Podiatrists are medical doctors specialising in foot and ankle conditions. After graduating from one of nine accredited podiatric medical schools(opens in new window), these practitioners complete four years of residency before entering practice.
At training, they learn how to treat bunions, ingrown toenails, heel spurs and other ailments, diagnose underlying health conditions such as diabetes and perform surgery as necessary.
Pain
Podiatrists are real doctors who specialise in treating injuries and diseases in your feet, ankles or lower legs. Like medical doctors (and unlike chiropodists), podiatrists attend four-year podiatric medical school to learn how to take histories, examine patients, perform surgical procedures and treat diseases and injuries while serving a three-year hospital residency program.
Podiatrists are specialists in diagnosing and treating foot pain, including bunions, hammertoes, heel pain, flat feet, ingrown toenails, athlete’s foot injuries caused by sports activities or poor circulation, athlete’s foot conditions caused by athlete’s feet as well as diabetes or poor circulation issues in legs. The podiatry Woodville goal is to alleviate your suffering so you can return quickly to normal activities without pain. They offer relief so you can return soon with ease.
Heel Pain
Heel pain can often be traced back to overexertion of the Achilles tendon, which connects your calf muscle at the back of your lower leg to your heel bone. This condition is common among runners, athletes who engage in sports requiring quick stops and direction changes quickly, or individuals who wear high heels regularly. A podiatrist may provide orthotics to redistribute pressure away from the heel, shoe advice and stretching exercises as treatments.
Ingrown Toenails
One common cause of painful, red and swollen feet is ingrown toenails (onychocryptosis). This condition occurs when nail edges curve into the skin and penetrate it, often piercing it entirely. Symptoms may range from extremely painful to serious infections if left untreated – podiatrists specialise in treating problems of the feet and ankle.
A podiatrist will assess the nail and surrounding skin for signs of infection. Signs include redness, swelling and warmth in the affected area and drainage from under the toenail or pus visible under it. If this is true, they will perform minor surgery to extract ingrown portions of the nail with a local anesthetic, usually within minutes.
Diabetic Foot Care
Diabetes causes nerve damage that causes neuropathy in the feet and toes. Over time, small cuts or wounds may go undetected until they lead to serious ulcers requiring care from a podiatrist who will help protect and care for patients’ feet by addressing any issues before they worsen.
Experienced podiatric medical teams can effectively and compassionately care for diabetic foot wounds to ensure they heal quickly without becoming serious ulcers. Furthermore, these podiatric teams can advise their patients on which shoes are suitable for diabetes and suggest regular check-ups for cuts, bruises or sores on the feet.
Recent research found that those who visited a podiatry Woodville before developing diabetic foot ulcers were 36% less likely to require lower extremity amputation than those who didn’t visit any podiatrist before ulcer formation, using propensity score weighting and multivariate regression analyses in both commercial and Medicare samples. It was an accurate and reliable analysis that considered patient characteristics using propensity score weighting and multivariate regression analysis methods.
Arthritis
Podiatrists take great interest in treating foot diseases caused by arthritis. The podiatry Woodville aim is to control inflammation, prevent further damage and regain function; typical symptoms of arthritis in the feet include pain, swelling, redness and warmth; podiatrists can diagnose this condition before prescribing medications or suggesting shoes with extra cushioning for relief.
Although arthritis can affect any joint, the foot is particularly susceptible. Arthritis in the foot can lead to numerous problems that are easily overlooked; for example, with rheumatoid arthritis, symptoms often manifest themselves through neuromas – burning sensations caused when nerves become trapped by thickened skin, and their pain worsens over time – especially those wearing narrow and high-heeled shoes are at risk of this condition.
Podiatrists specialise in foot conditions related to musculoskeletal/rheumatological diseases and are available through private practice and rheumatology departments. Word-of-mouth referral is one way of finding podiatrists; department stores, sports clubs and leisure centres can also be good places to look.