By Brian Rogers


The vast majority of the population will experience problems with their feet and ankles at some stage. They may develop painful growths, suffer from fallen arches, experience pain in the feet or have swollen ankles. In many cases these conditions van have an adverse effect on the mobility of the sufferer. This, in turn, lowers the quality of life. By consulting with a foot doctor in Longmont sufferers can look forward to relief.

Medical specialist that focus mainly of the feet and ankles are called podiatrists. They are qualified medical doctors that went on and specialized in this area. This advanced training takes another four years. Selection for this training is extremely strict. It is one of the very few medical fields where specialists can provide both medical and surgical treatment or even a combination of both.

Many serious cases seen by podiatrists can be ascribed to the fact that the patient experienced pain and swelling of the feet or ankles and simply ignored it. Ignoring pain is always a foolish mistake, especially if it lasts for a few days or more. It is vital to seek treatment without delay. The longer one waits, the more serious the problem will become and the more drastic the treatment necessary may be.

Some of the biggest problems that podiatrists have to deal with are injuries caused by patients when they tried to treat themselves. They cut at growths on the feet with implements that are neither suitable for the job nor sterile. This can cause complications such as infection. In the majority of cases self treatment will only make the problem worse. It is better to see a specialist without delay.

More than sixty per cent of patients consulting podiatrists are female. This phenomenon can be laid confidently at the door of high heels. These shoes cause many problems. They place the toes and the ankles under enormous pressure, they squeeze the toes into unnatural positions and they weaken the tendons in the feet. High heels should never be worn for prolonged periods. In fact, they should not be worn at all, if possible.

Sports shoes are also often the cause of problems with the feet. This is not because the shoe itself is guilty, but rather that the patients wears the wrong type of shoe when he plays his sport. Sports shoes are designed to protect the wearer for very specific conditions. It is important for sportsmen to wear the type of shoe that was specifically designed for the sport he plays.

Problems with the feet and ankles can often be prevented by some very simple measures. The most important one is to make sure that the feet are always dry and clean. It is also advisable to walk barefoot as often as one can, preferably on natural surfaces such as lawns and sand. By standing on tiptoes a few times each day the tendons van be strengthened, lessening the potential for injury.

Care of the feet should be an integral part of every personal hygiene routine. Pain or discomfort should never be ignored. Having to live with constant pain can have a serious negative impact on the mobility of the sufferer but with help from a podiatrist this can be cured or prevented.




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