Foundation Footcare Offers Medical Footcare in St. Paul

Denise Petruk never expected to find her passion when she started working part-time at Magic Fingers in St. Paul in 2012. She needed a place to reconnect with herself and discover who she was after being a stay-at-home-mother-of-four for so long. It was through working part-time at the salon Denise discovered her love for feet. Yep, Denise truly loves feet. That love grew her business, Foundation Footcare.

Denise took her first pedicurist course in 2013, as a way, “to do something different.” That grew into something so much more, says Denise, “when I saw how important feet were.” Denise says feet are the foundation, “no one really even realizes what can happen if you do the wrong thing to your feet.” Denise says it’s important to take care of your feet because, “they support your knees and your back- and so much more.” “You could fix your whole body, if you just knew more about your feet,” Denise proclaims.

Foundation Footcare is the only place in The Lakeland that offers medical foot care, Denise Petruk is certified, by The North American School of Podology, in the following courses:

• Skin & Nail Pathology
• Diabetic Foot Syndrome
• Advance Pedicure
• Level II Infection Control
• Comprehensive Foot & Leg Evaluation

It’s hard for people to understand that it isn’t a luxury service, it’s a necessity. That’s where Denise can really relate. For a long time she was a mom and she loved it. She was solely focused on her children and rarely did anything for herself. Denise, above anyone else, knows the internal struggle a lot of women, (and people in general) go through not believing they deserve a little something for themselves.

Denise spent a lot of years focused on her children, she and her husband Jason, have four children. Her twins, born in the middle of the bunch, were premature and needed a lot of medical attention in the early years. Denise found herself spending her days and nights consumed with her children, and happy doing so. As the years went on and her children grew stronger, Denise decided to search out other ways to fill her life.

That’s what lead her to working part-time at Magic Fingers. The salon offered the adult socialization Denise craved and the ability to discover who she was outside of the home.  Most people would find having a pedicure done on them relaxing, whereas for Denise it’s the opposite. “This is a day-off for me,” Denise says of her job, “this is relaxing for me, doing the pedicures. I don’t know why, it just is.”

Foundation Footcare is based out of Magic Fingers in St. Paul, however, Denise says her services are mobile. Denise loves bringing comfort to people and has many clients in hospitals that she visits and offers the same care in the hospital room as she does at Magic Fingers.  “When my dad was in the hospital, all her wanted was his feet rubbed,” Denise says that’s one of the reasons she decided to offer mobile service, “just to get that flow back to his feet,” changed his mood and helped him feel so much better, not just physically, but mentally as well. Denise spoke fondly of her clients that she’s helped from their hospital beds, “that’s what I eventually want to do,” full-time work from the hospital.

Denise also has some clients who come to her home for their foot care and she will visit clients at their homes. Really it’s about convenience and the clients needs. “It all depends on what they’re (the clients) comfort zone is,” explains Denise, “I have a lot of male clientele at shop, but I do a lot of male clientele that would rather come to my home or have me come to theirs.” Denise holds a lot of pride that Foundation Footcare is able to attract the male clients, a large part of that is because it is a medical service. “I get that, my husband was like that, my dad was, my brothers,” Denise explains with a smile that males can be reluctant to try it, “once they got it done one time, they’re all my best clientele now, but they had to be convinced.”

Denise attributes her fast-growing male client base to her husband, Jason, “he was one of those guys who said never- it would never happen.” “Once he saw that what I do was not a pedicure, not flowers and make your feet smell nice pedicures, that I actually fixed his callouses,” things changed for Jason, “he’s one of my biggest advertisements now, because he talks about it wherever he goes, with his friends and stuff.” Foundation Footcare’s clientele is 50% males due to the medical treatments offered.

“My passion is fixing the pain in someone’s foot and being the one to have that role is where it’s at for me,” you can hear the passion spilling out with Denise’s words, “so when I tell my male and older clients who wouldn’t normally get pedicures, then they’re more open to the service.” Denise explains the great feeling she gets when, “I’m out and about and people ask questions as to why their feet hurt and I’m able to answer them and fix that, it feels so good.” Along with medical pedicures, Foundation Footcare, offers the traditional pedicure features; such as, painted nails. “It’s about the clients and what they want and are comfortable with,” says Denise.

Foundation Footcare believes education is never over, Denise explains, “I’m going to St. Kitts (Caribbean) to do a practicum for a week with people with diabetes.” The course will be one of the more advanced courses she’s taken, “I’ll be helping with the dressings and people with amputations.” On-going training helps build her service, says Denise, “then if I come across someone who’s had an amputation, I would have the confidence to do what I can to help them.” The course will take place in early 2016, Denise explains the intensity, “I have to do 50 case studies and then show what I’ve learned.”

“Honestly, I never stop thinking about feet,” proclaims Denise, “in any conversation I seem to turn it around to someone’s feet.”  “When it comes down to feet, I feel like I’m someone,” The passion is alive in Denise’s voice, “I am confident.”

To book an appointment visit Foundation Footcare on Facebook or call Magic Fingers Design Team 780-645-2964