Since qualifying as a registered nurse, Kathryn has worked in a variety of posts across both primary and secondary care. Kathryn’s professional interests lie in the community setting, particularly general practice where she worked as a practice nurse for many years. After completing her specialist practitioner General Practice Nurse postgraduate diploma in 2007, she became a practice teacher and avid promoter of educational opportunities within practice nursing, focusing her master’s dissertation on the subject area.

Kathryn taught as an ad hoc lecturer on the general practice nurse foundation course before taking up a full-time teaching post at the University of Central Lancashire in 2016. Kathryn currently works as an Academy Teacher at Accelerate, a social enterprise providing specialist wound and lymphoedema care.

Workshop at The Society of Tissue Viability 2025 Conference

Managing the foot and toes, a whole leg approach

PRESENTING WITH GEORGINA RITCHIE AND ANNA SWINBURN

Aims

This workshop is aimed at healthcare professionals who currently apply compression in their practice wanting to increase their awareness of the importance of a whole leg approach.

• To understand how proactive management using compression therapy for the foot and toes can prevent problems: the use of toe garments to prevent swelling.
• To dispel myths about compression on the foot: how to compress a swollen foot and how to encase a fragile one.
• To increase awareness of managing wet or swollen feet and toes: when to appropriately use toe bandaging and/or foot stumping safely.

Abstract

Often, we focus on strong compression therapy for the gaiter area of the lower limb when managing venous and lymphovenous ulceration. Effective strong compression is a corner stone of clinical management. However, too often we see that the foot and toes are neglected.

If the toes and foot have become wet or swollen it can be incredibly difficult to manage. Excoriated wet toes can be excruciatingly painful for patients and problematic for clinicians whose aim is to reverse the damage.

In this 90-minute workshop Georgina Ritchie, Katy Smyth and Anna Swinburn will discuss how proactive management using compression therapy for the foot and toes can prevent problems from occurring. They will also explore in this practical workshop effective interventions for managing wet or swollen feet and toes.