Understanding the Role and Impact of Podiatrists in Health Care

Understanding the Role and Impact of Podiatrists in Health Care

The feet and structures of the lower leg, including the ankles, carry out multiple fundamental functions in the human body. They act as stabilizers for the body when walking and standing or making other movements. They act as shock absorbers and enable the movement of the body. This makes the lower leg and feet essential bodily structures responsible for overall health and well-being. Feet have very complex anatomical structures. In carrying out their functions, feet are prone to injuries of different natures. The feet and lower leg can also be affected by existing health complications such as diabetes, obesity, and neuropathy complications. The major foot-related complications and injuries include fractures and sprains, usually on the feet and ankles; bunions and hammertoes, usually affecting bones in the feet; nail disorders; diabetic complications; arthritis; growing pains, especially in children; heel pain, and Morton’s neuroma. Due to the complexity of the foot anatomy, injuries and other complications affecting the feet require the attendance of a qualified healthcare professional.

A podiatrist is a healthcare professional specialising in treating and offering solutions to health issues affecting the lower legs and the feet. Podiatrists are professionally competent to diagnose and treat foot injuries and complications from ongoing health issues like diabetes. Podiatric medical practice requires extensive knowledge of human bones, the nervous system, and the musculoskeletal system and how all these systems are linked. They also need to understand how the system works together during movement. In addition, podiatrists study the illnesses and injuries that can affect our feet.  They are majorly described as podiatric physicians or doctors of podiatric medicine. Podiatrists undergo specialized training in podiatric medical schools and hospital-based residency to become qualified medical specialists in foot and ankle care (Allen et al., 2021). Podiatric practitioner training allows them to specialize as surgeons, orthopaedics, and public health specialists.

Podiatrists within healthcare settings collaborate with other specialists to manage complications that affect the feet or lower legs. Podiatrists can be licensed and certified for subspecialties such as sports medicine, paediatrics, dermatology, radiology, geriatrics, and diabetic foot care. This enables them to work in private and group medical practice, health maintenance organizations, hospitals, extended care centres, public health services, the armed forces, and health professions schools.

Podiatrists are the only healthcare professionals certified to care for the lower extremity. Their specialization allows them to address patients’ concerns related to foot disorders. They also help design preventative actions for the prevention of such disorders. Podiatrists carry out diagnoses majorly through physical observation. They may ask a patient to stand and walk as they observe the range of motion in joints. Podiatrists treat various foot and lower extremity conditions through nonsurgical and surgical approaches. Based on the outcome of a diagnosis, podiatrists can prescribe surgery, help reset broken bones, prescribe drugs, and order lab tests and X-rays for further diagnosis. They must design corrective methods for deformities and for immobilization of ankle and foot fractures and sprains, such as plaster casts, and refer patients to other medical specialists if further action is required. As podiatrists are specialists in the lower leg and feet, they are the ones who usually detect, identify and flag early symptoms of diabetes, diabetic foot, and cardiovascular diseases (Farndon, 2021). This is due to the interrelation of the human feet and lower leg with the rest of the body. Early visits to a podiatrist can reduce the risk of amputations related to complications in the feet and lower leg. This places podiatric healthcare professionals as vital members of the healthcare delivery system.

References

Allen, C., Younger, A., Veljkovic, A., & Glazebrook, M. (2021). Orthopedic Versus Podiatric Care of the Foot and Ankle: A Literature Review. Orthopedic Clinics, 52(2), 177-180.

Farndon, L. (2021). Role of the podiatrist and common foot problems. British journal of community nursing, 26(Sup3), S30-S33.

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