All About Feet! By Your Local Podiatrist

Ever wondered what a podiatrist does? I get asked that question all the time. The truth is, most people could use the help of a podiatrist at some point in their lives!

A podiatrist is a podiatric physician (a foot doctor).

And why might you want help from a foot doctor? We should never underestimate the importance of having healthy feet.

Have you ever asked yourself: Why are my feet always hurting?

Maybe they hurt when you wake up, or when you go to bed. Our feet carry us through the day and when your feet hurt, your whole-body hurts!

Your feet can be the host of numerous problems.

They can be impacted by serious illnesses (like diabetes and infections) and can develop all kinds of foot specific problems: tendonitis, fasciitis, flat feet, ingrown toenails, bunions, hammertoes, corns & calluses, the list goes on and on.

The top 3 reasons patients come to see me are:

Plantar fasciitis – If you wake up and your first few steps are extremely painful, then the pain eases but comes right back…this is usually due to inflammation of the ligament on the bottom of your foot.

We use various modalities such as physical therapy, shoe modification, injections etc. to help alleviate this common source of pain.

Ingrown toenails – sometimes the way a nail grows or is cut can create a piece of the nail that digs into the skin. This can cause swelling, pain, and sometimes infections.

We see this all the time in adults and children and have a variety of methods to fix this quickly, right here in the office!

Warts – these are caused by viruses and love to live in a dark, moist environment (like a sock and shoe). Patients may have one wart or a whole lot. They tend to be very painful when patients walk. Sometimes they can be treated with medication, other times by removal, but either way we can take care of it in the Health Center.

Prevention is always our preferred medicine, so here are my top tips for keeping your feet healthy:

Stop walking barefoot or just in socks!! Wear supportive slippers or shoes, yes, even in your house. Give someone you love good, supportive house slippers or indoor shoes.
Wear shoes that fit you well. Shoes should have a good support. A tie shoe offers the most support. Most of us need some additional support inside our shoes. Consider over the counter orthotic or call a podiatrist to get custom orthotics for maximum support!
Keep your feet moisturized, especially through the winter. To prevent dryness and calluses, moisturize your feet with a good foot moisturizer AND wait at least 10 minutes before wearing your socks / shoes or walking.

Interested in seeing a podiatrist? Dr. Jhaveri sees primary care and non-primary care patients at SBCHC. Call today to schedule a visit!