Podiatrists are the medical specialists that help you resolve problems that do with your feet or lower legs. They will help treat injuries and complications that are oncoming due to health issues such as diabetes.
Are Podiatrists Real Doctors?
Of course they are. But, they don’t go to the normal medicine school. They will have undergone training and specialisation in their own schools and professional associations. They have a DPM or doctor of podiatric medicine after their name rather than MD or medicine doctor.
They are trained to perform intensive surgeries, reset broken bones, order lab test and X-rays where need be and prescribe drugs. They work with other specialities to provide a more holistic coverage for problems affecting your feet and lower legs.
How Do Podiatrists Come To Be?
The ones who want to be a podiatrist attend a podiatric school for a period of 4 years. They study the workings of the bones, muscles, ligament and nerves, and how they interplay with one another. They study in depth about the illnesses and various injuries that can affect the feet. This equips them to better diagnose your ailments and treat them with surgery if need be.
Once they graduate from podiatric school, they have to do a 3 year residency, meaning they work in a hospital for 3 years. They will practically apply what they learn and also work with others doctors and residents to perfect their craft. Surgeons, anaesthesiologist, paediatricians and specialist in infectious disease all learn from one another in this 3 year period.
Once the residency is completed, they can try and get more advanced certifications in surgeries that deal with ankles and the feet.
What Sort Of Conditions Do Podiatrists Treat?
- Fractures and sprains: These are the more common injuries that they come across with, which include the injury to the ankle and the foot. Podiatrists also work in sports medicine and help athletes recover from injuries the best and also recommend the best ways to avoid them.
- Diabetes: This is the condition where your body does not make the hormone insulin or doesn’t use it in the way it’s meant to. Insulin is the hormone that helps you digest sugar. Diabetes if not kept under check can damage the nerves around the feet and legs.
- Heel pain: This is caused by the build-up of calcium at the bottom of your heel bone. These occur from being over-weight, ill-fitting shoes and running. Sports and non-supportive shoes are usually the ones to blame.
Apart from these, they also take care of Morton’s neuroma, arthritis, bunions and hammertoes among many other foot ailments. Contact a podiatrist in Los Angeles if you feel you have any of the following issues and seek help immediately.