Beyond Podiatry sees patients experiencing a number of different acute conditions. From broken bones to complications resulting from diabetes, our team of podiatrists and foot and ankle specialists has seen it all. Yet as a patient, your personal experience with acute conditions may be limited. It is quite possible you don’t fully grasp the number and types of conditions we treat at our foot and ankle clinics.
We operate clinics in a number of locations. They include the Michigan Foot and Ankle clinic and the North Shore Foot and Ankle clinic in Illinois. The dedicated medical staff and each of our clinics are committed to helping patients feel better and begin to heal.
Acute Foot and Ankle Injuries
Podiatry clinics see a lot of acute foot and ankle injuries. Our clinics are no exception. We treat patients working through sprains, strains, and fractures. Many of our patients have sustained injuries while participating in sports. Think of things like:
- Sports-related sprains and strain
- Torn ligaments and tendon injuries
- High ankle sprains
- Stress fractures.
The acute nature of such injuries indicates that treatment at a foot and ankle clinic will gradually taper off as the patient begins feeling better. But when long term damage remains, clinic staff can continue providing appropriate treatment.
Traumatic Conditions
Some of the patients we see at our foot and ankle clinics have been subjected to some sort of trauma. Think of a car accident resulting in fractures. A patient could be dealing with multiple fractures in the ankles, foot bones and toes.
Other examples of traumatic conditions include turf toe and Lisfranc injuries. These are injuries resulting from some sort of trauma to the ankle or foot. They can be a bit more difficult to treat if the severity of the trauma in question was significant.
Acute Inflammatory Conditions
Every case seen in a foot and ankle clinic doesn’t necessarily include serious trauma or sports-related injury. We treat patients suffering from acute inflammatory conditions as well. One of the more common is plantar fasciitis.
Plantar fasciitis is essentially inflammation of the plantar fascia, a thick band of tissue that connects the heel to the toes. It can cause significant heel pain that is often experienced as a stabbing sensation.
Acute Achilles tendonitis, which is inflammation of the Achilles tendon, is another common inflammatory issue treated at a foot and ankle clinic. Metatarsalgia is yet another possibility. The point is that there is no shortage of inflammatory conditions we see at our clinics.
Other Types of Conditions
The list of conditions we see marches on with a range of possibilities that don’t fit well into a single category. Conditions related to diabetes are a classic example. Diabetics are especially prone to foot infections and ulcers. Such infections and ulcers can be severe enough to require amputation. A podiatrist will do everything possible to avoid such severe treatment, but sometimes amputation is the only option.
Podiatrists treat all sorts of foot and ankle infections. We treat open wounds, nonspecific pain, unexplained swelling, and more. We use a variety of imaging tests to help us diagnose and treat more effectively. Tests include ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and X-ray.
It should be evident that a foot and ankle clinic is the right choice for a complete range of issues and injuries to the feet and ankles. Podiatrists are trained medical specialists who know the feet and ankles inside out. If you are having any issues with your feet and ankles, issues that your GP hasn’t been able to successfully treat, consider visiting a foot and ankle clinic.