Though often taken for granted, our feet are one of the most important parts of our body, without which walking around in our daily lives would be impossible. So any problem, injury, or infection on the feet needs to be treated as soon as possible. Podiatry is the diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and rehabilitation of foot and lower limb problems. Being a podiatrist indicates you have completed a four-year program at a prestigious institute.
Who is a podiatrist?
Podiatry is the identification, treatment, prevention, and rehabilitation of the feet and lower limbs. Being a podiatrist means you have completed a full four years of education at a distinguished institute. Like other doctors, a podiatrist is a trained specialist who deals with problems that a patient may have in their foot. Their specializations may include surgery, wound care, infection treatment, sports medicine, pediatrics (for children), and many more.
Complexities of our feet
Our feet are a very complex part of our body. They include joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons, all of which work together to allow us to use them properly. Apart from these, the skin covers the feet, as do the nails that grow at the ends of the toes. Conditions that mess up the functionality of any of these can become a hindrance, and they can be of many types.
Foot Conditions
Problems in our feet can be of various types, including ingrown toenails, foot infections, nail infections, swelling, blisters, smelly feet, sprains, and the list goes on. However, some podiatrist-specific problems also show up, such as fractures, skin and nail diseases, ulcers, tumors, walking patterns, flat feet, corrective orthotics, etcetera. These problems can be caused by a variety of already-existing health issues, like diabetes, arthritis, obesity, high cholesterol, poor blood circulation, and heart diseases.
Where to visit the podiatrist?
Ideally, people should get a regular checkup even if they don’t feel any apparent problems. Institutes like My Foot Dr Podiatrist Perth and other branches around Australia provide these regular checkups for patients. However, it must also be kept in mind that a visit to a doctor should be done if we feel anything off with our health, and the same goes with our feet, especially if we have a preexisting condition like the ones mentioned above.
When should you book an appointment?
Regular checkups are important, but they are far more important when a problem has been identified, especially when feeling discomfort in the feet. This can be something as simple as a slight pain in our ankle when simply doing a stretch or doing some exercise that may or may not be written off as nothing serious when, in actuality, it might be dangerous. People with diabetes have a higher risk of developing problems in their feet. It is crucial not to disregard anything irregular felt within our feet.
When visiting a podiatrist, like any other doctor, it goes without saying that no information must be left out. Explain everything you are feeling and how it is different from how it normally is. You can even tell them what you think could have caused the problem; for example, you may have been working out at the wrong angle, and you got ankle pains.
Conclusion
Being cautious about one’s health can go a long way in having a long and happy life. Hence, you must always take care of yourselves by getting checked up on a near regular basis. So, if you feel anything irregular about your feet, call for an appointment with your local podiatrist.
