A podiatrist is an allied health professional who has a Bachelor of Podiatry.
A Podiatrist is trained to assess, diagnose and treat foot and lower limb problems. These may include skin and nail problems, foot and ankle injuries, foot complications related to diabetes and other medical conditions, and problems with gait or walking.
Podiatrists play an important role in monitoring disease and managing lower limb issues to maintain an active and mobile population across the lifespan. Therefore, patient demographics can be diverse, ranging from monitoring children's growth and development, managing sports injuries, working with people with chronic disease, disability and the ageing population.
Is a referral needed to see a podiatrist? Most people do not need a referral to see a podiatrist, however some patients will require a referral from their doctor. These include Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Workers Compensation, or those people who have health conditions being managed under a Chronic Disease Management Plan (EPC).
Many private health insurance funds have a plan that will provide rebates for podiatry services and will allow you to claim for general foot checks as well as more involved procedures including nail treatments, wart removal and orthotics.
Common Problems treated by Podiatrists include:
Injuries and Pain:
Sprains and stress fractures
Persistent heel pain
Tendonitis
Bunions
Hammertoes
Biomechanical:
Orthotics
Sports podiatry
Children's Development - toes pointing inward or outward - standing and walking on tip toe - growing pains
Club Foot
Chronic Conditions:
High Risk Foot (related to diabetes) - numbness or pins and needles - poor circulation (pooling of fluid around the foot and ankle) - infections and poor wound healing
Arthritis
Gout
Toe Nails:
Ingrown toenails
Thickened nails
Trauma
Infections
Skin:
Blisters
Calluses
Warts
Corns
Tinea and other fungal infections
Cracked Heals
Chilblains
At Moreton All Body Care, we also have a particular interest in the treatment and management of sports related injuries. Any sport which involves walking, running, standing or jumping places greater physical demands on our body than normal day-to-day activities. Injuries to the foot and lower limb make up a large proportion of sporting injuries. Podiatrists can examine the foot and lower limb, diagnose foot conditions and can recommend appropriate footwear, training regimens, and, if needed, orthotic devices to fit into the sports shoe. Common sporting injuries include plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, stress fractures, ankle sprains and shin or knee pain.
Moreton All Body Care provides Podiatry services at all three practice locations, and appointments can be made by calling us on 3888 6699 or 3886 9470.
If you are suffering from foot or lower limb pain our Podiatrists, Matt & Zoe, are available six days a week to assess, diagnose and treat you, and help keep you on your feet.