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Are we chiropodist or podiatrists?

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by jonnorthants, Mar 21, 2015.

  1. jonnorthants

    jonnorthants Member


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    My understanding is that under the legislation chiropodist and podiatrist have the same legal meaning. I prefer to use chiropodist as it is a term that more of the public understand. I have been criticised by several "podiatrists" saying that I m letting down the profession by calling myself a chiropodist!
     
  2. Catfoot

    Catfoot Well-Known Member

    As the Titles are interchangeable, it doesn't matter which is used.

    NHS practitioners call themselves "Podiatrists" because they think it makes them sound more advanced.

    Most pods I know in Private Practice call themselves "Chiropodists"

    All my advertising says "Chiropodist/Podiatrist" to strike a balance. ;)
     
  3. zsuzsanna

    zsuzsanna Active Member

    I have often been asked this question, are you a chiropodist or podiatrist, to which I reply that in the distant past chiropodists looked after Hands (chiro-) and feet (pod-) but nowadays we just look after feet and therefore should be called podiatrists but the general population has not caught up with the advance yet so it is Chiropodist/podiatrist for the time being.
     
  4. rmlg55555

    rmlg55555 Member

    I agree with Catfoot! I also advertise as a Chiropodist/Podiatrist.
     
  5. Rob Kidd

    Rob Kidd Well-Known Member

    As always, back to basics. I fully expect to to be corrected by my old friend / Colleague Syd here. The term Chiropody is a bastard word - and literally is derived from the Latin and Greek roots for Hand and feet (Chiros - hands - Podos - feet). Any one with half a brain - which does not include me - knows that you do not not mix Latin and Greek roots, so the word is a nonsense. However, it does literally mean "Hands on feet", not feet. Which I think sums it up well. For very many years I was a little ashamed of being called a Chiropodist - I was cured of that totally in 2000 when I was on study leave at The University of Western Australia (where I did my PhD); The kids were doing foot anatomy at the time and I could not resist the temptation to go into the lab. The girl in charge (I later marked her thesis) said out loud - "thank goodness, we now have a podiatrist here". At first I shrank into the corner, but then realised that she meant it in total sincerity. Ever since then I have not shied away from the title. Chiropodist - podiatrist: who gives a toss?
     
  6. zsuzsanna

    zsuzsanna Active Member

    I think you must be quite right. I know that chiropody is a Greek/Latin mixture word but it sounds much more plausible to translate as "Hands on feet" rather than "Hands and feet" as I originally thought.
    Still while most people have no idea what a Podiatrist is we have to carry on with Chiropodist/Podiatrist until they get the message!
     
  7. Other professions have had similar identity crisis in the past and have never resolved the differences - osteopathy and chiropractic spring to mind. What, if anything, is the difference between chiropody and podiatry?
     
  8. zsuzsanna

    zsuzsanna Active Member

    There is no difference!
     
  9. Cameron

    Cameron Well-Known Member

    jonnorthants et al

    I recall a long time ago circa early 70s having a letter published in The Chirpodist with very much the same sentiments as you express. That was over half a century ago and here we are still mulling over the topic of title. As a foot savant and lover of the English language, I have researched the early origins of the profession, a summary I share with you below.

    http://www.slideshare.net/cameronkippen/a-potted-history-of-professional-footcare-podiatry

    Like Bob, I used to cringe at being called chiropodist (or shiropodist more often than not) , but once I discovered the etymology, I have been dining out on it ever since. I can honestly say it was the very essence of my broadcasting career.

    toeslayer
     
  10. zsuzsanna

    zsuzsanna Active Member

    Thank you for the interesting slide shows! I have just had an idea for educating people about X or XR (chi to) they surely know how to pronouns Christ, Christian, Christmas ? So why do they ha a problem with Chiropody?
     
  11. Rob Kidd

    Rob Kidd Well-Known Member

    When did you last go to the Shemist?
     
  12. W J Liggins

    W J Liggins Well-Known Member

    I used to be far more upset by the mispronunciation than by the term itself. I therefore wrote - many years ago - to the Oxford English Dictionary and asked them to make clear the Greek hard Chi. Their anwer was that the dictionary reflects current usage rather than trying to define it. Since the soft shu sound was commonly used, and had been for many years, then it was now considered correct. Still annoys me.

    All the best

    Bill
     
    Last edited: Mar 23, 2015
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