Simon Costain

Simon Costain is the owner and senior partner in the Gait and Posture Centre LLP and has more than 45 years of practice experience in Podiatry. He previously a Consultant Podiatry post in the NHS and now works in Harley Street, having been there since 1985.

Simon is one of the founders of Podiatric Surgery and Podiatric Sports medicine in the UK, but for many years has specialised in non-surgical gait evaluation techniques and, where possible, offers alternatives to surgery for foot problems. He divides his time between his private practice and expert witness work.

Simon Costain is highly experienced in his field and his qualifications include:

• BSc. in Podiatry
• FRCPodM (Fellow of the Royal College of Podiatry in Podiatric Medicine)
• FRCPodS (Fellow of the Royal College of Podiatry in Podiatric Surgery)
• MRCPod (Member of the Royal College of Podiatry)
• HCPC (Health & Care Professions Council) registered
• FET certificate: a Further Education Teacher’s Certificate
• Bond Solon CUBS Certificate

Some highlights of his experience are:

• He was the lead Podiatrist to the Great Britain Team at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992
• He co-authored the CD-ROM Sports Injuries of the Foot & Ankle, published by Primal Pictures
• He has lectured at the London Hospital Medical School  “Diploma in Sports Medicine, for Doctors”;  Dance UK’s Healthier Dancer conferences, British Association of Sports Medicine Conferences for doctors and physiotherapists, and lectures nationally and internationally to Podiatrists, Osteopaths, Physiotherapists and other allied health professions
• He was a Podiatric consultant to the Royal Marines at the Commando Training Centre (CTCRM) in Lympstone, Devon
• He was one of the originators of CAD/CAM technology in podiatry. He won a SMART award from the Department of Trade and Industry to develop CAD/CAM technology for orthotic manufacture.

His expert witness work involves mainly cases involving personal injury or negligence to the feet, ankles and lower legs, where he considers the long-term effect those injuries have upon mobility, gait and posture. These cases can arise from an injury sustained in the workplace, a road traffic or cycling accident, negligence in surgery, and many other causes. Where a patient has an injury that impacts their ability to walk, to be mobile, or has continued pain, he gets involved.

He has been involved in some criminal cases calling on his expertise in gait analysis to review CCTV footage and footprints, but now concentrates more on personal injury expert witness work.

His podiatric analysis and reporting focuses on the dynamics of how the injuries change the patient’s gait and posture, creating pain and injury both in the feet and elsewhere, and the long term impact these injuries have on a patient’s daily life. The cases he sees often require the use of bespoke made orthoses which can help to optimise foot leg and back function.

He has been regarded as a professional expert in his field since 1985 when he was first registered with the legal services commission. He has completed his official Expert Witness training, is registered with the Legal Services Commission as an expert witness for Podiatric medico-legal work and holds full Expert Witness indemnity insurance.

He has acted as an expert for both Claimant and Defendant, and in recent years 60% of his work has been for the Claimant, and 40% for the Defendant.

Outside of work Simon has been involved in sport at county and national level including athletics, cricket, and rugby. He used to be a keen squash player and now swims daily and cycles when possible. He is an experienced offshore yachtsman holding a Commercially endorsed ocean Yachtmaster qualification and has sailed many thousands of miles, including three trans-Atlantic’s in 1985, 1999 and 2017.  He has raced in the double handed AZAB (Azores and back) race in 2011 and 2015 and won 1st place in the 69th JP Morgan Asset Management Round the Island Race in the Laser SB20 class, He is a full member of the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC), the Royal Cruising Club (RCC), the Ocean Cruising Club (OCC), and the RAF Yacht club.