Foot Surgeon: Keeping People Mobile

There are twenty-six bones and thirty-three joints in the human foot. There are also arches, tendons, muscles and ligaments; so to say that the foot is a very complex structure would seem to be a bit of an understatement. People tend to take their feet and their ability to move our body from one place to another for granted, forcing them into sky high heel shoes or heavy steel-toed work boots and expecting them to function accordingly for hours on end. A great fondness for flip-flops that provide little or no arch support and create a callous between the toes, are worn by millions of people throughout the summer months.

Ballerinas dance on pointe, forcing their tiny feet into unnatural positions and demanding a brutal performance from them, day after day as they dance. Joggers and athletes run for miles, the full weight of their body impacting their knees, ankles and feet with great force mile after mile, almost seeming to punish them. Police officers, mailmen, waitresses and nurses all spend full days on their feet, sometimes pulling ten hour shifts standing or walking most of the time. Feet are expected to remain strong and injury free, despite the demands we place upon them. A foot surgeon is NOT a doctor most people WANT to schedule an appointment with, but many turn to in hope of finding relief for their discomfort.

Diabetes is another condition that can greatly impact the health of the feet. Neuropathy can damage the nerves in the feet and trigger extreme pain and numbness. A patient with neuropathy can find the touch of a bed sheet excruciating, yet the impact of stepping on a nail may go unnoticed. Ulcers can form on the feet and lead to serious medical problems. Charcot foot can also become a very serious issue and absolutely require the aid and treatment from a foot surgeon. Unfortunately, in many cases a foot surgeon may need to perform an amputation of the foot of a diabetic patient, once treatment is found to be ineffective or gangrene sets in.

There are many forms of treatment a foot surgeon can perform on a patient that does not require surgery. Medications, ointments, physical therapy, non-invasive shockwave treatment and a minimally invasive procedure known as arthroscopy are all effective options for a doctor to prescribe as treatment depending on the needs of the individual patient and the ailment. The most important step a patient can make is to schedule an appointment with a foot surgeon so a diagnosis can be made as to the condition of the feet, then a treatment plan established, with the hope a level of comfort can be achieved very soon.