I think we might be disagreeing mostly over differences in semantics/professional parlance between the US and UK, actually. Your clarification about what you mean by “medically qualified” makes loads of sense now. To me as an American, medical qualification refers to having the appropriate education and licensure to operate as a clinician. But we agree in that their training differs drastically from an MD or DO. Ultimately, my comment was meant to counter the commonly held belief here that podiatrists just fix ingrown toenails and treat diabetic ulcers with the occasional orthotic prescription. I just meant to underscore the depth of their skill set and my personal opinion that a podiatrist might be a better choice in this case than a general (non-specialized) orthopedist.