Podiatry
Podiatrists are medical specialists who help with problems that affect your feet or lower legs. Ozarks Healthcare Podiatry provides treatment for a wide variety of foot and ankle problems.
- Arthroscopic Surgery
- Fractures
- Sports Medicine
- Wound Care
Conditions Podiatrists Treat
Podiatrists treat people of any age for many foot-related conditions, including:
Fractures and sprains.
Podiatrists regularly treat these common injuries when they affect a foot or ankle. They also work in sports medicine, treating foot problems athletes have and recommending ways to avoid them.
Bunions and hammertoes.
These are problems with the bones in your feet. A bunion happens when the joint at the base of your big toe gets bigger or knocked out of place. That makes the toe bend toward the others. A hammertoe is one that doesn't bend the right way.
Toenail disorders.
These include issues like an infection in your nail caused by a fungus or an ingrown toenail. That's when a corner or side of a nail grows into your toe instead of straight out.
Diabetes.
Diabetes can damage the nerves in your feet or legs, and you might have trouble getting enough blood to your feet. More than 65,000 people a year need to have a foot amputated because of diabetes. A podiatrist can help prevent that. If you have diabetes, make sure to get any sore or callus on your feet checked out.
Arthritis.
This results from inflammation, swelling, and wear and tear on your joints. Each foot has 33 joints. A podiatrist might recommend physical therapy, drugs, or special shoes or inserts to help with your arthritis. Surgery also might be an option if other treatments don't work well for you.
Growing pains.
If your child's feet point inward or look flat or their toes don't line up right, a podiatrist might be able to help. They could recommend exercises, insoles, or braces. Or they might recommend surgery.
Heel pain.
A common cause of heel pain is heel spurs, a buildup of calcium at the bottom of your heel bone. You can get them from running, ill-fitting shoes, or being overweight. Plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the band of connective tissue that runs along the bottom of your foot. Sports and nonsupportive shoes are usually to blame. Overpronation, meaning your foot bends in or out too far when you walk, is often a cause. It, too, can affect athletes, as can Achilles tendinitis, which causes pain at the back of your heel where this tendon attaches.
Morton’s neuroma.
Nerve problems between the third and fourth bones of your foot can cause pain, burning, and a feeling that there’s something in your shoe. It usually affects runners. Tight shoes and overpronation make it worse. A podiatrist can give you shots for inflammation and pain and help you find an orthotic. You might need surgery to remove it.
