Common Reasons For Seeing A Podiatrist

A podiatrist is a foot and ankle specialist who can see patients for issues with their feet or ankles that are caused by an illness, injury, or other condition. This article will go over some of the most common reasons people see a podiatrist. This information can help you recognize when you have something going on that you should see a podiatrist for. 

Plantar Fasciitis: Plantar fasciitis is a common foot condition that's caused by an injury, strain, or inflammation of the plantar fascia. This is the band of tissue that runs along the length of the foot, connecting the toes and heels to the foot bones. This condition can vary significantly, with minor cases causing mild pain and extreme cases making it difficult to walk or even stand. Some risk factors for this condition include high-impact activities, inadequate foot support, obesity, and spending a lot of time standing or walking on hard surfaces. 

Ingrown Toenails: Ingrown toenails can occur when the edge of a toenail grows into the tissue of the toe. An ingrown toenail can be extremely painful, cause significant inflammation, and even lead to an infection. Some risk factors for ingrown toenails include wearing the wrong shoes, inadequate nail care, and genetics. 

Heel Pain: Heel pain can have many root causes. Aside from plantar fasciitis, some of the other possible causes can include a bruised heel, a fracture, heel spurs, Achilles tendonitis, and more. Heel pain can be slightly bothersome, or it can be so significant that it prevents someone from being able to put any weight on the affected foot. There can be countless risk factors for heel pain, ranging from walking barefoot to genetics or obesity, to name a few. 

Arthritis: Arthritis commonly affects the joints in the feet and ankles. When someone has arthritis in these areas, it can cause chronic and extreme pain. It can also cause stiffness and significantly affect their range of motion and mobility. Some risk factors for arthritis can include age, previous injuries, genetics, obesity, joint deformities, and more. 

Conclusion

If you have any issues similar to the ones described above or others that affect your feet and/or ankles, then you should consider seeing a podiatrist. They can help diagnose the problem and treat you with the least invasive and most effective treatments possible. These can include everything from medications to wearing appliances, or even surgery in extreme cases. 

For more info, contact a local podiatrist.