As a general rule, if foot pain is your only problem, a podiatrist is a good option. If you have pain all over your body, such as your neck and back, you should see an orthopedic doctor. If you can find a doctor who is trained in both orthopedics and podiatry, you'll be much better in the long run. First of all, foot orthopedic specialists and ankle are doctors.
They attend medical school, like any other doctor, and receive a doctorate before completing five years of specialized training in orthopedic surgery, where they learn to care for bones, muscles and joints throughout the body. They then complete a sixth year of additional specialized training focused exclusively on complex foot and ankle surgeries. In contrast, podiatrists attend a four-year podiatry school where they receive a DPM degree, followed by about three years of surgical training. Your training focuses specifically on the foot.
According to a national survey, many people with foot pain tend to visit their primary care doctors for evaluation. Others search the web with questions about their foot pain before considering seeing a specialist. Podiatrists are dedicated to diagnosing and treating foot, ankle, and lower limb problems. It's best to visit a podiatrist like Dr.
Roderick Hunter Jr. A good indicator that you need to see a podiatrist is if you have chronic foot or heel pain. Heel pain is often due to plantar fasciitis, a condition in which the heel of the foot becomes inflamed and painful, especially right after getting out of bed or after standing for long periods. Foot pain can be caused by many problems, such as overuse, inappropriate footwear, and so on. If you have foot or heel pain, it's best to see a podiatrist, as it's likely that it will continue to worsen without proper treatment or without adjustments to your footwear or lifestyle.
Instead of waiting for the pain to become unbearable, see a podiatrist soon so that you can ease the pain and return to a pain-free life. Benjamin Potter, podiatric surgeon and sports medicine expert who diagnoses and treats all types of foot and ankle conditions and injuries. People with diabetes and peripheral circulation problems need regular podiatric care with an experienced podiatrist to prevent the progression of problems such as neuropathy, ulcerations and Charcot's foot, among others. When foot pain, bruising, swelling, or deformity persist, don't wait—seek effective treatment with a highly qualified orthopedic physician at Orthopedic Associates of Central Maryland.
A podiatrist diagnoses and treats a wide variety of foot and ankle disorders, injuries, and deformities. Because there are more practicing podiatrists than foot and ankle orthopedic specialists, people often think they can see a podiatrist faster. While the rules for what podiatrists can see and treat vary by state, in Colorado a podiatrist can treat any condition from the foot to the ankle. The difference is that when conservative treatments fail, foot and ankle doctors are trained to provide the next level of advanced surgical care.
It's a common misconception that you should only see an orthopedic foot and ankle specialist if you need surgery. Most orthopedic surgery residencies had only one faculty member dedicated to foot and ankle training. A misconception is that people often go to orthopedic doctors who specialize in feet and ankles as surgical care providers and not to a podiatrist, whom they associate with care. non-surgical foot surgery.
However, when foot pain becomes an ongoing problem, it may require a visit to a podiatrist or orthopedist, depending on the type of injury or condition you're experiencing. While some orthopedists practice general orthopedics, others specialize in treating the foot and ankle, hand, shoulder, spine, hip, knee, or pediatrics and sports medicine.
