Apodiatrist is a specialist in foot health, but what does he actually treat and when should he be consulted? Here are some answers to your questions.
Podiatrist, a foot care specialist
A podiatrist is a paramedical health professional who deals with the health of the feet. Although he is not a doctor, he can establish a diagnosis and make a prescription. The role of the podiatrist is to treat all foot pain. For this, he evaluates the state of health of your feet taking into account your traumatic and surgical history, your morphology and your lifestyle. The podiatrist corrects the bad posture at the origin of the pain, but also takes care of carrying out pedicure care such as the care of corns and calluses or the treatment of bunions of feet. This professional is also able to provide nail care such as the treatment of ingrown toenails.
When should you consult a podiatrist?
In general, it is advisable to consult this specialist as soon as you feel foot pain, whether in the heel, the sole of the foot, the toes or the ankle. It is also recommended to see the podiatrist when you notice that the wear of your shoes is abnormal, in the sense that it is too fast, too important or asymmetrical. If you have hip, knee or back pain, it would be wise to see your podiatrist since these pains can sometimes result from poor posture. The podiatrist can make you orthopedic insoles to correct the problem. As a preventive measure, diabetics should consult their podiatrist regularly, because the slightest injury to the foot can worsen. Certain groups of individuals such as obese people, athletes or the elderly can regularly see their podiatrist, even if they do not feel any pain. Indeed, even a slight change in the plumb can cause a herniated disc, osteoarthritis or other joint problems.
How to choose a podiatrist?
Although he offers nail and foot care, the podiatrist is not to be confused with a beautician who offers pedicure sessions in an institute. The podiatrist is part of the medical profession in the same way as nurses, physiotherapists… As such, he must have a state diploma in pedicure-podiatry. It is also possible that the podiatrist is at the same time a doctor. Indeed, it is not uncommon for certain medical specialists such as rheumatologists or even sports doctors to follow this training in order to better take care of their patient.