Who is a Podiatrist?
An unfamiliar term, a podiatrist is a surgeon who specializes exclusively in foot, ankle or any other part of the body at its extreme lowest. Also known as a podiatric physician, a podiatrist deals with any kind of disorder related to the foot. Although it is a North American term, it is widely used in all countries that speak English.
History of Podiatrists:
Foot care is an ancient profession that dates back to the days as early as the days when Hippocrates was alive. Tomb carvings suggest that Hippocrates developed a scalpel for the removal of corns and calluses from the feet of his patients. History bears testimony to the prevalence of podiatrist who was responsible for keeping kings and presidents up on their feet. He was of little or no importance for dealing with minor ailments.
Foot Care is considered to Be One of a Significant Part of Good Health:
Responsibilities of A Podiatrist:
- He first listens to all the foot or lower leg related problems of his patients and carries out certain assessments based on his diagnosis. The diagnosis includes assessments like a blood test, urine analysis, and x – rays.
- A podiatrist has to treat usual foot troubles such as bunions apart from complex issues like surgeries of foot and ankle for removing a bone spur.
- Other than this he also provides medicines to his patients as well as follow-up services, advice and instructions.
- In certain cases, he might prescribe medical devices like arch support and orthotics for treatment of ailments and pain in lower legs and an improved mobility.
- Some of the common ailments treated by a podiatrist are cysts and tumors, ingrown toenails, flat feet, corns, calluses and warts, fractures and sprains and certain skin disorders.
- Various deformities in foot including birth defects such as club foot are treated by foot care doctors. They also treat foot issues that result in abnormal posture or abnormal gaits.
- Sometimes, feet problems are symptoms of complex health issues such as diabetes and arthritis. In certain cases, a podiatrist refers a person to another physician who is a specialist in that particular field. Diabetic neuropathy is such a condition in which patient does not feel the pain caused by sores or cuts in the feet.
What Are the Essential Qualities of a Foot Doctor?
- He must be possessing good interpersonal skills.
- He must have aptitude in Science.
- A podiatrist is bound to have the skills necessary for critical thinking.
- He must be academically sound and ambitious.
- He must be comfortable with precision equipment and instruments.
- He must have good eyesight.
- He must be oriented to the details provided by his patients.
- He must be manually dexterous.
Eligibility of A Podiatrist:
In order to be a foot care doctor, a person needs to be an undergraduate student in the concerned subject for four years. He can then pursue his career further in an accredited medical school specializing in podiatry. He has to further go through a course of another three to four years that is based on surgery. Further study would help a podiatrist to gain a license.
We can simply call a podiatric physician a foot doctor, who specializes in a branch of science that is solely devoted to the diagnosis and treatment of foot disorders apart from the study of any medical disorder which is related to the foot or ankle or lower leg and back.
