Are you experiencing pain in your feet, skin rashes or facing problems fitting comfortably in your regular shoes? Maybe it’s time to see a Podiatrist.
We often forget how important our feet are in our daily lives. It is because of our feet that we are able to get going, stand, run or walk and carry out our daily activities.
Our feet are an integral part of our body and since they do so much in our lives, chances are you might develop several foot problems throughout your life.
A human foot is a complex combination of many bones, several joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments, all of which work together to provide stability, support and mobility in your body. If you experience any issues with your feet, a visit to our Epping podiatrist might be your best bet.
What is Podiatry and who is a Podiatrist?
Podiatry is the branch of medical science that deals with diagnosis, treatment, prevention and management of medical and surgical conditions of the feet and lower limbs. The professional who specialises in podiatry is called a podiatrist.
Podiatrists are highly trained allied health professionals who treat a wide range of issues involving those resulting from bone and joint disorders such as pain and arthritis as well as muscular pathologies and circulatory diseases in our feet.
A podiatrist can effectively treat a variety of conditions including:
- Athlete’s Foot
- Ankle Sprain
- Corns or calluses
- Cracked heels
- Heel and Arch Pain
- Ingrown toenails
- Ligament damage
- Nail fungus
- Numbness, pain or swelling in one foot or both
- Painful bunions
- Pain when walking, running or doing your daily activities
The many roles a podiatrist plays when caring for your foot
1) Role of a Podiatrist in diabetes treatment
People with diabetes are more likely to develop foot health complications. This arises typically due to the nerve damage leading to loss of some feeling in your foot or lower blood supply resulting in slower healing.
People with diabetes should regularly have their feet checked by a podiatrist. This will allow enough time for the doctors to identify problems and prevent any further complications.
Every year, there are over 4,400 amputations in Australia as a result of diabetes. However, with early diagnosis, it is highly preventable. According to Diabetes Australia, 85% of diabetes-related amputations are preventable if the wounds are detected and managed early with the help of a podiatrist.
When to see a podiatrist if you’re diabetic:
- Consult a podiatrist for an annual foot health check-up
- Seek immediate medical help from a podiatrist if you see callus, corns, change in foot shape, ulcer, swelling or cuts or blisters which you may not have felt happened
2) A podiatrist can help you choose the right shoes for your feet
There are a number of different aspects that are required to be considered when buying the most right pair of shoes. There are numerous options available in the market and buying the most appropriate pair can be challenging. This is when seeing a podiatrist can help. A podiatrist will conduct an assessment based on your feet health and feet requirements to help you find an option that best works for your feet. Our Epping podiatrist uses specialised methods to conduct a shoe or footwear assessment for anyone including professional athletes, older people and diabetes patients.3) Role of a Podiatrist in treating athlete injuries
Athletes, as well as people who practice sports, run and do a variety of outdoor activities and exercise required to keep their body fit need good foot health too. A sportsperson’s feet take in a lot of wear and tear which can lead to injury, pain, stress fractures and many more.
A visit to a podiatrist will help athletes in improving their performance, prevent injuries, rehabilitate issues and help them get back to their sports as quickly as possible.
At Epping Family Medical & Specialist Centre, our podiatrist can help with:
- Tendonitis or inflammation of the tendon of a muscle
- Heel spur and heel pain for athletes with flat feet and/or high arch feet
- Muscle fatigue
4) Role of a podiatrist in foot health of older people
Podiatrists play an integral role for the health care of ageing Australians. Mobility becomes very crucial for ageing people to keep themselves independent and maintain a good quality of life.
The older people are at a higher risk of injuring themselves and sometimes even the small injuries can lead to more serious health issues if left unattended. But with a help of a podiatrist, age-specific foot issues can be effectively prevented and taken care of.
Below are some age-specific foot health problems that our podiatrist deals with on a regular basis:
- Changes in foot skin
- Identify pressure areas and changes in nail health
- Shape and size changes of the foot or orthopaedic changes due to ageing
Book-in a consultation with our Epping Podiatrist
We are located in Epping in Melbourne’s North and extend our services to nearby suburbs including Campbellfiled, Thomastown, Lalor and Mill Park.
Our qualified podiatrist provides comprehensive, patient-focused and high-quality podiatry services to anyone in the family including care for adult’s feet, senior’s feet and children’s feet.
Book your Epping podiatry appointment here or give us a call at (03) 8402 0400.
