Introduction
According to Dr Richard Nahas, podiatrists are ankle doctors that have expert knowledge about the bones, tendons, ligaments, and muscles of the ankles, feet, and lower legs. Thus, they are trained to diagnose, treat, and even prevent conditions that affect the ankle and foot. Thus, it makes sense to consult a podiatrist if you suffer from a painful condition that affects your lower legs, ankle, or feet instead of consulting a general practitioner.
The Benefits
Here are a few benefits of podiatry:
- It helps to treat a variety of foot conditions – It is not uncommon for people to experience some pain after a long walking session, some travelling, or a stressful workday since your feet literally support your entire body when you are standing or moving. However, if you experience severe and chronic pain that doesn’t go away with pain medications, it can indicate a more serious problem.
A podiatrist is trained to detect the early symptoms of such problems and can help to treat or manage the symptoms of such problems before they become too late. Some foot conditions that a podiatrist can help to treat include flat feet, heel pain, ingrown toenails, bunions, nail infection, cracked or bleeding heels, gout, arthritis, and more.
- It helps to prevent pain and improve mobility – Although pain medications can offer relief from foot pain, they are not an appropriate solution for long-term pain management since they have numerous side effects. A podiatrist can help to manage foot pain via alternative treatment methods based on the severity and the cause of the pain.
Treatment options include dry needling, shockwave therapy, ultrasound, tapping to improve the joint and muscle function in your leg, and more. Such pain management therapy helps to treat the source of the pain and offers long-term comfort.
They might even help you choose the proper footwear since the wrong footwear can wear out your feet and cause tremendous pain that can be difficult to diagnose.
- It helps to recover from a stroke or brain injury – It can be difficult to regain your strength and recover after a major illness such as a stroke, brain injury, or after surgery. A podiatrist will help you stand on your feet, improve your mobility, and help you walk post-surgery so that you can quickly become independent once again.
They can even help with women’s health challenges such as pregnancy and age-related illnesses.
- It helps in the rehabilitation of sports injuries – Many athletes suffer from debilitating sports injuries and podiatrists are often required for sports injury rehabilitation. They help their clients to make a quick and safe recovery and inform them how to prevent future injuries.
Conclusion
Dr Richard Nahas suggests you consider visiting a reputed podiatrist if you suffer from chronic leg or foot pain. They can correctly diagnose the problem after conducting a few tests and determine the proper course of action to treat the problem. Sometimes, simple lifestyle changes and pain medication can solve the problem. Other times, surgery or an appointment with a physical therapist may be required to strengthen your ankles and feet.
