.
Long nails are unhygienic, since dirt and bacteria can be trapped underneath. They are unacceptable for chiropodists. The practitioner must scrub his/her hands thoroughly with soap, water and a toothbrush before and after performing any procedures so as to avoid the transfer of infection. This is especially important during a massage. Skin rashes may develop if the visitor's feet or the practitioner's hands have not been properly washed but merely wiped with a towel, which is not the same thing. The cream jar should be sealed so that it does not leak or collect dust.
The chiropodist - caregiver of healthy, tired and defective feet - can only be effective if he is properly trained. The human foot is not only a mechanism ingeniously designed by nature, it is also an integral part of the human body. The blood of the foot runs through the human heart, the nerves of the foot are connected to the spinal cord and the brain. For these reasons we consider the task of the chiropodist to be of the highest responsibility and seriousness, bordering directly on the tasks of a doctor. To understand the human foot, to understand its needs, requires concentrated effort and great diligence.
MUDr. B. Albert
Nadace Tomáše Bati © 2021