Podiatry is a branch of medical science related to diagnosing and treating conditions associated with the foot, ankle, and lower extremities. Learn more about podiatry, its treatment, and it’s affecting conditions.
Foot and ankle conditions may involve various problematic features such as fractures, strains, sprains, bunions, arthritis, ingrowth of toenails, hammer toes, and other related problems. This article will teach about podiatry patients’ overall health and well-being and more about focus, prevention, and diagnosis.
It is all about treating and rehabilitating medical and surgical conditions of lower limbs and feet. Podiatry treatments could result from bone and joint disorders, including arthritis, soft tissues, and muscular pathologies.
Podiatrists diagnose and treat complications caused by nail or skin disorders, lower limb disease resulting from neurological and circulatory diseases, and even food injuries and infections caused by sports and other activities.
Below we will explore the answers to what podiatry means. Or what is a podiatrist doctor? And what do podiatrists do? Common conditions a podiatrist treats, signs you may need podiatry services, and how to find a trusted practitioner?
Table of Contents
What does podiatry mean?
Podiatry is a branch of medicine dealing with the foot, ankle, and other structures related to the leg. It focuses specifically on foot and ankle conditions requiring a specialist, known as a podiatrist.
Along with the affecting conditions of the human foot, ankle, and governing structures, it may include local manifestations of systemic diseases using the appropriate methods and resources.
Standard foot and ankle conditions in podiatry
Typical foot and ankle conditions may be genetic, traumatic, chronic, or a matter of personal foot care. Some people can have inherited foot characteristics that may result in improper foot alignment.
Others might have an underlying health condition, such as diabetes or a nerve disorder that may affect the blood circulation and nerves in the feet. A podiatrist also deals with the foot injuries like sprains and fractures or the foot conditions like calluses and corns, which are somehow preventable.
Consultations regarding podiatry
Skilled podiatrists employ a wide range of expertise to provide a thorough consultation, which includes gathering clinical history, conducting physical examinations, offering diagnoses, and preparing personalized treatment plans encompassing various therapeutic approaches.
Clinical assessment techniques
Such specific clinical assessment techniques for podiatry aim to secure a diagnosis and prognosis. Additionally, it may have clinical, medical, and surgical history, other footwear, occupational, and lifestyle factors.
Clinical assessments may incorporate diagnostic equipment, including vascular scopes or radiology. To undertake the “gait analysis” to determine the walk, they take help from visual or computerized means, including a massive range of motion studies, dynamic force, postural alignment, and pressure studies.
Clinical services require the skilled use of sterilized instruments and appropriate infection control procedures, with a proper application of pharmacological agents, appropriate wound dressings, and numerous physical therapies.
Moreover, prescribing some foot devices can offer permanent solutions in treating and preventing corns, callous and necrotic ulceration by adjusting pressure distribution. A consistent weight-bearing realignment in shoe devices (foot orthosis) treats acute and chronic foot conditions.
Acute and chronic may include various conditions such as tendonitis, recurrent ankle sprain, chronic knee pain, and stress fractures, which all need related supplements and clinical care.
Signs which need a podiatrist
Any podiatry medical condition can affect one’s foot health. If someone has diabetes, a nerve disorder, poor blood circulation, or a compromised immune system, they need routine podiatry care.
If anyone is suffering from the following condition, they, too, need to consider seeing a podiatrist.
- Flattening foot arch
- Foreign object in the foot or ankle
- Ingrown toenails
- Lump in the foot or ankle
- Discolored skin on the feet or toenail
- A mole that changes in appearance
- Pain or swelling in the foot
- Tingling or burning in the foot
- Sores not healing or healing speed is slow
Find a trusted podiatrist
One must ask their primary care physician or any specialist for a referral to any podiatrist. You can even ask your family or friends with the same experience and have received extraordinary podiatric care.
The specialists who have working relationships with podiatrists may include neurologists, oncologists, endocrinologists, rheumatologists, vascular surgeons, and dermatologists. Most importantly, choose any podiatrist certified by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery.
Conditions podiatrists treat
Podiatrists treat people of every age with a variety of foot-related situations, such as:
- Nail disorders
- Fractures and sprains
- Diabetes
- Bunions and hammertoes
- Growing pains
- Heel pain
- Sports and improper footwear as causes of heel pain: Impact of overpronation on athletes
- Arthritis
- Morton neuroma
Nail disorders
Various nail disorder issues like an infection in your nails due to some fungus or ingrown toenails. It usually happens when a corner or side of a foot nail grows into your toe instead of going straight out.
Fractures and sprains
Podiatrists have to treat common injuries related to the foot and ankle. Most podiatrists work in sports medicine, treating foot problems and making various recommendations to avoid specific issues.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a condition in which the body does not make a hormone called insulin, or there is a disturbance in its usage. Insulin helps you digest sugar. Diabetes can severely damage the nerves in your feet and legs and eventually create trouble regulating enough blood to your feet.
