What is the Most Common Condition Treated by Podiatrists?

A podiatrist is an allied health practitioner who is an expert in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of the feet, ankle and lower limbs.

Podiatrists are often referred to as “Foot doctors” even though they aren’t qualified doctors.  Podiatrists are university trained. Depending on when and where the podiatrist completed their university studies will determine the prefixing they can use after their name.  For example  doctor of podiatric medicine (DPM) or Bachelor of science in Podiatry BSc (Pod).

Certain podiatrists who have done extra training can prescribed some medicines. All podiatrists can perform minor nail and wart surgery if they choose to.

The Feet are an Important Part of Our Body!

Our feet are so important in helping us stay mobile and travel from one place to another, but our feet also serve numerous other functions too, such as maintaining our body balance, absorbing shocks, and compensating for proximal malalignment to name a few.

Our feet are amazingly made and allow us to carry our whole-body weight and allow us to function in so many ways, repetitively every day.  Most of the time they do this well but like all parts of our body when they break down or cause pain we sure know about it.  Many clinical conditions to do with our feet occur when we don’t look after them.  Should you have any concerns or pains, or discomfort then be sure to see one of our podiatrists.

Most Common Problems That Our Podiatrists Treat!

Plantar Fasciitis

The tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot is called the plantar fascia. It joins the heel with the toes, which helps in the formation of the arch of the foot. If this tissue is overstretched or if it is strained, then people can get small tears that might result in inflammation and pain.

Pain is experienced by most people in the morning while getting out of their bed or after weightbearing after long periods of sitting or resting. This pain can range from acute short and stabbing sensations to constant throbbing aches. Walking around for a few minutes can help reduce the pain temporarily.

Heel Pain

Pain to the back of the heel is referred to as Achilles tendon pain. The Achilles tendon joins the calf muscle to the heel. Pain can occur here for various reasons such as over-exertion and strain; biomechanical problems or poorly fitting shoes.  This pain can also be caused due to heel spurs, bursitis, Severs disease, and Achilles tendinitis. Moreover, heel pain is also caused by referred pain from other areas of the body. Plantar fasciitis as mentioned above is another causes of heel pain at the bottom of your heel.

Corns and calluses

Calluses form when the skin hardens due to excessive shearing force, pressure or friction and are found under the balls and heels of the feet as well as to the toes. Minor callus generally doesn’t cause too many problems unless it is a significant amount. Corns on the other hand are more specifically focused on one area, forming a hard lump surrounded by inflamed skin that can be very painful.

Blisters

We are all familiar with blisters. Blisters can occur anywhere on our bodies. These are pockets of fluids between the upper layers of the skin. Due to excessive friction with constant rubbing, the skin tears out under the skin surface, and fluid rushes in quickly as a protective mechanism, resulting in a blister bubble.

Blisters are a common problem of the foot, which one can be prevented or reduced with the correct knowledge and education by one of our podiatrist.

Bunions

A Bunion (Hallux Valgus) is one of the most common forefoot problems. It is a prominent bump on the inside of the foot around the big toe joint.  This bump can rub inside shoes causing pain and inflammation. They develop when the big toe pushes inwards in the direction of the second toe. They have a genetic predisposition which are worsened by poor footwear and biomechanics.

Apart from these conditions, ingrown toenails, neuromas, tinea, Fungal, or thickened toenails are some other conditions of the foot that podiatrists often treat. For a comprehensive list of all the conditions please refer to here. So should you be concerned about anything to do with your feet, ankle or lower limbs then please call us on 92584152 or book an appointment online!!