Patients are usually referred to a foot doctor after their general practitioner identifies a foot or ankle problem. A foot doctor, or podiatrist, is a specialist who focuses on conditions that affect the feet, ankles, and lower leg. Problems in this area of the body can prevent people from walking or standing without suffering from considerable pain and discomfort.
What Conditions Does a Foot Doctor Treat?
Patients can expect a foot doctor to treat everything from athlete’s foot to traumatic injuries of the feet and ankles that require surgery to correct and extensive physical therapy during recovery.
Athletes and active people in general deal with foot injuries that, with proper care, will heal over time. Ankle sprains may seem little more than an inconvenience at the time, but, if left untreated, can develop into serious problems that affect comfort and performance. Common foot and ankle problems that patients in Beverly suffer from include:
- Achilles Tendon Injury: This is a common problem for people who are involved in active and aggressive sports. An injury to the Achilles tendon is very painful when walking or standing for any length of time.
- Athletes Foot and Fungal Toenail: Athlete’s foot is a fungus; it forms between the toes. Fungal toenail, as the name suggests, is a painful toenail infection.
- Bunions, Corns, Calluses, and Plantar Warts: Bunions grow on the inside of the big toe and are very painful. Corns and calluses are thick skin that forms on your feet while plantar warts are caused by a virus. A foot doctor can effectively treat all these conditions.
If you lead a busy and active lifestyle in Beverly, you may find that visiting a foot doctor periodically is a proactive way to reduce your risk of foot and ankle injury. Custom orthotics can give ankles and feet the support that is needed for day-to-day activities.
If you have a foot or ankle problem, you need to see a foot doctor. Contact Mitchell Foot & Ankle, P.C near Beverly for an early appointment. For further information on services offered, visit https://www.hydeparkfootdoctor.com.