Diabetes can cause serious complications, and plenty of people get to have a foot amputated, which they need the help of a doctor to remove because of diabetes. A podiatrist may help you to prevent such symptoms. So, if you have diabetes, get any sore or callus on your feet.
Bunions and hammertoes
Bunions and hammertoes are bone-related problems in your feet. A bunion shows up when the joint at the base of the prominent toe gets bigger or knocked out of place. Such a critical condition makes the toe bend towards the others. A hammertoe does not turn the right way.
Growing pains
If the feet point inward, look flat, or the toes do not line up right, then a podiatrist may help in this regard. Professionals may recommend the patients to exercise, insole, or braces. If they feel some crucial condition, the DPM may recommend surgery.
Heel pain
Hip pain could be due to heel spurs or building up calcium at your heel bone. The reasons behind heel pain could be running, being overweight or ill-fitting shoes. Another reason could be inflammation of the band of connective tissue, which reaches along your feet.
Sports and improper footwear as causes of heel pain: Impact of overpronation on athletes
Sports and some non-supportive shoes could be the reason for heel pain. Moreover, overpronation means the foot bends in or out too far when walking. It may affect athletes while causing pain at the back of your heel, where the tendon attaches.
Podiatrists often start treatment with over-the-counter pain and include shoe inserts called orthotics. Some people need surgery.
Arthritis
Arthritis results from inflammation, swelling, and joint wear and tear. It is essential to know that each foot has 33 joints, making things workable. If someone has arthritis, a podiatrist may recommend physical therapy, special shoes, drugs, or some shoe inserts to help with the pain.
If the other treatment is not working well for you at some extreme stage, doctors will recommend surgery.
Morton neuroma
Nerve problems between the third and fourth bones of the foot can cause burning, pain, and feeling of irritation, which can badly affect runners. Tight shoes and an inconvenient walking style can make it worse.
The solution by a podiatrist could be some shots for inflammation and pain while recommending some orthotics. Finally, one may need surgery to remove it.
What is podiatric medicine?
Podiatric medicine is an essential branch of the medical sciences that deals with preventing, diagnosing, and treating foot disorders by medical and surgical means. The human foot has a complex connection with the human body, so that it may detect signs of severe conditions, including diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
According to the studies of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Employment of doctors in podiatric medicine is planned to grow by 14% by 2024, faster than any other occupation. Becoming a podiatric physician takes around seven to eight years of higher education.
To become a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine, in other words, DPM, students must first earn a bachelor’s degree to be accepted at any college of podiatric medicine. The DPM is a four year program, with two years of instruction and laboratory work, following some clinical courses and practical experience in community clinics or accredited hospitals.
During the learning tenure, one may learn medical and surgical experiences to enhance competency. Podiatric medical graduates usually select a 36-month podiatric medicine and surgery residency to train them for rear foot and ankle surgery.
What do podiatrists do?
Podiatrists are medical specialists who help with problems related to your feet or lower legs. In addition, podiatrists can treat injuries and complications from health issues like diabetes. You may even call them a podiatric physician or doctor of podiatric medicine.
Are podiatrists doctors?
Podiatrists are doctors; however, they do not attend any traditional medical school. There are specific schools and professional associations, or they can use the name of DPM (Doctor of Podiatric Medicine).
Podiatrists can do surgery, prescribe drugs, reset broken bones, or even order lab tests and X-rays. Additionally, they work with other specialists to deal with stern effects on feet or lower legs. Remember that in the United States, podiatrists must have a license and follow the regulations of the state government.
Education and training
As students, the individuals who want to be podiatrists choose Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and other science classes to prepare for podiatry schools. Most podiatrists get a bachelor’s degree in Biology or any similar field of science.
Podiatrists usually attend podiatry school for four years, studying and learning how bones, nerves, and muscles work together to help in movement. Moreover, they explore the illnesses and injuries which may affect your feet and activities.
To study in podiatry schools in the United States, one must find any institution accredited by the American Podiatric Medical Association. After graduating from any podiatry school, they are supposed to work in any hospital for at least three years, and we call it residency.
During residency, podiatrists precisely put things they have learned to do. In addition, they have to work with doctors in other fields, including surgeons, pediatricians, anesthesiologists, and specialists in infectious diseases.
On completion of “residency,” the podiatrists can get advanced certifications in surgery on feet and ankles.
What does DPM mean?
Feet are complex anatomical structures that may work as shock absorbers and propulsion engines, which may work for overall health and well-being. Being a crucial instrument, it requires expert care.
