What does a podiatrist do?

Posted 29 Oct '21

Many people know that a podiatrist works with feet - but unless you’ve seen a podiatrist before, most won’t know the specifics of what a podiatrist actually does. And given that we help with everything from sports medicine and injury prevention to growing pains in kids to ingrown toenail surgery and even falls prevention in older adults, there’s a lot to know about podiatry.

What is a podiatrist?

Podiatrists are allied health professionals focused on maintaining healthy feet and legs. You can think of us as a foot doctor, although it’s probably more accurate to say a ‘lower limb’ doctor, given that we work extensively with the feet, ankles, shins, knees and legs. 

Podiatrists are university-trained to recognise, diagnose and treat foot and lower leg problems. These problems can be from sports injuries, genetic in nature, developmental, a result of an accident, have come on gradually from overuse over time, or from surgery. Podiatrists are also trained in treating foot problems from underlying medical conditions like diabetes and arthritis.

This explanation of a podiatrist's role only scrapes the surface. Below, we go into more detail about what a podiatrist actually does.

Is Podiatry the same as Chiropody?

No - unless you’re in the UK. Over here, podiatry is a relatively new profession spawning from chiropody. Chiropodists were only trained to treat conditions of the feet once a condition was diagnosed by a doctor. Podiatrists differ from chiropodists because they have been university-trained to diagnose and treat conditions relating to the lower limbs.

In the UK, however, the term podiatrist and chiropodist are used interchangeably to describe the same profession. In the US, the term ‘podiatrist’ actually refers to a doctor who has specialised in lower limb care. Yes, it’s all pretty confusing!

What is the scope of Podiatry?

Podiatry (which we often call podiatric medicine) involves assessing a person’s lower limb health, diagnosing the problem, implementing a treatment plan, and providing medical advice. The lower limb system includes the skin, musculoskeletal, vascular, lymphatic, and neurological extending from the hip to the toes. On your first visit to a podiatrist, you can experience an assessment of these systems relevant to your presenting concern.

Podiatrists operate in various health settings where they offer different health solutions. Private practices tend to focus on common foot problems for all ages and athletes. Public health podiatry within hospitals is focused on high-risk wounds and complications caused by diabetes. Community podiatry tends to focus on maintaining independence, fall prevention, and basic foot care in the home. Residential aged care podiatry is focused on maintaining respect and dignity through basic foot care for older adults.

What conditions does a podiatrist treat?

A podiatrist is trained to treat most pains and problems associated with feet and lower legs. Podiatrists do not perform open surgery (unless they have completed additional training to be a podiatric surgeon), however, they do perform some minor foot surgeries on toenails and skin (such as ingrown toenail surgery). If a patient needs a consultation on surgery, we refer patients to an orthopaedic surgeon. This usually happens when traditional treatments are ineffective or do not yield the desired results, which they achieve in most cases.

Some common conditions that a podiatrist will treat are as follows:

Sprains & Tendon Injuries

Sprains and tendon injuries in the feet are more common than you might think, especially with all the stress and movement our feet go through every day. These injuries can range from mild to severe, and they often happen when we stress or overload the feet. Podiatrists help treat sprains and tendon issues like Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, and peroneal tendon injuries - among many more. If left untreated, these conditions can lead to long-term pain and mobility problems, but with the right care, they can be effectively managed and healed.

Skin problems

Feet are often overlooked when it comes to skin problems, but the skin of feet has several issues that are not found anywhere else on the body. Some skin conditions that podiatrists treat include challenging skin conditions like corns, calluses, dry and cracked heels, athlete's foot, and plantar warts. 

Correcting the alignment and function of feet

This is where orthotics come in. Podiatrists are specially trained to create custom orthotics to carefully correct problems with the feet and legs. Incorrect foot alignment can cause pain, ankle, leg, and even back issues. 

Orthotics are designed to correct alignment and relieve pain. However, for the best outcomes, orthotics are usually only one part of a care plan and are often accompanied by other therapies, such as foot mobilisation, dry needling, shockwave, and pain-relieving laser.

Fungal toenails

Fungal toenail infections are a common problem that can be easy to overlook because of their cosmetic nature, but they often worsen over time without treatment. Fungal infection can cause the toenail to become thickened, discoloured, brittle, and sometimes even painful if the nail thickens to the point of rubbing against the shoe. 

