Free up the joints
Gentle mobilisation for the rearfoot and forefoot. No cracking, no forceful thrusting and no pain, just careful movement to restore how your joints glide.
Podiatry & biomechanics in Reigate since 2003
Find the cause, not just the sore spot.
Heel pain that keeps coming back? Big toe, knee or hip pain that insoles haven't fixed? We look at your ankle, pelvis, posture and history to work out why your foot is under strain, then treat it gently.
A podiatrist is a registered specialist in feet and lower legs. Biomechanics means how your body moves, and how that movement affects your feet.
- 5.0 from 90 Google reviews
- Podiatrist since 1989
- Functional Movement Screen (FMS) certified
Tried everything?
You haven't failed. The cause just hasn't been found yet.
A scan can confirm that the plantar fascia (the thick band under your foot) is irritated or that the big toe joint is stiff. It can't tell you why that tissue is under so much strain. Without the why, treatment often repeats the same steps without lasting progress.
- Physiotherapy
- Morning stretches
- New insoles
- Shockwave therapy
- Cortisone injection
- "It's just wear and tear"
"Not 'what's wrong with my heel?' but 'what's making my heel work so hard?'"
Iain Johnston, Podiatrist
How we help
Mobility first. Support second. A plan you can keep up.
It starts with a careful history: old accidents, falls and sports injuries, even ones from 20, 30 or 40 years ago. That history becomes a roadmap for treatment.
Release the tension
Specialised fascial techniques work on the connective tissue that can lock up movement in the foot and leg.
Support if needed
Once your foot moves well, orthotics (custom insoles made for your feet) can help its timing as you walk. Orthotics work best on a foot that's free to move, so it comes after mobility, not before.
Your part in recovery
Simple exercises, at least three times a week
We'll show you exercises to keep your joints and spine mobile at home, so the improvement lasts. Where it helps, our biokineticist (exercise rehabilitation specialist) Gheum Swart builds a rehab programme around you.
How our approach worksWhat we treat
Foot, ankle and lower-limb problems, plus nails and skin
From stubborn heel pain to a child's verruca, every appointment starts with the same question: why is this happening?
Heel pain & plantar fasciitis
Months or years of heel pain that stretching, insoles or injections haven't settled. We look further up the body for what's been missed.
Read about heel pain & plantar fasciitis
Big toe pain
Bunions, stiffness (hallux limitus), arthritis and pain in the sesamoids (two small bones under the joint) often share the same cause: a stiff ankle pushing load into the toe.
Read about big toe pain
Knee, hip & back pain
Musculoskeletal problems that show up in the knees, hips and back can begin with how your feet and ankles move.
Read about knee, hip & back pain
Sports & running injuries
Built on decades of advising long-distance runners. We include a Functional Movement Screen (FMS) to find weak links before they become injuries.
Read about sports & running injuries
Ingrown toenails & nail surgery
Partial nail avulsion (removing the problem edge of the nail) under local anaesthetic, done calmly and carefully in clinic, with follow-up care to help it heal well.
Read about ingrown toenails & nail surgery
Verrucae (adults & children)
Child-friendly Marigold therapy, and microwave treatment for stubborn verrucas that have lasted years.
Read about verrucae (adults & children)
Fungal nails
Thickened, discoloured toenails (onychomycosis) assessed properly, with a treatment plan you can realistically follow.
Read about fungal nails
Children's feet
Verrucas, foot pain and walking worries, handled kindly so children feel at ease and parents get clear answers.
Read about children's feet
Corns, calluses & general care
Painful corns, hard skin and nail care from our Foot Health Practitioner, Sapir Kulla.
Read about corns, calluses & general careWhat patients say
Rated 5.0 by 90 people on Google
Real reviews from Footmech patients, in their own words.
5.0★★★★★90 reviews on Google
Linda K.★★★★★
"My feet and hips are pain free"
"I found Footmech via Google search, not a recommendation. So happy with the treatment I have received. Iain is so knowledgeable and treats the reason behind the pain. After 3 treatments (and a new pair of orthotics) my feet and hips are pain free. I recommend Footmech absolutely."
Ros G.★★★★★
"For the first time in 3 years I managed a 2 hour line dance session"
"I have seen both private and NHS physios, an NHS podiatrist and a private orthopaedic surgeon. … For the first time in 3 years I managed a 2 hour line dance session wearing boots with no pain."
Clemmie A.★★★★★
"Definitely knows his onions!"
"I went to Iain today for partial nail avulsion procedure on both big toes. He's great, very personable and definitely knows his onions! I would absolutely recommend his clinic, my procedure went very smoothly! Thanks Iain!"
Mark S.★★★★★
"Run pain-free (500 miles and counting)"
"I had been running with orthotics for ten years to compensate for toe/foot pain, and a single session with Iain last year enabled me to throw away the orthotics and run pain-free (500 miles and counting)."
Jess M.★★★★★
"The verucca was gone, after 6 years!"
"I had a very stubborn large verucca that had been on my foot for about 6 years. … We did this 2 times and the verucca was gone, after 6 years!"
Angela H.★★★★★
"After three sessions I am now free from pain."
"He found that my old back problem was the source of why my heel and knee were getting sore. … After three sessions I am now free from pain."
Meet your podiatrist
Iain Johnston: 35+ years of finding the cause
Iain qualified as a podiatrist at Witwatersrand Technikon, South Africa, in 1989. In Durban he was the first podiatrist in the Natal region to introduce the biomechanical approach. For 10 years he advised runners on footwear and injuries at the Comrades Marathon expo, and he treated rugby, football and cricket players, some at provincial level.
He moved to Reigate in 2003, bought the Chart Lane clinic building in 2005 and has upgraded it to a calm, modern clinical space. Careful history-taking underpins everything: it forms a hypothesis of cause and a roadmap to getting better.
1989Qualified as a podiatrist
2003Practising in Reigate
10 yrsComrades Marathon running-injury adviser
FMS L1 & L2Functional Movement Screen certified
Gheum SwartBiokinetics: exercise-based rehabilitation
Sapir KullaFoot Health Practitioner: routine foot care
Advice from the clinic
Read before you book
Plain-English articles by Iain Johnston on why pain often starts somewhere else. All advice
Heel pain
Tried everything for your heel pain? Here's what might have been missed
Why a diagnosis isn't the answer, and how the pelvis, posture and old injuries load the heel.
Big toe pain
Big toe pain? Why the problem often starts somewhere else
Where your head goes, your weight follows. How a stiff ankle loads the big toe joint.
Recovery
Why are my muscles so sore? The hidden role of inflammation
Gut health, healthy fats, sleep and processed food: how your body's chemistry affects recovery.
Local to you
Seeing patients from across East Surrey
Our clinic is on Chart Lane in Reigate. Most patients travel from within about 15 miles.
Book an assessment
Let's find out what's really going on
Call, message Iain on WhatsApp or send us a message to book. Before you come, have a think about past injuries, treatments you've tried and how you responded: every detail helps.
Opening hours
| Monday to Friday | 8:00 to 18:00 |
| Saturday | 8:30 to 13:00 |
| Sunday | Closed |
