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Today's podiatrist has the necessary education and training to treat all conditions of the foot and ankle and plays a key role in keeping America healthy and mobile while helping combat diabetes and other chronic diseases.
Your feet are excellent barometers for your overall health. Healthy feet keep you moving and active. They are quite literally your foundation. In this section, learn more about APMA Seal-approved and accepted products, proper foot care, common foot and ankle conditions, and how your podiatrist can help keep you and your feet healthy.
APMA is the only organization lobbying for podiatrists and their patients on Capitol Hill. As the voice of podiatric medicine to your legislators and regulators, APMA is active on a variety of critical issues affecting podiatry and the entire health-care system.
We have your back! From recalcitrant onychomycosis to DFUs to ankle sprains, podiatrists are here to support you with a whole host of lower-extremity conditions. Podiatrists complete four years of podiatric medical school and a three-year, mandatory, hospital-based residency to become the specialists in the foot and ankle. We provide conservative as well as surgical care. Refer your challenging lower-extremity cases today. Here are just a few of the conditions we treat daily:
Injuries Podiatrists treat ankle sprains and fractures, Achilles ruptures, and a variety of other traumatic injuries to the foot and ankle. Refer your patients with foot and ankle injuries to a podiatrist today and let us take it from here!
Diabetes You remind your patients with diabetes to see an ophthalmologist every year. Do you encourage them to see a podiatrist, as well? Podiatrists are the foot and ankle specialists, and studies show that patients with diabetes who see a podiatrist have significantly fewer hospitalizations and amputations. Refer your patients for regular diabetic foot care, and refer any patient who experiences a DFU to a podiatrist. Podiatrists have specialized experience in lower-extremity wounds.
Peripheral Arterial Disease PAD can cause serious complications in the feet and ankles. Podiatry is an integral part of the limb salvage team. Refer your at-risk patients for regular care before issues become limb-threatening.
To find a podiatrist in your area who's right for your patients, visit our Find a Podiatrist tool.
For Patients
Would you see a specialist for a problem with your heart? Your back? Why not your feet? Healthy, pain-free feet are vital to keeping you active and healthy!
Podiatrists attend four years of podiatric medical school and a three-year, hospital-based residency to become the specialists in the foot and ankle. So if you experience pain, injuries, or changes to the condition of your feet and ankles, see a podiatrist for specialized care.
FAQs
Why should I spend more to see a specialist when my primary care doctor can treat my feet? There are plenty of places to pinch your pennies, but health care isn’t one of them. Pain or other problems in your feet and ankles can have serious implications for your overall health, particularly if you have diabetes, vascular disease, or other chronic conditions. Seek care from a specialist. A podiatrist can often diagnose and treat your foot or ankle condition most efficiently, as well, saving you time and money in the long run. Ask for a referral or visit our Find a Podiatrist tool today!
Can't my local urgent care facility treat my foot problem? Urgent care is great for a minor ailment or injury, but it's not right for every condition. For chronic foot or ankle pain, fractures, or other traumatic injuries, see a podiatrist, your foot and ankle specialist, for the right diagnosis and a proper treatment plan to get you on the mend, and feel better faster!
What conditions should be treated by a podiatrist? Any time you experience foot or ankle pain or injury or a change to the condition of your feet or ankles, it's appropriate to see a podiatrist for specialized care. But the following conditions should definitely warrant a call to your podiatric physician and surgeon!
Pins and Needles If you have diabetes and experience painful prickling, heaviness, tiredness or other uncomfortable symptoms in your feet, you may have peripheral neuropathy, or nerve damage caused by diabetes. Diabetes can have serious complications in the feet, so people with diabetes should have a regular annual exam with a podiatrist and contact their podiatrist any time they notice a change in their feet.
Neuromas Pain, burning, or numbness between your toes or in the ball of your foot? It could be a benign growth of nerve tissue called a neuroma. See the foot and ankle specialist, today’s podiatrist, for proper diagnosis and relief!
Skin Changes The skin of your feet may be tougher than anywhere else on your body, but it’s also exposed to more hazards—from foreign bodies to sun exposure when you forget the SPF. A podiatrist is a foot and ankle specialist who knows the skin of the feet better than any other physician. If you’ve noticed a difference in the skin on your feet or ankles, make an appointment with a podiatrist today.
Injury Rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE) are first aid for a foot injury, but if your pain is not improved within 24 hours, or if you cannot bear weight on the injury or notice severe swelling or bruising, it's time to call your podiatrist for an emergency appointment. Podiatrists provide specialized care for foot and ankle injuries, from conservative treatment to surgical intervention.
Learn about more conditions your podiatrist, the foot and ankle specialist, treats.
Becoming a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine Learn more about the exciting careers available in podiatric medicine and step into podiatry.
Watch Videos
My Podiatrist Saved My Life: Watch the compelling story of how a foot and ankle specialist properly diagnosed this high-risk patient and saved his life.
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For APMA Members
Individual members and practices can make use of the following resources to promote their expertise and educate current and prospective patients. These downloadable resources include suggested social media posts, a referral letter, an educational tip sheet, and more. Watch for more materials to come later this month.