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By Rosella Campbell


Podiatry falls under a branch of the medicine profession with key area of specialty being human movement and medical care of feet and ankles. The professionals who work in this profession are called podiatrists. These professionals are well distributed in the US allowing easy access to their services. Any podiatrist near Boulder is uniquely qualified to provide professional care for the foot, ankle, and lower extremity in general. These practitioners are sometimes called podiatric physicians or surgeons.

Doctors of podiatric medicine have specialty in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of foot conditions, disorders, diseases, and injuries. Their judgment is independent and they have the authority to order and apply several different diagnostic tests. Since the early stages of most diseases are first manifested through feet, these doctors are in a position to detect them early enough. Some of those diseases and conditions normally go unnoticed in people who do not seek podiatric help.

The scope of practice of podiatrists varies depending on the demographical and geographical location one is situated. The job entails working with other health professionals within the society as a vital part of a team. Podiatric experts are capable of prescribing medications, treating sports related injuries, setting fractures, and performing surgical procedures. They also carry out or order physical therapy regimens and fit and/or prescribe insoles, orthotics, and customized shoes.

Diagnostic techniques used require them to take and analyze the results of X-rays and other imaging techniques. In some cases, they may need to perform full physical examinations and medical histories to understand the nature of a condition a patient is suffering from. These practitioners have the license and authority that allows them to perform medical histories and physical examinations.

Practitioners with extra training, experience, and expertise can care for and preserve diabetic feet by performing full or partial amputation. Amputations are meant to avoid further loss of the limb or life. They have the authority to order and administer sedatives and anesthesia although this is an area covered by certified nurse anesthetist or an anesthesiologist. The commonly used form of sedation is intravenous (IV) sedation.

Qualifying to become a podiatrist involves training for many years, tests, and hospital-based residency. Admission into podiatric medical school is possible at graduate or undergraduate level depending on the jurisdiction of the institution. In podiatric schools, the first two years involve general courses similar to those of students taking medicine. Specialization starts at third year and extends into the fourth year which is also the final year in most cases.

Hospital-based residency training lasts for at least two years but it can be more. Some of the areas podiatrists have training include general pathology, general medicine, pharmacology, human gait, non-surgical foot care procedures, general anesthesia, and surgical techniques. Surgical procedures learned include enucleation, wound debridement, cryotherapy, partial or total nail avulsions, cutaneous procedures, matricectomy, and electro-surgical methods. With this kind of knowledge, they are able to handle a wide range of problems in people of different ages.

Branches in Podiatry include sports medicine, podiatric rheumatology, orthopedic, medical physician, vascular specialist, neuro-podiatrist, and gerentological podiatrist among others. One can specialize in one or several branches according to their level of training. Those who specialize in sports medicine must always accompany their clients to games.




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