Who is a podiatrist?
A podiatrist is a healthcare expert who diagnoses and treats disorders, injuries, and associated conditions of the feet, ankles, and nails. They are also called podiatric physicians, podiatric surgeons, or podiatric foot and ankle surgeons. Some common foot diseases include arthritis, diabetes, gout, psoriasis, tendinitis, peripheral arterial disease (PAD), bursitis, warts, bunions, and neuromas. Podiatrists also treat acute injuries such as sprains, strains, fractures, and heel pain. A podiatrist can perform routine foot examinations, prescribe medications, and perform surgery.
A qualified podiatrist can be identified by DPM or a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine next to their name. These specialists complete advanced clinical training in foot and ankle disorders and are certified by the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery or the American Board of Podiatric Medicine (APMA). Some podiatrists specialize in wound care, pediatrics, sports medicine, and diabetes.
Subspecialties in podiatry
Many podiatrists run general practices, either solo or with other healthcare professionals. Some opt for specialized fields within podiatry, such as:
- Dermatological podiatry (skin disorders)
- Diagnostic podoradiology (foot and ankle radiology)
- Forensic podiatry (analyzing footprints and shoe prints for crime scenes)
- Gerontological podiatry (geriatric foot conditions)
- Podopediatrics (pediatric podiatry)
- Podiatric diabetology (diabetes foot care)
- Podiatric oncology (skin cancers)
- Podiatric orthopedics (addressing foot abnormalities with orthotics, prosthetics, and footwear)
- Podiatric Rheumatology (dealing with rheumatoid arthritis and autoimmune diseases)
- Neuropodiatry (nerve disorders)
- Podiatric sports medicine
- Podiatric vascular specialist (treating circulation disorders)
- Reconstructive foot and ankle surgery (also called consultant podiatric surgery)
What is a bunion?
A bunion is a protruding bone bump near the base of your big toe joint. It occurs when certain bones in the front part of your foot shift out of alignment. It causes your big toe to angle towards the smaller toes, pushing the base joint of the big toe outward.
Bunion symptoms encompass a noticeable bump on the outer base of the big toe, accompanied by swelling, redness, or soreness around its joint. Additionally, corns or calluses often arise from friction between the first and second toes, while persistent or sporadic pain and limited toe mobility are also indicative signs.
Wearing tight and narrow shoes can trigger bunions or worsen existing ones. Bunions can also develop due to your foot's natural shape, abnormalities, or medical conditions like arthritis. Smaller versions of bunions can develop on your little toe's joint. They are also known as bunionettes.
While bunions usually don't require treatment, if you have ongoing pain, a visible bump, limited toe or foot movement, or struggle with shoes due to a bunion, you can consult an ankle and foot doctor near you.
How does arthritis affect feet?
There are over 100 types of arthritis. It can affect any of the 30 joints in the feet and ankles, including the toes.
Some of the most common types of foot and ankle arthritis include:
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Gout
- Post-traumatic arthritis
Arthritis generally develops slowly over time, so it may not be noticeable right away. You might start experiencing pain and other symptoms in the same region in your foot or ankle. It may also become difficult to move or walk. You may feel stiffness in the morning or if you have been sitting or lying down for an extended period, but it usually resolves on its own once you start moving. Some types of arthritis can cause recurrent symptoms that come and go. These are called flares or flare-ups. Other types can make your joints feel painful or stiff constantly or after being physically active.
Arthritis can affect any section of your foot, including the hindfoot (heel), midfoot (the middle section of the foot, including the top of the foot and the arch on the bottom), and forefoot (the ball of the foot and the toes).
The causes of foot and ankle arthritis often depend on its type. For example, osteoarthritis develops naturally with age due to the wear down of the cartilage cushioning of the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis can occur when your immune system attacks the joints, causing inflammation. Meanwhile, having large amounts of uric acid in your blood (hyperuricemia) can cause gout.
Major risk factors of foot and ankle arthritis are:
- Tobacco use: Smoking and consuming other tobacco products elevates your overall arthritis risk.
- Family history: You may be more likely to develop arthritis if your biological family members have it.
- Foot and ankle injuries: If you've experienced any foot and ankle injuries, especially if you've re-injured the same joint more than once, you might be more likely to have arthritis.
- Other health conditions: Having an autoimmune disease, obesity, or any condition that affects your joints raises your chances of developing arthritis.
Reasons to see a podiatrist near you
Experiencing foot pain or injury might necessitate visits to your family doctor, a podiatrist, and other specialists. Physical therapy can also be effective in relieving symptoms.
Your family doctor can perform an initial examination to diagnose the reason for your foot pain. Diagnostic tests may include:
- Blood test
- Nail swab
- Ultrasound
- X-ray
- MRI scan
Here are a few common reasons to consult a podiatrist for foot issues:
- Nail infection: If a nail infection is causing your foot pain, your family doctor might prescribe antifungal medication.
- Gout and arthritis: These conditions can cause significant pain in your feet and toes. Both your family doctor and podiatrist can provide treatments to alleviate the symptoms.
- Flat feet: Orthotics like foot braces or arch supports may be necessary for flat feet or weakened foot ligaments. A podiatrist can create custom foot support braces by taking molds of your feet.
- Diabetes: Can damage nerves in the feet, causing numbness, pain, and ulcers. Managing diabetes-related foot issues often requires a multidisciplinary approach involving your family physician, a vascular surgeon, a neurologist, and a podiatrist.
- Ankle and knee problems: Ankle and knee issues might need the expertise of a podiatrist, orthopedic surgeon, and sports medicine doctor. Long-term physical therapy could also be essential for strengthening the joints and muscles in your knee, ankle, and foot.