Fungus needs moisture and warmth to grow, so wearing closed-in shoes for prolonged periods with excessive foot sweating is actually the best environment for fungus to thrive in. There is limited evidence for topical treatments (like nail lacquers and creams) working as they usually require applications over a long period (up to 24 months), and they tend to target only a small demographic of the fungus called dermatophytes. Fortunately, technology for fungal toenails has improved over the years and here at The Feet People, we offer an effective and pain-free solution called PACT (Photodynamic Antimicrobial Therapy) which has shown superior results for successfully eliminating toenail fungus.

Ingrown toenails

Ingrown toenails occur when the edge of the nail starts to grow into the surrounding skin, causing pain, redness, and sometimes even infection. They can result from improper nail trimming, tight footwear, or simply the nails' natural shape. Podiatrists are experts in treating ingrown toenails, from mild cases to more severe infections, offering both relief and long-term solutions to prevent them from recurring. 

Our podiatrists offer short-term conservative management for ingrown nails and permanent ingrown nail surgery to fix the issue effectively.

Heel and arch pain

Heel and arch pain are common issues that can significantly impact your day-to-day activities. Heel and arch pain are often linked to conditions like plantar fasciitis, where the thick band of tissue running along the bottom of your foot becomes tender and inflamed. Heel spurs are also often attributed to heel and arch pain - we’ve shared the truth about them here. Pain from these conditions is worse first thing in the morning or after long periods of standing, making it difficult to move around comfortably. Heel and arch pain can result from factors such as overuse, improper footwear, or even the natural structure of your foot.

Our podiatrists specialise in diagnosing the root cause of heel and arch pain and offering tailored treatments, including custom foot orthotics, shockwave treatment, laser pain relief, and more. Treating heel and arch pain early using effective, evidence-based therapies is essential for preventing long-term discomfort and improving mobility, allowing you to return to living and moving comfortably.

Diabetes

Diabetics are advised to have their feet checked by a podiatrist every year to best manage the complications of diabetes like a loss of sensation and a diminished blood supply to the feet. Both of these can lead to wounds because, with reduced sensation, it can become difficult to feel what is happening around the feet. If a wound does develop, having a poor blood supply interferes with healing, significantly increasing the likelihood of an ulcer. Learn more about how diabetes affects the feet and the steps you can take at home to keep your feet safe here.

Arthritis

There are several types of arthritis, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and gout. Whether the arthritis affects the big toe joint or the 29 other joints of the feet, podiatrists can help implement strategies to relieve these joints with footwear advice, modifications, and custom foot orthotics. Various other treatments, such as MLS laser (for pain relief), are also incredibly beneficial for all types of arthritis.

How does a podiatrist treat foot conditions?

Podiatrists treat foot pains, problems and conditions by first diagnosing the issue after a comprehensive physical examination, and sometimes additional tests like x-rays or ultrasounds if the injury is complex or multiple structures are suspected to be injured. Once there’s a diagnosis, your podiatrist will create a personalised treatment plan tailored to your specific condition, needs and goals.

Treatment can vary widely depending on the problem and its severity. For minor conditions like corns and calluses, we’ll use methods like debridement (removing thickened skin) to fix the problem almost instantly. We'll discuss various treatment options for heel, arch, or foot pain, their expected results, and how they relieve symptoms and prevent the problem from returning.

Our goal as podiatrists is to help you maintain an active and healthy lifestyle without being held back by foot pain and discomfort.

What training, or studies, does a podiatrist have to do?

In Australia, podiatrists must complete a Bachelor of Podiatry. Many podiatrists will also go on to complete their Graduate Diploma, Master or PhD in podiatry. Podiatrists are regulated by the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and The Podiatry Board of Australia. You can find a list of registered podiatrists at the AHPRA website. As part of their registration, podiatrists are required to complete twenty hours of professional development each year to maintain their skills.

Podiatrists may be members of their professional association, the Australian Podiatry Association.

Along with being fully educated, qualified, and registered podiatrists, the staff on our team here at The Feet People have decades of experience in diagnosing and treating foot conditions to improve foot health.

Why should I see a podiatrist?

If you have any problems with your feet, ankles, knees, or legs—including skin problems, flat feet, heel pain, shin splints, runners' knee pain, and toenail problems (to name a few)—our podiatrists can likely help.

How do I choose a podiatrist?

When choosing a podiatrist, always check the list of registered podiatrists on the AHPRA website. All of our practitioners at The Feet People are trained and registered podiatrists with extensive experience keeping feet healthy.

Although podiatrists are specialists in their field, referrals usually aren't needed when making an appointment with a podiatrist. At our clinic, we don't require a referral in order for you to see one of our practitioners. We work on appointments and have an online booking system to help.

If you live in Brisbane and are looking for a thorough podiatrist to help with foot or leg problems, we’d love to help.