When most people think about going to a podiatrist, they think of someone who specializes in sprained ankles or athletic injuries. While this is certainly a component of the practice, it’s only scratching the surface. Podiatrists are specialized medical practitioners who treat a surprisingly wide range of ailments associated with feet, ankles, and lower extremities.
There are many people who suffer day in and day out when they don’t need to because they do not realize that podiatry extends to their specific concerns.
There’s More to Podiatry Than Meets the Eye
Podiatry is a full-fledged branch of medicine. Podiatrists go through years of clinical training and are eligible to diagnose, treat, and manage various conditions from the trivial to the truly complex. Feet are incredibly complex body parts made of 26 bones each, 33 joints, and over 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments. When something goes wrong anywhere in this structure, it impacts the way someone walks, stands and engages in their daily routine.
The feet are also the components of the body that bear the weight of the entire mass of the body. They are under constant pressure in both exercise and resting scenarios. For this reason, tiny concerns can quickly exacerbate to a point of no return if not addressed. This is why a good podiatrist can identify issues before patients even realize there’s a problem.
Nail and Skin Conditions Are a Big Part of the Job
This is something many people do not realize: much of what podiatrists treat have nothing to do with bones and injuries at all. A large part of their business is devoted to treating skin and nail disorders, with toenail fungus being one of the most common reasons for sitting in the chair.
Fungal nail infections are exceptionally stubborn. They often begin as discolouration or slight thickening of the nail, but over time, they get worse when no one intervenes. Over-the-counter options can help with mild cases, but moderate to severe cases require professional intervention. A podiatrist will determine the severity level of the infection and suggest the best course of action—from prescription antifungals to laser treatment and everything in between. For anyone wanting to understand what the treatment process actually involves, there is related information available that breaks it down clearly.
Other nail concerns that podiatrists commonly treat include ingrown toenails, plantar warts, corns, callouses and other skin-related problems on the soles and heels. These may not sound serious in concept, but anyone who’s had an ingrown nail or a plantar wart has come to realize how detrimental these seemingly minor issues can be on everyday comfort levels and mobility.
Diabetes and Foot Health
A life-saving avenue for podiatry includes people who have been diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetic foot complications are one of the top causes for amputations globally; however, many cases are preventable through regularly scheduled visits with trained specialists.
Diabetes can limit circulation and impact nerve sensations within feet. Thus, minor cuts or sores that may heal overnight on someone else could prove problematic for someone with diabetes. A podiatrist who focuses on diabetic patients will offer regular assessments to look for early warning signs of infections or sores while also helping to manage diabetes-related foot health long term. For a person with diabetes, these appointments are not optional; they are crucial for their long-term well-being.
Structural and Biomechanical Issues
Flat feet, high arches, bunions, hammer toes, heel spurs and plantar fasciitis are all within a podiatrist’s purview. These are physical issues that relate directly to foot function and often cause pain that extends beyond feet into knees, hips and lower backs as well.
A podiatrist will assess gait and posture to determine where mechanics fail and how to rectify them. Often, custom orthotics are required. Orthotics are shaped inserts for shoes that correct how weight is distributed across the foot. For many people, properly fitted orthotics transform pain management and improve quality of life without any required surgery.
When surgery is necessary, surgeons specialize in operating on extremities specifically on bones, joints and soft tissues. Bunion removal and tendon repairs are more common surgeries, although conditions can usually be managed effectively without surgical measures in most cases.
Children and the Elderly Benefit Too
Podiatry isn’t just for adults in their working years either. Children develop foot concerns that need attention regarding growth and development stages. In-toeing, flat feet and heel growing pains are worth having a specialist’s opinion as they can reassure whether further action is needed or if the problems will resolve with time as children naturally grow older.
For older patients, foot health becomes increasingly important when mobility and independence go hand in hand. Thickened nails, limited blood flow, joint arthritis and structural challenges become more commonplace as people age. This limits access to mobility which affects independence; thus regular podiatric care will help keep older populations active and comfortable longer for overall wellness purposes.
A Specialist Worth Knowing
Podiatry offers something that general practice cannot always provide—specialized focus on one body part that does a lot of heavy lifting daily. Whether it’s an embarrassing fungal infection or unexplained heel pain, or even the complications associated with long-term diabetes, podiatrists have more training than most when it comes to effective treatment options.
The feet can go overlooked until there’s a serious issue. Making podiatric care part of general wellbeing is one of the best things people can do for themselves; thus it’s important to know that there are plenty of issues treatable by a podiatrist and it’s often more than most people understand.