A podiatrist doctor is a healthcare professional who has been trained to study, diagnose and provide treatment for diseases, alterations and abnormalities that affect the feet and lower limbs (normally feet and ankles, but they could also provide treatment for some knee alterations). As any other doctor, they have at least four years of medical training followed by three years of residency training at hospitals and clinics.

Your feet, ankles, and lower limbs are complex parts of the body, the foot alone is made up of 26 bones, joints, tendons, ligaments, muscles, and blood vessels, and they are specifically designed to support our weight and help us do all of our daily activities. Hence, an injury or pain in this part of your body could cause a disability and restrict your day-to-day activities, for which knowing where to contact an experienced podiatrist is very important.

Alterations and diseases in the feet can be caused by several factors, including temperature or climate change, overweight, sports injuries, or even changes in our eating habits. Apart from that, there are genetic factors that could make a person prone to have these alterations. It is therefore important that whenever you identify any variations in your feet, you request a consultation as soon as possible to prevent further damage and possible pain.

What services do a podiatrist doctor provide?

Podiatrists provide a wide range of services which include the following: they correct deformities, relieve pain, treat infections, they provide treatment for daily problems such as ingrown toenails, corns and calluses, athlete’s foot, dry and cracked heels, warts, flat feet, bunions, heel pain, blisters, gout and arthritis, feet swelling, open wounds, sports injuries, and many others.

They also advise and give prescriptions on what type of shoes to wear, orthotics, etc. So even if you are in good health, you might consider visiting a podiatrist for advice or even to prevent sports injuries.

The examination made by a podiatrist to find out the cause of your pain or alteration could include blood tests, nail swabs, ultrasounds, X-rays, an MRI scan or even a biopsy, depending on the case.

When should I visit a podiatrist doctor?

You should definitely consider scheduling an appointment with a podiatrist if you have any of the symptoms listed before; if you show any kind of abnormalities, anatomic changes, bad smell, infections, or any type of injury or pain in your feet or ankles.

You could also consider visiting this type of health care specialist if you are seeking advice to prevent injuries or hereditary diseases, or if you have some of the following risk factors: diabetes, obesity, poor blood circulation, psoriasis, arthrosis, osteoarthrosis, or arthritis. All of these diseases have a high influence on your feet’ health.

There are people who fall often, and they might think they are just distracted, but there are feet conditions such as flat feet that could be causing falls (especially in children) and that can be treated by a podiatrist doctor.

Where can I schedule an appointment with a podiatrist?

There are podiatrists who work at Medical Centers, Hospitals, Private Practices, or there are some of them that could even come to see you at your address if the injury restricts you from moving. Keep in mind that at FORMÉ Medical Center, you can find podiatry among our services. We have an amazing team of health providers available for you. Do not wait any longer and schedule your podiatry appointment at our website or give us a call at 914 723 4900.

At FORMÉ, we can schedule your in-person appointment, or we have the Telemedicine service available, in which you can schedule a telephone appointment.