Podiatry
Podiatry is the specialty that diagnoses and treats injuries and diseases of the foot and ankle.
Common disorders include heel pain/spurs, ingrown toenails, warts, corns, calluses, bunions. While the Podiatrist, (DPM) is trained specifically with focus on foot, ankle and related body systems, they can render care for sprains, fractures, infections, diseases, deformities, and injuries.
Contacting a Podiatrist to discuss any concerns you may have should also include the proper fitting of shoes. Many people have subtle abnormalities of their feet, and sometimes the process of finding a proper fitting shoe can be frustrating. You may find it interesting to know that as we age our feet tend to become longer and wider. And, that during a pregnancy, women produce a hormone that affects ligaments in the body. The ligaments in the foot are particularly affected. For Diabetic patients, they need to be acutely aware of the type of shoes they wear. Poor circulation, numbness or loss of sensation, (neuropathy) are all indications that should be addressed by seeing your physician.