According to the American Podiatric Medical Association, most Americans log a remarkable 75,000 miles on their feet by the time they reach the golden age of 50.
From walking all over the house to navigating a bustling city, from running a marathon for health to dancing to fast and slow tunes at the occasional party, the feet are certainly some of the busiest parts of the human body — which is the precise reason why their health and condition should never be taken for granted.
Of course, people can handle the simple tasks that can contribute much to the goal of keeping feet nice, healthy and happy; these can include routine hygienic and healthful practices like regular and proper toenail trimming, adequately washing and drying them before putting on shoes and socks, and even soaking them in warm water or elevating them after a long day of walking around to improve circulation and relieve pain.
However, more serious conditions can develop and only a specialist would be able to prescribe the best possible treatment options that can produce the ideal results. This specialist is called a podiatrist.
A podiatrist is a doctor of podiatric medicine and he is trained specifically to diagnose and treat different conditions of the foot, ankle and other related structures of the leg. After receiving training similar to that of other medical professionals (typically, four years in a podiatric medical school plus three years of hospital residency training), he can choose to specialize in fields such as diabetic care, wound care and sports medicine.
A podiatrist in Silver Spring, MD can identify common and serious foot conditions and provide the appropriate treatments to get you up and running in the most ideal timeframe. Here are three examples of those foot and ankle problems:
A human foot has 33 joints, each of which can be affected by arthritis — the swelling and inflammation of the joints’ lining and cartilage accompanied by an increase in fluid. Podiatrists can help control inflammation, preserve or restore function in the joints, and prescribe medication and physical therapy to possibly cure the disease.
People with diabetes are often known to develop open sores or wounds on the bottom of their feet that can be very slow to heal (if they healed at all); it is also widely known that severe cases of such wounds can lead to amputation. Podiatrists play a key role in helping diabetic patients avoid or manage complications to their foot health.
The word “arterial” may lead people to think immediately about the heart, but the legs play a key role in this disease, too. Leg arteries can suffer from plaque buildup (the presence of fatty deposits) and this is a significant issue for people with cardiovascular disease. A podiatrist can perform a test called ABI (ankle-brachial index) to determine if a patient has PAD. The proper diagnosis, combined with the appropriate treatment, can lessen a person’s risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke.
These are just a few of the many possible foot and ankle conditions. To see the more conditions in more detail check out the full list on our Conditions page.
