Meet Christophe Champs CEO of Podo Clinic

Meet Christophe Champs CEO of Podo Clinic. Hello everyone, I hope you are well. In today’s post, I would like you to meet Christophe Champs, CEO of Podo Clinic. Christophe Champs is a consultant in Podiatry and Biomechanics and the founder of PODO Clinic and Workshop. Christophe works with clients to help correct postural and biomechanical issues that are causing pain or putting a client at risk of injury. By testing both the moving gait and the still posture, Christophe can correct misalignment and asymmetry by creating custom-made orthotics to suit the exact needs of each client.

Meet Christophe Champs CEO of Podo Clinic

Hello Christophe, Nice To Meet You! Tell Me Something Important Yourself.

Orthotics changed my life when I was 14. Therefore, I created PODO to transform 100 lives every month in the same way.

What Inspired You To Become A Podiatrist?

A terrible ankle injury initially halted my dreams of playing rugby competitively when I was 13 years old.

From a wrong diagnosis to bad management, I tried every product possible to sort out the ankle pain. I was unable to run fast without being in pain. It took me a year to find out about orthotics! The year after, I was called by the Racing Club de France… reawakening my dream… and my life purpose was born at 15.

What Do You Enjoy Most About Your Work?

People: Patients’ stories are my success stories. The opportunity to spend 90 minutes with a new individual on a unique journey, looking at and listening to their body to make it work better; the communication and the education… Also, every patient, every day, teaches me so much that I miss my job after four days off when on holiday!

Can You Tell Us More About Orthotics?

Orthotics address any body pain that increases with your level of activity. Thanks to their extra support, they help the body cope with some difficult times: race training, pregnancy, recovery, long-standing position, etc.

Orthotics work for and from your feet, for your ankle, knee, hip, and back health.

A set of orthotics always comes as a pair, and both inserts are fitted onto your feet following a personal assessment.

Orthotics are made for your feet and transferable from shoe to shoe, except with some fashionable or technical footwear, where extra fitting work can be needed.

As they work with your shoes, at PODO, we insist on the footwear recommendation and the use of various lacing methods, ensuring you are provided with more support and protection at a foot level while improving your body alignment and overall balance and standing posture.

Orthotics are bespoke to make your body work better; they do not make your foot lazy as they do not substitute any muscle work compared to braces.

It is good to have your orthotics checked every 18/24 months. The more you wear them, the more your orthotics wear out.

Unfortunately, orthotics suffer from a poor reputation: The off-the-shelf ones are symmetrical, end up in symmetrical shoes and are supposed to sort out asymmetrical problems!

Alternatively, many custom-made orthotics are made in factories by people who haven’t seen the patient, saving time on the patient experience and making the business more efficient. Therefore, their actions are rarely explained enough, and patients’ expectations are pretty low.

What Makes Podo London Stand Apart From Other Podiatry Clinics?

My answer to the problems outlined above is why PODO is a Clinic AND a Workshop, why the appointment is 90 minutes long and why every PODO patient has my personal number.

This is not business efficient to make a million every year, I concede, but mandatory to change 100 lives a month and achieve my life purpose.

The three things PODO stands for are EDUCATION, PRECISION AND TEAMWORK.

• EDUCATION: It is essential to show patients the big picture. To listen to their problems and concerns and dispel a few myths about their health, footwear or orthotics. I believe that once understood, and any problem is half sorted. And if the communication with your medical practitioner is accessible, no concern can grow.
• PRECISION: Both feet are addressed like two different patients because the human body is anything but symmetrical, and both sides of your body can ask for two other treatment plans.
• TEAMWORK: London is a fantastic stage where we can work alongside great talents on our treatment plans. Podiatrists, like Osteopaths and Chiropractors, work on the axis (the skeleton), and then the muscles adapt to those changes. Any additional work with Physiotherapists and PTs is a great help in any of our treatment plans. In this country, many surgeons are also excellent at communicating, which I want to cultivate at PODO.

What Are Your Clients’ Most Common Complaints?

Lockdown periods and the increase in people working from home have drastically changed the proportion of complaints at PODO.

Because my referrals are various (Surgeons, Rheumatologists, GP, Physiotherapists, Osteopaths, Chiropractors, PTs, Athletes…), every patient is different. I don’t want PODO to specialise. This 2-in-1 place is like a garage for the human body, and the biomechanics are the same for everyone, as the mechanics of a sports or family car is the same. It’s about journeys, giving back to people at any age what they took for granted: WALKING, which is their independence and freedom.

15% of my patients come for foot problems, 15% for ankles/lower leg problems and 70% for knee, hip, back and neck with a strong accent on the lower back and postural problems.

As A Consumer, When Should I Call You?

Whenever you experience a pain that increases with your activity level, this pain is mechanical, and the solution is likely biomechanical (orthotics and manual therapies). And if you want to address it with a conservative solution, try to avoid needles and scalpels.

Or, whenever you want to make your body work better, reduce an early muscles fatigue, burning sensation or, perhaps, win a race…

You need a goal for us to score.

What Are Your Biggest Challenges

Patients who lost their patience in their previous treatment plan. I will never say it enough. Being a patient is one thing. Being patient is everything. Communication helps suppress concerns when they arise, and any little concern in patients can affect their trust in us and their faith in the treatment plan.

Are You Planning To Grow or Expand Your Clinic At All?

Yes, a cycling location probably in Cambridge and the second clinic in London or the south of England. Right now, it’s all about getting the right people to fulfil their purpose and spread their messages alongside PODO’s ones.

What Else Does The Future Hold For You?

I have two years to finish and publish a 10-year project! It is a book like no other… but I cannot tell you any more at this stage – watch this space!

I want to say a Huge Thank You to Christophe for this amazing interview.

I wish him all the best.

If you would like to know more about Christophe or PODO Clinic and Workshop.

Web:  www.podo.london

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/podo.london/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/podo.london/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/PodoLondon

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCss43g6-7mcNBwrRnf1zKlw

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophe-champs-podo/

I hope you enjoyed that.

Talk soon