Podiatry is a specialist area of healthcare that focuses on diagnosing, treating and preventing conditions associated with the foot and lower limbs. Podiatrists aim to help to ease or stop the pain of patients, help them achieve better mobility and generally improve their quality of life as a whole. As we put pressure on our feet every day, making sure they are in the best of health is extremely important so that we can move around as normal and without pain or discomfort.
So when should you see a podiatrist? The simple answer to this question is – when your feet are causing you pain for a period of time. If the pain doesn’t go away after a day or so, it’s likely that this is your body’s way of telling you that something isn’t right. A podiatrist can diagnose the problem and provide the right course of treatment to help your foot or lower extremities to heal properly.
As with other forms of medicine, it’s also very true that prevention is always better than the cure. Many people choose to visit a podiatrist regularly, just as they would a dentist or other healthcare practitioner such as a chiropractor or an osteopath. By attending regular foot health check-ups, people are more likely to prevent possible injuries or complaints by following a podiatrist’s advice.
Conditions that podiatrists commonly treat include:
Skin disorders
- Calluses – this is thick hard skin that is formed from a combination of pressure, friction, mechanical and torsional forces. Calluses can crack, and become infected if not treated
- Corns – these are small, thick lumps created from concentrated callus. Corns can be hard, soft or even vascular and are usually quite painful
- Verrucae – these are a type of wart that is caused by the human papilloma virus that affects the outer layer of the skin
- Ulceration – this can occur as a result of high pressure causing the skin to break down
- Hyperkeratosis
Foot function problems
- Heel and arch pain – heel and arch pain is commonly caused by strain on the ligaments as a result of the flattening of the arch
- Lower back pain, hip, knee and shin problems – these problems can be caused by excessive rotation in the leg as a result of bad foot function
- Weak ankles – abnormally high arches in the feet can be a cause of weak ankles
Toe nail disorders
- Ingrowing toe nails – this occurs when the edge of the nail presses into the skin and grows into it, cutting through and causing inflammation
- Distorted nails – damage to the nails can cause them to grown thick and misshapen, making them very difficult to clip
- Fungal nails – this is a form of athlete’s foot that discolours, thickens and crumbles nails
At Riverside Dental Spa, we can also provide specialised podiatry treatments including minor surgeries under local anaesthetic to remove verrucae and correct ingrowing toenails. We can also analyse gait and assess foot function to help prevent further pain or injury.
If you are suffering from any of these complaints or any other type of pain in your feet, you can call us today on 0800 0154 222 or email reception@riversidedentalspa.com to arrange an appointment.