Podiatry & Podiatrist Near Me

What Is Podiatry?

Accidents and injuries are commonplace, despite our best efforts to prevent them. When they occur, multiple areas of the body may be affected. When there is an injury to the foot, you may be referred to see a podiatrist. A podiatrist is a specialized type of doctor who solely manages foot and ankle problems. In addition to treating common ailments like ingrown toenails and warts, podiatrists can also treat accident related conditions like foot pain caused by a sprain or fracture.

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To become a podiatrist, four years of medical school education are required. This is followed by three years of residency training in podiatry, including surgical techniques. Some podiatrists engage in an additional year of training in more specialized fields such as wound care and sports medicine.

All podiatrists must pass each component of a three part licensing examination. After completing residency, these doctors take a board certification exam, either with the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery or the American Board of Podiatric Medicine. Podiatrists may work in an office setting or in a hospital.

When Might You See a Podiatrist?

The foot is a very complex body part, consisting of bones and connective tissues. Together, the feet support the full weight of the body and are important for ambulation. For this reason, even small injuries can be problematic.

Low impact injuries can result from misstep falls or “stubbing” a toe. Motor vehicle accidents falling from heights, or dropping a heavy object onto the foot can cause multiple fractures and tears of the ligaments and tendons. A podiatrist evaluates these types of foot injuries and develops a treatment plan to promote the best outcome.

The Podiatry Office Visit

In the absence of injury to other areas of the body, foot problems may be assessed in an office setting. On the day of your appointment, the podiatrist will inquire about the cause of your injury to help understand its severity.

Your doctor will examine your foot, checking for pain and signs of bruising, skin damage, and swelling. In some cases, obvious deformity of the foot is visible. Foot mobility and weight bearing will also be evaluated. The most severe injuries are associated with the inability to stand on the affected foot.

Further evaluation is done with imaging studies to identify the full extent of the injury. Bones are seen well on x-rays, but more detail can be obtained via CT scans. If necessary, an MRI may be used to reveal tendon, muscle, or ligament tears.

Podiatry Treatment Plan

Once the extent of the foot injury is known, an appropriate treatment plan is developed by the podiatrist. Pain management will be recommended for the acute symptoms, and later if needed to assist in recovery. In most cases, over-the-counter acetaminophen or ibuprofen provides sufficient relief.

If the injury caused skin penetration, either from fractured bone or an object, antibiotics will be prescribed to prevent infections. If fractures are noted in the imaging studies, the podiatrist will discuss how to re-align or repair the bones. This may or may not require surgery.

If there are multiple bone fractures, surgically implanted hardware (i.e. pins, plates) may be used to stablize the bones. Certain tendon injuries (i.e. Achilles tendon) may also require surgery in order for the foot to function properly. When an orthotic or supportive device is necessary, a podiatrist will customize it for your specific foot problem. Such devices provide support and comfort as your foot heals. In addition, a physical therapy regimen will be discussed to help obtain the best possible recovery from your injury.