Podiatrists: What You Should Know

Any medical doctor devoted to the medical treatment and study of the foot, lower extremity and ankle is known as a podiatrist or podiatric physician or in simple words, foot and ankle surgeon. They specialize in the treatment of foot pathology, but not through surgeries and surgical means. These specialists can further specialize and train to perform foot and ankle surgery. They have to complete four years of undergraduate work, followed by four years in a podiatry medical school. This has to be further followed by three to four years hospital-based surgical training in America.

podiatrist

Podiatrists provide special care, treatment and diagnosis of a range of issues affecting the lower legs, feet and ankles. These include defects, injuries and infections. Conditions related to diabetes, that affect the foot and nail, are also taken care of. Patients are often advised to improve their mobility, quality of life and independence. Podiatrists are based in hospitals, within a private practice or GP surgery and they work with a team of nurses, other doctors and physiotherapists. The other name for podiatrists is chiropodists and both these terms are protected titles.

Responsibilities of Podiatrists:

#1. Examining Patients: With the help of X-rays, personal touch, lab tests and scanner plates connected to computers, podiatrists examine patients’ feet, lower legs and ankles. Podiatrists diagnose ailments related to the foot. These may include

• Nail ingrowth
• Calluses
• Fungal infections
• Fractures
• Other deformities 

And it is possible to identify these ailments via a series of lab tests, which also include X-rays. According to U.S. World and News Report, swelling in the ankles and feet indicate heart, circulation or kidney problems.

#2. Taking Care of Ailments: Podiatrists may prescribe shoe inserts, also known as orthotics, for treating injuries and ailments like arch problems. Plastic casts will be used to set fractures. For conditions such as athletes foot, anti-fungal medicines are prescribed. For people with plantar fasciitis or heel and arch stress, rest and pain relievers may be recommended. Special diets, which are quite helpful to alleviate symptoms and also conditions related to diabetes or circulation, are often required. When the conditions of the patients fall out of the area of their expertise, podiatrists may refer them to other specialists.

Foot Treatment

#3. Administrative Duties: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 26% of the total podiatrists were working independently or were self-employed in the year 2010. Some podiatrists might end up performing small surgeries, without the outlook of a manager or aid of clerical staffs. They have to look after all the administration all by themselves - like create a patient report for files, do their own tax calculations, bill their patients, have a check on their revenue and other expenses. Some podiatrists who are working for some hospital or medical company might have some administrative duties too.

#4. Performing Surgeries: Conditions such as bone spurs or compound fractures and some other conditions of the feet cannot be treated with casts, drugs or minor surgical incisions. Podiatrists may opt to perform surgeries in these cases. According to American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, immediate surgery is required during a compound fracture, i.e. when a bone breaks the skin. Doctors have to surgically remove heel bone spurs, which cause painful growths. Podiatrists must know when to perform surgeries on patients and when to stop treatment.

These are some vital aspects that one should know about podiatrists.