Podiatry is a branch of allied health devoted to the diagnosis, prevention and medical treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle and lower extremity. Podiatrists are specifically trained to identify and treat biomechanical issues that will inevitably lead to injury or decreased performance.
Podiatrists specialise in a foot-related problem including injuries to muscles, tendon, ligaments and joint, nail and skin issues such as callus, ingrown toenails, blisters and fungal infections and systemic disease that manifest themselves in the foot such as diabetes and neurological conditions.
Muscle or Joint Injuries in the Foot
When a patient suffers a foot or lower leg injury they should see a podiatrist as soon as possible to receive the appropriate advice and treatment. The podiatrist will need to understand the cause of the injury, any previous injuries and the level of activity prior to the injury occurring. A thorough examination of the injury site will then be conducted including: muscle/joint testing, range of motion studies, ultrasound/X-ray/MRI referral and strength tests to determine a diagnosis.
A comprehensive biomechanical assessment of the patient walking or running will then be carried out to outline any issues with foot/knee or hip alignment that may be causing or contributing to the condition. Video gait analysis is used to identify any biomechanical issues to be able to clearly and precisely to explain them to the patient and any other involved health practitioners.
Depending on the diagnosis, soft tissue therapy, orthotics, shoe modifications, dry needling, stretching/strengthening programs and gait re-training may be prescribed.
Nail and Skin Problems in the Foot
Podiatrists care for any skin and nail problem involving the feet. Corns and callus can be caused by foot deformities (bunions, high arches, hammer toes), poor fitting shoes or excessive high impact activities. A podiatrist will use sterile instruments to gently remove the hard skin and then provide advice on future prevention and management strategies. Ingrown toenails, fungal and hard, thickened nails can be treated easily using medical grade techniques to provide painless and quick solutions to resolve the problem.
Treatment Techniques
Soft Tissue Therapies - These include massage, mobilisation, manipulation and stretching to reduce pain and swelling and increase movement and flexibility to the foot, ankle and leg.
Dry Needling - Similar to acupuncture, dry needling is used to treat injured muscles and tendons by placing very fine, sterile needles into the skin. The needle is placed in trigger points or tender areas to stimulate a sensory response from within the muscle fibres causing a release of the constriction and allowing normal muscle function.
Orthotics - If a biomechanical issue is detected after a video gait analysis, orthotics may be used to provide corrective support to realign lower limb structures to improve postural stability, decrease stress on certain muscles and joints to improve foot and lower limb function.
Gait re-training/Shoe fitting - Sports podiatrists can work with patients to improve running technique, assess and fit proper running shoes and discuss training programs to reduce over-training and improve lower limb strength and flexibility to better reduce the risk of running-related injury.
Andrew Maitland is a sports podiatrist at the Melbourne Podiatry Clinic. We invite you to call us on 1300 821 893 or visit us online for all your podiatry needs.
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