The DPM means that a particular physician has completed years of fundamental foot and ankle training in podiatric medical school and then hospital-based residency training, which makes them uniquely qualified.
Doctors of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) are physicians and surgeons who practice on the lower extremities, especially related feet and ankles. DPMs are licensed in 50 states of the United States of America, and even the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and diagnose and treat foot-related diseases by medical, surgical, and other means.
In the United States, most include ankle care as part of a podiatric physician’s scope of practice. Usually, podiatrists do private practices, but they may serve in the staff’s hospitals, long-term care facilities, and the faculties of medicine.
Additionally, podiatrists may work as commissioned officers in the Armed Forces and United States Public Health Service, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Public Health Service, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and municipal health departments.
The skills of podiatric physicians are in enhanced demand due to disorders of the foot and ankle, which are widespread and neglected health problems.
Doctors of Podiatric Medicine (DPMs) are today’s podiatrists known as podiatric physicians and surgeons. A DPM is qualified by the education and training who diagnose and treat affecting conditions of the foot, ankle, and other leg structures. Moreover, DPMs are licensed in all 50 states.
Doctors of Podiatric Medicine (DPMs) do it all
Pediatrics are qualified among medical professionals to treat the foot and ankle. Podiatry is a specialization to the foot and ankle, as ophthalmology to the eye or cardiology to the heart. Today’s podiatrists can tackle diverse situations of foot care, whether they deal with sports medicine, dermatology, or diabetes.
DPMs can usually identify systemic diseases in patients, including diabetes and associated complications, high blood pressure, and heart diseases. Patients of all ages and diverse backgrounds require expertise that only a doctor of podiatry may provide, and they may perform the following things as well:
- Perform surgeries
- Prescribe medications
- Order and perform physical therapy
- Set fractures and treat sports-related injuries
- Perform complete medical histories and physical examinations
- Prescribe orthotics, insole, and custom-made shoes
- Interpret X-rays and other imaging studies
- Work in the community’s health care team.
According to some recent studies, podiatrists provide around 40 percent of foot care services in the U.S. compared to 13 percent for orthopedic and 37 percent for all physicians, including primary care doctors.
Moreover, all the health insurance plans provide coverage for the doctors of podiatric medicine. Numerous podiatrists work in various healthcare settings, even providing small or private group practices.
Most of them serve on the staff of hospitals, faculties of schools of medicine and nursing, and long-term care facilities, or could be in the armed forces and U.S. public health services.
What is a podiatrist doctor?
Be sure you are seeing the most qualified healthcare professional to treat your feet, so one must try to find a podiatrist with letters of “DPM” after their name. Podiatric physicians, surgeons, podiatrists, or foot and ankle surgeons typically work with the foot and ankle organ systems.
The foot and ankle organ system may include vascular, neurological, dermatological, and musculoskeletal procedures. People suffering from foot and ankle issues might undergo medical, surgical, or biomechanical treatment.
Biomechanics studies how the foot and leg function when the foot contacts the ground. However, the extensive biomechanics knowledge will help people adopt conservative therapy instead of surgery or any improved surgical outcomes.
Surgically trained podiatrists can fix the most complex foot and ankle conditions. The non-surgical care by podiatrists may come from medicine and biomechanics, which may comprise 80 percent of most podiatric practices.
Doctors of podiatric medicine gain medical education and training as we can compare with medical doctors. It includes four years of undergraduate and four years of graduate education at any podiatric medical college with two or three years of hospital-based residency training.
All podiatrists receive a DPM degree. There are nine podiatric medical colleges in the United States; one may check the list here:
https://www.cpme.org/colleges/content.cfm?ItemNumber=2425&navItemNumber=2240&RDtoken=35688&userID=
Most of the qualified practicing podiatrists are board certified. Certification is an earned credential for podiatric physicians who achieve certain levels of skill and ability by completing specific advanced training, clinical experience, and examination.
The American Board of Podiatric Orthopedics and Primary Podiatric Medicine certifies particular areas of podiatric orthopedics and primary podiatric medicine. Moreover, the American Board of Podiatric Surgery (ABPS) is the certifying board, especially for foot and ankle surgery.
According to the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA), podiatrists perform more foot and ankle-related surgeries than any other medical specialist. The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons survey depicts that 45% of members’ patients come for surgical care.
Initial education
Podiatric physicians and surgeons have to complete four years of post-baccalaureate medical school in the United States. We are well aware of residency, which is training like other physicians.
Interested candidates for Podiatric Medical Schools are supposed to complete a baccalaureate degree before admission. These institutes usually grant medical doctor (MD) and doctor of osteopathy (D.O.) degrees.
These institutes usually consider candidates who have completed at least 90 semester hours at accredited undergraduate colleges or universities. Around 95% of first-year students entering podiatric medicine colleges hold baccalaureate degrees, and 10% have master’s degrees.
