What is a Podiatrist?

About Podiatrists

A Podiatrist, or foot doctor, is a medical specialist who provides diagnosis and treatment for disorders affecting the feet, ankle, and lower extremities. Podiatrists are the only medical specialists concentrating on the health and care of the structures of the foot and ankle including the heel, toes, bones, and muscles.

Podiatrists also specialize in managing conditions that are a result of bone and joint disorders and chronic acute illnesses that affect the feet and lower legs such as arthritis, diabetes, rheumatic diseases, cancer, and circulatory diseases to name a few.

Conditions that Podiatrists treat can range from fungal and bacterial infections and dermatologic foot conditions such as athlete’s foot, corns, warts, ingrown toenails, gangrene, gout, and bunions. Podiatrists also provide diagnosis and treatment for foot and heel pain and problems such as plantar fasciitis, fallen arches, Achilles tendon rupture, ankle sprain, calf pain, clubfoot, and hammertoes as well as dealing with any complications that may arise as a result of infection or injury including pain, wounds, rashes, swelling, and fractures.

Some of the treatments and techniques that Podiatrists perform include orthotics, foot and ankle surgery, and even limb salvage in extreme cases. Podiatrists can further specialize within the field in areas that include practice as a Podiatric Surgeon, Podiatric Rheumatologist, Podiatric Oncologist as well as a Forensic Podiatrist.

Podiatrists often work in conjunction with other major fields of medicine and have knowledge in areas such as surgery, Orthopedics, Sports Medicine, Geriatrics, Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, Neurology and Phlebology to name a few.

Useful Resources

Canada

Canadian Podiatric Medical Association

Newfoundland and Labrador

New Brunswick

Nova Scotia