No longer such problem feet

[val douest]

Some months back

I posted asking for information on people's experience

with chiropodists and podiatrists in France as I needed some new

corrective inserts for my shoes.  I had lots of helpful input and

a couple of people said they would be interested to hear how I got

on.  Initially, our doctor just gave me a name and a telephone

number to

follow up on my own.  I looked up the lady podologue in pages

jaunes and was relieved to find that she specialised in inserts

(semelles orthopédiques).  My consultation took almost an

hour and was impressively thorough.  I had to stroll around in my

underwear while she studied my gait, walk across a special track which

recorded the pressure points on my feet and transmitted this as a video

to a screen, perform various exercises so she could assess my balance

and posture...and so it went on, with a battery of hi-tech equipment to

help her at every turn.  At the end of all this I  stood in a

special foam bed which took impressions of my feet to act as a basis

for the inserts.  The inserts were ready in two weeks and in the

interim she contacted my doctor who wrote out a prescription to cover

them. 

When I returned to have the inserts fitted, I was delighted to find

that they were an excellent fit and made a real difference to how far

and for how long I could walk comfortably.  They have continued to

be comfortable and although in the hot weather I wear open

sandals a lot of the time I revert to shoes and the inserts whenever my

feet start feeling weary.

The initial consultation (which was not covered by CPAM) cost €23, and

the inserts cost €80 of which €18.76 was refunded by CPAM.  Our

mutuelle does not give us top-up cover for this type of care.  The

last pair of inserts I paid for in the UK were £40 over three years ago

so I guess there is not much difference now in cost, and I was very

impressed with the treatment I received.

So I can reassure those of you who were worried about bringing your

troublesome feet into the French system: the care is good and the cost

much on a par with the UK.

Val

[Tresco]

I remember the thread well.

I'm glad you are happy with everything that happened, and that you can walk for longer in more comfort.

No problems here so far, but I'll know where to look if I do!