About this episode
Podiatry is one of the most misunderstood professions in MSK. Nick Knight joins Michael Schumacher to talk honestly about why podiatry struggles with visibility, why the public still thinks pods cut toenails, and what needs to change. They cover tech, orthotics, FHPs, bad marketing, inter-professional politics and why podiatry is actually one of the most exciting parts of MSK when done properly.
Show Notes
If you asked the average patient what podiatrists do, most would say “cut toenails”.
In reality, podiatry is one of the most advanced, tech-enabled, and clinically interesting parts of MSK healthcare. But the profession has a branding problem, a visibility problem, and a long history of under-marketing its own value.
In this episode of No Appointment Necessary, Michael Schumacher sits down with podiatrist and founder of NK Active, Nick Knight, to take a brutally honest look at where podiatry is right now.
They cover the profession’s internal politics, the cultural divide between routine care and MSK rehab, why podiatry never advertises what it’s actually good at, and how AI is already redirecting patients toward specialists like Nick.
The conversation also dives into the messy topics:
• Overuse and underuse of orthotics.
• Tech that helps vs tech that is pure theatre.
• The ethics of selling high-ticket gait analysis.
• Why foot health practitioners are not the enemy but the lack of regulation is.
• Why most MSK problems don’t need insoles and most kids with flat feet need nothing at all.
Nick also explains why podiatrists need to be far bolder in how they communicate with the public, why clinics should stop trying to guess what patients think, and how AI is about to become podiatry’s biggest growth engine.
If you work in MSK and still don’t know what a podiatrist actually does, this episode will fix that. If you are a podiatrist, this might be the wake-up call.
What You’ll Learn
- Why podiatry has a branding issue and why clinics have caused it.
- Why most of the public have no idea podiatrists treat Achilles, plantar fasciitis, tendon issues or running injuries.
- How internal toxicity and inter-professional bickering damages the profession.
- The real ratio of routine care vs advanced MSK podiatry and why it matters.
- Why Gait & Motion and similar tech can be useful but also easily abused.
- The difference between clinically justified orthotics and retail upselling.
- Why MSK patients increasingly turn to AI before choosing a clinician.
- How AI is already sending patients directly to podiatrists instead of physios.
- Why FHPs are not the problem, but unregulated scope creep is.
- Why pods must stop being scared of marketing and start showing what they actually do.
Who This Episode is For
- Podiatrists who want to work at the top of their license.
- MSK clinicians who still misunderstand what podiatrists actually treat.
- Clinic owners looking to expand into foot and ankle services.
- Anyone trying to understand where AI fits into modern MSK care.
- Runners, coaches and rehab clinicians fed up with outdated foot and ankle advice.
Guest Details
Guest: Nick Knight
Profession: Podiatrist and Founder of NK Active
Specialisms: Foot and ankle rehab, running injuries, MSK podiatry, strength testing, gait analysis
Team: Podiatrists + Sports Rehabilitators
Location: South of England
Website: https://nkactive.co.uk/
