Having a fantastic, skilful and passionate team is one of the many ways we ensure to provide the very best of care for our patients here at Sole Motion Podiatry. So we thought we’d give you a chance to really get to know them both as your much-loved podiatrists and just as the awesome people they are! We’ve asked each of them a few questions, so to start, we’d like to introduce you to Justin Kalopa, our Senior Podiatrist and Managing Director.

 

What do you enjoy most about working at Sole Motion Podiatry?

I love having a team that I can bounce ideas off. I love the challenge of encouraging them to be better clinicians & serving people FIRST before their conditions.

 

What is something that you do as a Podiatrist that most people may not know?

I do laser treatments for sports injuries, electrical neural stimulation for pain relief, active release technique to heal soft tissue injuries, and I still occasionally do sports massage, which I’m also trained in.

 

What is a new skill that you’re currently learning or wanting to learn in the near future?

This week I’m doing a Level 2 MAT (Movement Assessment Technologies) assessment, as well as the Barefoot Masterclass with Tim Brandson & Level 2 Barefoot Strong Course with Dr Emily Splichal.

 

What is something interesting you’ve recently learnt from one of your Sole Motion colleagues?

I’ve been learning the BS nail bracing technique with John, as well as working on improved systems and structures around the clinic. I’ve also learnt that not only did John and I study together, but we grew up near the same towns in New Zealand.

 

What do you enjoy most about being a Podiatrist?

One of the most rewarding things is giving people an answer to their problems where they’ve been to so many people, but haven’t gotten the right results or they’ve had bad treatments. Problem-solving & seeing the relief on peoples faces shows how rewarding the role of a Podiatrist can be.

 

What has been one of your personal goals for this year and have you achieved it?

My health & fitness regime. Lose weight & maintain an active lifestyle that is reflective of how I want my young boys to see me. I’ve joined up with a local Personal Trainer for some motivation & direction. This is very similar to the approach I take with my Podiatry work – direct them to better foot health & motivate them not to focus on short-term goals, but rather a long-term plan.

 

What are you looking forward most to doing this summer?

Spending good, quality time at the beach with my family and taking them out to all the lovely parks Melbourne has to offer.

 

What’s something that most people don’t know about you?

I like playing the Ukulele! It helps me to relax and unwind. I’ll try to teach my boys to play it too but they are happily playing with toys for now. Also, my wife and I love to dance – we just haven’t had a chance for a long time to get out & enjoy this activity.

 

What’s one thing that people can do to better look after their feet?

Get their feet fitted correctly to footwear – at least once, so you know what size you are. Go to stores that are actually willing to help & not just look for the sale. Also make sure to wear shoes that match the shape of your foot, instead of changing your foot to match the shape of the shoes – like high heels or tight-fitting footwear.

 

What has surprised you most about Podiatry and/or the lower limbs when you first began your career?

That we had to cut peoples toenails! Although now I find it fascinating that you can give relief in such a short time by treating conditions like corns or ingrown nails.

 

What are your favourite sports or activities around Melbourne?

Go Melbourne Storm & the Geelong Cats! I love to go to local footy games & see the passionate locals cheering for their teams – just normal everyday people that love the games at the grassroots level.

 

What is your favourite podiatric problem to treat and why?

Sports injuries that are less than 24 hours old, because they have a much better rate of recovery if we can start laser therapy as soon as possible. I also enjoy educating parents about their children’s feet & whether they really need orthotics. Most of the time people appreciate someone willing to explain what is actually happening with their feet rather than prescribing an treatment without understanding exactly why or how it’s going to help and what it will achieve.

 

Aaand that there is just the tip of the iceberg with our favourite Director/Podiatrist! With an extensive range of skills, interests and innovative techniques to help his patients (as well as being the heart and soul behind Sole Motion Podiatry), don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team if you have any concerns or problems with your lower limbs – from the hips, to the knees, to the ankles and feet. You can give us a call on 1300-FX-FEET or use our online contact form here.