Podiatrist in Clayton

Opening hours

• Monday 9am–5.30pm — fortnightly

Clayton runs one Monday in two rather than every week, so it is worth a quick call to check which Monday falls next before you plan around it. If the timing does not work, Burwood East is the nearest alternative and sees the same practitioners.

Finding the clinic, parking and transport

We consult from inside the Medi7 Clinic at 255 Clayton Road, so you are looking for a medical centre frontage rather than a standalone podiatry shopfront. Head for the Medi7 signage on Clayton Road and speak to the reception desk when you arrive. Reception will let us know you are here and send you through to the right room.

Parking near the medical centre is on-street, and the signed time limits vary from block to block, so read the sign you park under. Clayton Road is one of the busier stretches in the area through the middle of the day, so allow a few extra minutes rather than arriving right on the hour.

If you would rather not drive, Clayton station is a short walk away and buses run along Clayton Road. Monash University’s Clayton campus and Monash Medical Centre are both close by, so a good number of our Clayton patients simply walk over between classes or after a shift.

What we treat at the Clayton rooms

Clayton runs as a full general podiatry clinic, not a limited satellite. Whatever brings you in, the first job is working out why the problem started rather than only quietening the symptom. A corn that keeps returning is usually telling you something about load, footwear or the way the foot is moving.

• Heel, arch and forefoot pain, including plantar fasciitis and the stubborn first-steps-in-the-morning ache. See heel pain treatment.
• Corns and callus, cracked heels, and skin and nail care that is hard to manage at home.
• Ingrown toenails, from conservative care through to nail surgery when the same nail keeps causing trouble.
• Diabetes-related foot assessments, including circulation and nerve testing and advice on what to watch for between visits.
• Sports injuries, shin splints and stress fracture assessment for runners, footballers and anyone who has ramped up training too quickly.
• Custom and prefabricated orthotics, plus straight footwear advice about the shoes you actually wear.
• Children’s feet, warts, fungal nails, blisters, and knee or hip pain where lower limb mechanics are contributing.

What happens at your first visit

A first appointment starts with a conversation. We want to know when the pain shows up, what makes it worse, what you have already tried, and what you need your feet to do. A nursing shift on hard floors and a 10km run are very different demands on the same foot.

From there we look at the skin and nails, check joint movement and muscle strength through the foot and ankle, and watch how you stand and walk. Bring the shoes you genuinely live in, whether that is work shoes, runners, boots or the pair you wear around the house, along with any orthotics you already own, any imaging you have had, and a referral if you hold a DVA Gold Card or are attending under WorkCover.

Plenty of problems are treated in the same appointment. Painful corns and callus, thickened nails and routine nail care are usually dealt with on the day, and you walk out more comfortable than you walked in. Where a problem needs a longer plan, such as orthotic therapy, a strengthening program or nail surgery, we explain the options and what each one involves before anything is booked.

Who we look after around Clayton

This clinic draws from Clayton and Clayton South, and from the surrounding pockets of Notting Hill, Mulgrave, Oakleigh, Springvale and Huntingdale. Because it sits inside a medical centre on a main road with the station and the university nearby, the mix of people we see here is broad.

Students are a steady share of it, often turning up with blisters and forefoot pain after long days on campus or a sudden jump in running. Shift workers and clinic staff are another group, and their complaints tend to be load-related: burning forefeet, arch fatigue and heel pain that builds through hours on hard flooring. We also look after families, older adults who want their nails and skin managed comfortably and safely, and tradespeople whose boots are doing them no favours.

Podiatry Healthcare Group has been practising since 1991. Principal podiatrist Gideon Poratt (B.App.Sc (Pod), M.A.Pod.A) has more than 30 years of experience across sports biomechanics, paediatrics, gerontology and diabetes-related foot complications, and Bryce Foothead (B.Pod, AUT 2003) spent time managing a technical footwear store, which makes him unusually good on shoes. Read more about the team, and say so when you call if you would like a particular podiatrist.

Referrals, rebates and payment

You do not need a referral to see us. The only exceptions are DVA Gold Card holders and patients attending under WorkCover. If you have a chronic condition such as diabetes, arthritis or vascular disease, your GP may be able to set up a Medicare Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) plan, which covers a number of podiatry visits each year. That is worth asking about here, given how many Clayton patients already see a GP in the same building.

We accept all major Australian health funds and have HICAPS on site, so your rebate is processed on the spot and you only pay the gap. Visa, Mastercard and EFTPOS are accepted. If you are not sure what your fund covers for podiatry or orthotics, bring your card and we will run it through first. Our FAQ page covers rebates in more detail.

Common questions

This page is general information, not personal medical advice. Reviewed by Gideon Poratt, Principal Podiatrist (B.App.Sc (Pod), M.A.Pod.A), a member of the Australian Podiatry Association. Please book an assessment for advice specific to your feet.