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Foot Surgery - Podiatry Arena
Podiatry is a branch of medicine covering the diagnosis, study and treatment of the foot, ankle and lower leg.
This name originated in the USA and refers to a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine who is qualified to diagnose and treat problems affecting the feet. There are specialist branches of podiatry such as surgery, biomechanics, geriatrics, sports medicine etc. In many countries podiatry is still known as chiropody, and the practitioners as chiropodists and though there are some variations the two are generally the same. Plantar fasciitis is a painful condition affecting the thick fibrous tissues that begin at the heel bone and continue along the sole of the foot towards the toes known as the plantar fascia. This condition which is usually caused by long hours of standing related to occupation is said to affect nearly two million Americans. It can also be caused by too much weight constantly bearing down on the feet. The condition which starts with a pain in the heel is usually more intense when taking the first steps in the morning. Sometimes it may be that the sufferer will have difficulty when bending the foot as the toes tend to curl upwards towards the shin which affects the movement in the ankles. It can also increase the likelihood of pains in the knees particularly among runners but not confined to them. The podiatrist will often study the way a person stands and walks before making his prognosis and treatment will generally involve stretching, special shoes, rest and may require the use of corticosteroid drugs in more painful cases. Medial tibial stress syndrome is the formal name for a painful condition of the shins known as shin splints.
It can occur when jumping, sprinting and running. One reason for the problem is the overuse of one muscle which is often suffered by athletes repeating a particular activity regularly thus putting too much stress on the shins. This can lead to stress fractures if the condition is not treated. It is usually diagnosed by pain worsening during exercise rather than easing when warmed up. Anti-inflammatory drugs, rest, and the use of cold compresses are the usual treatment for this. Barefoot running is not the norm in modern times though famous athletes such as Zola Budd were well known for it. The advances made in shoe design have tended to indicate that running with shoes is a better alternative to running without. When running without shoes the emphasis is based on the balls of the feet whereas running with shoes the emphasis changes to the heel and surrounding areas to the back of the foot. It has been argued that wearing running shoes with the stress on the heels may cause repetitive stress problems but barefoot running is thought to be healthier because the weight distribution is more evenly spread.
Most sports authorities advocate the use of running shoes but there is no definitive evidence to decide the best method.
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