- Welcome! >
- Articles
A podiatrist, also called a doctor of podiatric medicine, is a specialist who provides medical diagnosis and treatment of foot and ankle problems, such as bunions, heel pain, spurs, hammertoes, neuromas, ingrown toenails, warts, corns and calluses. A podiatrist also renders care of sprains, fractures, infections, and injuries of the foot, ankle and heel. In addition to undergraduate medical school training, podiatrists also attend graduate school for a doctorate degree in podiatry. Podiatrists are required to take state and national exams, as well as be licensed by the state in which they practice.
According to the American Podiatric Medical Association, there are an estimated 15,000 practicing podiatrists in the United States. Podiatrists are in demand more than ever today because of a rapidly aging population. In addition, according to the association, foot disorders are among the most widespread and neglected health problems affecting people in this country.
Typically, podiatrists:
- Consult with patients and other physicians on how to prevent foot problems.
- Diagnose and treat tumors, ulcers, fractures, skin and nail diseases, and deformities.
- Perform surgeries to correct or remedy such problems as bunions, clawtoes, fractures, hammertoes, infections, ruptured Achilles, and other ligaments and tendons.
- Prescribe therapies and perform diagnostic procedures such as ultrasound and lab tests.
- Prescribe or fits patients with inserts called orthotics that correct walking patterns.
- Treat conditions such as: bone disorders, bunions, corns, calluses, cysts, heel spurs, infections, ingrown nails, and plantar fasciitis.
-
Bone/Joint/Tendon
- Accessory Navicular Syndrome
- Achilles Tendon Rupture
- Ankle
- Arch Pain
- Arch Supports
- Bone Healing
- Bone Infection
- Bone Tumors in the Foot
- Brachymetatarsia
- Bunions (Hallux Abducto Valgus)
- Bursitis
- Calcaneal Apophysitis (Sever's Disease)
- Calf Pain
- Capsulitis of the Second Toe
- Cavus Foot (High-Arched Foot)
- Charcot Foot
- Chronic Ankle Instability
- Clubfoot
- Cold Feet
- Common Disorders of the Achilles Tendon
- Drop Foot
- DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis)
- Extra Bones
- Fallen Arches
- Fifth Metatarsal Fracture
- Flatfoot
- Foot Arthritis
- Foot Drop
- Fracture
- Gangrene
- Gout
- Haglund's Deformity
- Hallux Rigidus
- Hammertoes
- Heel Pain (Plantar Fasciitis)
- High-Arched Foot
- Intermetatarsal Neuroma
- Intoeing
- Joint Pain in the Foot
- Joint Swelling in the Foot
- Lisfranc Injuries
- Os Trigonum Syndrome
- Osteoarthritis of the Foot and Ankle
- Osteomyelitis (Bone Infection)
- Osteopenia
- Osteoporosis
- Peroneal Tendon Injuries
- Pigeon-toes
- Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD)
- R.I.C.E Protocol
- Restless Legs
- Rheumatoid Arthritis in the Foot and Ankle
- Sesamoid Injuries in the Foot
- Shin Splints
- Swollen Feet
- Synovitis
- Tailor's Bunion
- Talar Dome Lesion
- Tingly Feet
- Tired Feet
- Toe Walking
- Turf Toe
- Varicose Veins
- Webbed Toes
-
Nails and Skin
- Athlete's Foot
- Black Toenails
- Callus
- Contact Dermatitis
- Corns
- Cracked Heels
- Dermatitis
- Dry Heels
- Eczema of the Foot
- Foot Bumps
- Foot Lumps
- Foot Odor
- Foot Rash
- Frostbite
- Fungal Nails
- Ganglion Cyst
- Heel Fissures
- Inflammation: Acute
- Ingrown Toenails
- Malignant Melanoma of the Foot
- Plantar Fibroma
- Plantar Wart (Verruca Plantaris)
- Pump Bump (Hallux Rigidus)
- Puncture Wounds
- Rash
- Raynauds Phenomenon
- Skin Cancer of the Foot and Ankle
- Smelly Feet
- Sweaty Feet
- Thick Toenails
- Warts
- White Toenails
- Wounds/Ulcers
- Wounds-Puncture
- Yellow Toenails
- Diabetic Health
-
Fitness and Your Feet
- Baseball Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
- Basketball Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
- Field Hockey Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
- Football Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
- Golf Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
- Lacrosse Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
- Rugby Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
- Running and Track Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
- Soccer Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
- Softball Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
- Tennis Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
- Volleyball Injuries to the Foot and Ankle
- Orthotics and Footwear
- Compartment Syndrome
- Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
- Equinus
- Instructions for Using Crutches
- Staph Infections of the Foot