To get admission to podiatry institutions, one must complete the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) as a fundamental requirement. It contains the course of instruction leading to the DPM degree with a tenure of four years.
The first two years of the DPM degree deal with instruction and laboratory work in basic medical sciences. Additionally, the curriculum covers subjects such as lower extremity anatomy, general human anatomy, histology, neurobiology, genetics, embryology, pathology, and pharmacology.
Furthermore, in the third and fourth years of the degree, it focuses on clinical sciences, gaining experience in college clinics, community clinics, and accredited hospitals. Clinical courses may involve general diagnosis and therapeutics. Other methods may include general medicine, women’s health, research, pediatrics, ethics, and jurisprudence.
- General diagnosis involves history taking, physical examination, clinical laboratory procedures, biomechanics, gait analysis, and diagnostic radiology.
- Therapeutics include pharmacology, sports medicine, orthotics, shoes, physical medicine, rehabilitation, prosthetics, surgery, and anesthesia.
Postdoctoral education
After completing the four-year course and getting the DPM degree, one must complete postdoctoral work before getting the license. After obtaining the postdoctoral residency programs to strengthen the practitioner’s medical, surgical, and biochemical skills.
Residency programs are based in hospitals accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and the American Osteopathic Association (AOA).
In the United States, podiatrists have complete processes through hospital departments and total exposure to all pathologies in the significant areas of medicine during rotation. On completion of residency, podiatric physicians may get into the field of practice or continue education for specialization.
Licensure, practice, or continuing education
Licensure testing happens after the second and fourth years of school and is about getting the license in the state where they practice. Podiatric physicians are licensed in all over 50 states.
Regarding private practices, many podiatrists are part of group medical practices and serve in prestigious medical centers. They can also aid in staff of hospitals, long-term care facilities, the faculties of schools of medicine and nursing, and many other privileged places.
All licensed physicians and surgeons maintain independent authority, can make clinical diagnoses, and perform particular treatments while prescribing some controlled substances. At the same time, surgeons and podiatric physicians must complete 100 hours of education every two years for licensure.
Remember that heavy attendance at many educational programs and seminars developed and presented annually by some colleges and podiatric medical associations.
Board certification
Podiatrists can get a board certification with advanced training, clinical experience and ultimately take an exam. All the procedure is to protect and improve public health and welfare.
Two approved boards by APMA certify in the following three areas:
- Primary podiatric medicine
- Podiatric orthopedics
- Podiatric surgery
What to expect from the Podiatrist?
If you are suffering from foot- or ankle-related issues, your first visit to a podiatrist will be like any other doctor. Podiatrists usually ask about the medical history, the medication you are on, and the surgeries if you undergo any.
The Podiatrist will analyze gait and keep a vigilant eye on how you stand and walk. They will check the range of motion in your joints and see the fitting of your shoes. The first visit to any podiatrist will make you treat bunions, ingrown toenails, heel, and lower back pain, circulation in your feet if you have diabetes, and foot deformities.
After making a detailed checkup, the Podiatrist might treat some conditions in their office, or sometimes they suggest some orthotics, padding, or physical therapy to deal with the problem.
Podiatrists may use tools like syringes to give you pain medication and nail splitters to remove ingrown toenails. Some scalpels could cut into your skin around the toenail and remove the parts of any cons and calluses. Moreover, numerous doctors use cryotherapy equipment and liquid nitrogen to freeze off plantar warts.
Podiatrists in demand
There is an increase in aging Americans, with a rapid rise in the rate of people with obesity and diabetes in the United States. Various studies show the need to increase the number of podiatric physicians to meet the population’s demands in the coming years.
Conclusion
What is a podiatrist doctor? Doctors of podiatric medicine must undergo extensive education, comprehensive training, and board certification related to foot and ankle. Such people experience more education and training specific to foot and ankle than any other healthcare provider and can deal with the complexities of foot care.
Podiatry is the treatment of foot and ankle conditions and is carried out by specialists known as podiatrists. The human foot’s complex interrelating makes it prone to showing signs of severe diseases, driving podiatrists to focus on preventing, diagnosing, and treating various foot disorders.
What does DPM mean? Doctors of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) and podiatric physicians are the medical specialists responsible for foot and leg care.
After knowing what podiatrists do? It is essential to know that podiatric medicine doctors get the highest paying salaries and compensations, which make podiatry an attractive and viable career option for many.
Good foot care is vital for every human being, and podiatric doctors, as part of the healthcare team, ensure an active, independent, and healthy life. Podiatric physicians are the first to detect the symptoms of severe disorders, making them even lifesaving healthcare team members. The skill of podiatric physicians is in demand which is increasing daily as a disorder of the foot or ankle is a widespread and neglected health problem.
