Some see feet as the most comical or even hated part of the body... yet their importance is paramount.

They're the reason we can get out and about and, according to Ayesha Aziz, are a vital medical tool to find out how we are feeling.

As a senior podiatrist with Bradford and Airedale Teaching Primary Care Trust, it's Ayesha's job to care for her clients' feet and, in some cases, diagnose conditions they may be suffering from such as diabetes.

Ayesha says poor circulation in the feet and legs or tingling sensations in the feet can be a sign someone is suffering from diabetes, caused by too much glucose (sugar) in your blood.

Ayesha says that being able to detect common conditions is what makes her job worthwhile.

She came into the profession three years ago after graduating with a BSc hons in podiatry from Huddersfield University.

"When I was at school and looking at the different university courses, my main interest was in the health field," she says.

Her interest progressed when she attended an open day at Huddersfield University and saw podiatry as one of the health care studies. She was attracted to it because she wouldn't be doing the same thing every day and would be meeting different people.

During her studies, Ayesha managed to secure an NHS placement in Bradford and when she left university she applied for a similar job in the profession in Bradford.

Bradford and Airedale Teaching Primary Care Trust is currently running a project giving people from minority ethnic communities the chance to train as health care professionals within the NHS.

The project offers an 18-month trainee post in either podiatry (also known as chiropody), general nursing or mental health nursing. The posts are being advertised through community groups, Careers Bradford and Job Centre Plus.

It enables students to enhance their academic skills alongside developing professional skills. At the end of the 18-month period they will be able to access professional training courses in nursing and podiatry at Bradford and Huddersfield universities.

Ayesha says: "Feet are really interesting. They tell you a lot about what is happening in the rest of the body. Their colour and texture tells you what the circulation is like. And if you are having problems or pains it may be related to the structure of the feet."

Cutting nails and dealing with corns and other foot-related ailments are all part of what Ayesha refers to as a "rewarding" profession.

"The main thing is job satisfaction," she says. "Patients come in with painful problems and we diagnose and treat them. The patients are a lot happier and you look forward to your job because it's a good outcome.

"It's a good profession to come into. It's a rewarding job and there's always chance to expand into other specialities.

"You need a caring nature, a positive attitude, helpful manner and you must be approachable and able to talk to people."

Those interested in following Ayesha's footsteps into a podiatry career should contact Sabiya Khan on (01274) 237391.