Podiatry is one of the more underrated physiotherapy job specialisations. Often it is perceived as more of a preventative discipline than a means of rehabilitation or treatment of a condition.

However, this month The Edinburgh Evening News reports that a podiatrist has helped a professional footballer return to the field and overcome the injury which put him on the sidelines.

Kevin McBride, a player for Hibernian club in the Scottish Premier League had been out of play for a month after aggravating an ankle injury during a football match in November. Two small pieces of bone floating around in the midfield defenders right ankle were discovered during his treatment - the product of a forgotten injury and the reason for his current pain. A subsequent report in The Scotsman suggests that this injury could have happened nearly ten years ago.

This injury could have spelt the end for the midfield defender's career if it wasn't for the team's podiatrist, Bill Kerr. Kerr created a special insole which allows McBride to run, kick and continue to play on the field.

"The insole is intended to lift the arch of my foot and so take the pressure off" said McBride, who says he still experiences some pain during play. "There's nothing they can do, an injection won't help nor will opening it up. Hopefully it will go away and I'll get used to the insole. To be fair, it isn't too bad, and it's a lot better than it was."

"The medical staff have done a good job. They said it could have happened as far as nine years ago and it possibly reacted to the knock I took at St Mirren. It seems the bits of floating bone have been there for a while but I have no recollection of the injury which might have caused it in the first place."

Thanks to Mr Kerr's work, MacBride will be able to get back on the field in time for the Scottish Derby. He will always have to wear the insole during matches, but it is hoped that this will avoid further injury and alleviate most of the discomfort he has been suffering.