What is Podiatry?
Podiatry is the study of the normal and abnormal structure and function of the lower limb and foot.
What do Podiatrists do?
A Podiatrist is a health professional who deals with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of health problems in the leg and foot. Services provided by a Podiatrist include:
1) Basic Foot Care
The foot may be prone to painful corns and calluses due to overuse and inappropriate footwear. Nails, if cut improperly may also become ingrown. A Podiatrist can remove these painful conditions and provide you with solutions to prevent them from recurring.
2) The Growing Foot
A child's foot is susceptible to congenital as well as developmental problems such as flat feet and intoeing. This may lead to the child being very clumsy or tripping very often. Timely treatment of these conditions can prevent aggravation and foot deformities in their adult years.
3) Overuse and Sports Injuries
Many sports such as running put a lot of stress on the feet. This could lead to problems such as heel pain, arch pain, shin pain and knee pain. Podiatrists are trained to analyse your walking and running gait to pick out any abnormalities that may be causing in these injuries. Podiatrists are also trained to prescribe and fabricate custom made foot orthoses and insoles to correct the mal-alignment in your leg and foot.
4) The Aging Foot
THe circulation and sensation of the feet reduces with age. This could be aggravated by illnesses such as Diabetes Mellitus. A Podiatrist will screen the foot for neurological and vascular problems and work with your doctor to prevent complications such as foot ulcers which may lead to lower limb amputations.
All qualified Podiatristsworking in Singapore have at least an undergraduate degree in Podiatry from a list of recognised universities. Most are also members of the Podiatry Association ( Singapore ). If you are in doubt, please look up the Podiatry Database for a list of Qualified Podiatrists practicing in Singapore.