Seeing a podiatrist ensures specialized care for your feet, addressing specific conditions that might not be fully treated by a general physician alone. This comprehensive approach helps in effective diagnosis and treatment, promoting better foot health.
How to keep your feet healthy at home?
While visiting a podiatrist is essential to maintaining foot health, you can adopt and implement several practices at home to keep your feet healthy, hygienic, and functioning. Here are some common foot care tips:
- Ensure you wear well-fitted shoes: Improper shoes can affect your gait and balance and lead to an injury. A shoe that fits correctly will allow the ball of your foot to be comfortable in the broadest part of the shoe. Moreover, find the correct running shoes according to your foot arch. People with flat feet or feet with no arches should buy shoes that promote stability and motion control, whereas feet with high arches must wear cushioned running shoes with a soft midsole to compensate for poor shock absorption.
- Choose appropriate footwear for different sports: Each sport is played differently and requires specific footwear. Not only do sport-specific shoes optimize your performance in that sport, but they also help prevent common injuries like sprains, strains, and fractures. For example, sports like basketball, tennis, and volleyball require lighter shoes with thick soles that provide support for impact.
- Get a pedicure done at home or a salon: Follow these essential and inexpensive pedicure tips to keep your feet looking and feeling healthy. Clip your nails regularly with toenail clippers to avoid ingrown nails, and file them gently in one direction. Clean the dirt under your nails using a wooden or rubber manicure stick. Make sure to wash your tools before and after you do a pedicure or manicure to avoid infections.
- Keep your feet dry and clean: Damp or sweaty feet (hyperhidrosis) are prone to bacterial and fungal infections. Cleaning your feet daily with antibacterial soap can help eliminate foul odor and dirt. Apply antifungal powder to keep your feet odorless and dry. Additionally, use foot cream and wear warm socks during the winter to prevent them from overdrying.
- Invest in diabetic foot care: Diabetic foot complications, including nerve damage or neuropathy, foot ulcers, numbness, tingling sensations, and infections, can lead to gangrene and amputation if not treated in time. Diabetic patients must inspect their feet daily for open wounds, cuts, or bruises. It's important to be gentle and use lukewarm water to wash your feet. It is also crucial for people with diabetes to wear comfortable-fitting shoes and diabetic socks that can help prevent infections and improve blood flow.
- Do not remove warts, corns, and calluses at home: Over-the-counter liquids and pads (unless advised by a medical professional) could worsen your foot problem, especially if you have diabetes. Visit a podiatrist if you find burns, cuts, bruises, warts, or calluses on your feet.
Find a podiatrist in Columbia, Maryland
Examining your feet at least once a year can help maintain your overall posture, balance, and movement and prevent any possible foot injury. Moreover, a foot examination could also reveal underlying severe health risks such as diabetes, arthritis, and heart and kidney problems. If you wish to get your foot concerns addressed immediately, you can do so by booking an appointment with a podiatrist near you on Zocdoc today.
Scheduling an appointment is a time-consuming task. However, Zocdoc helps users find top-rated doctors within minutes in their area or neighborhood. Find an expert right from the comfort of your home and book an online or in-person consultation at your convenience. All you need to do is log into Zocdoc and enter your condition or symptoms, location (Columbia), the date you wish to see a provider, and your insurance carrier and plan.
The platform will then direct you to a page with a curated list of healthcare providers. If your insurance plan isn't listed on Zocdoc, you can upload a photo of your medical insurance card, though this feature is unavailable for vision or dental cards. Our system will scan the image to identify your likely plan. Our service team can assist you if you encounter any difficulties while uploading the picture. If you have more insurance-related queries, you can visit Zocdoc's patient help center.
To help you make an informed decision, Zocdoc provides a summary under each doctor's profile. This summary includes their clinical experience, medical background, specialties, awards, certifications, and licensures. Further, you can read through honest and verified patient reviews and scroll down to the FAQs to read common reasons patients visit that provider and whether they accept new patients and treat children.
Once you've selected your provider, you can schedule an appointment in advance, on the same day, after 5 p.m., in the morning before 10 a.m., or even on the weekends, depending on your chosen provider's availability.
Booking an appointment with a podiatrist near you on Zocdoc is safe, easy, and free!
Statistics for conditions treated by podiatrists in Maryland
As per a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics study, the state of Maryland employs approximately 320 podiatrists (as of May 2023), which is significantly lower than New York, California, and Florida, which have the highest number of employed podiatrists. The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metropolitan area (including a part of Maryland) has one of the country's highest employment levels (270) of podiatrists.
As per the American Diabetes Association (ADA), an estimated 481,290, or 10% of people in Maryland, have diabetes. Every year, approximately 36,371 individuals in Maryland are diagnosed with diabetes. Nearly 139,000 people don't know that they have diabetes. Diabetes predisposes patients to severe foot complications such as gangrene, neuropathy, etc., and needs appropriate, timely management by a foot specialist.
Data collated by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2022 shows that 23.0% of individuals aged 18 and above living in Maryland had arthritis. Females (25.8%) were at a higher risk than men (19.8%). Out of the total number of arthritis cases reported, 27.8% are obese, 35.3% have diabetes, and 43.1% have heart disease. Approximately 75.6% perform little to no physical activity, and 29.9% have severe joint pain.
Sources
U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics
American Diabetes Association
Maryland Department of Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Foot Health Facts
Healthline[1]
Healthline[2]
WebMD
Verywell Health
Mayo Clinic
Cleveland Clinic[1]
Cleveland Clinic[2]
American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery or the American Board of Podiatric Medicine (APMA).
