Four Common Myths About Podiatrists in Public

Podiatry as a medical specialty has advanced greatly over the last fifty years. However, recognition and understanding of that advance by the general public and even the medical community has not followed in certain areas. No longer a trade that simply treats toenails, corns, and calluses, podiatry has become the branch of medicine with the most expertise in foot and ankle medicine and surgery.

By understanding the role that podiatrists play in modern medicine, old myths about who provides foot care in Haymarket can be dispelled, and patients seeking expert care of the foot and ankle can find the appropriate physician to provide that treatment

Myth #1: Podiatrists Education

The dierence begins in the third year when podiatry students begin to develop experience in foot and ankle medicine. While podiatry students serve in many of the same hospital departments learning general medicine during the third and fourth year as MD and DO students, more of that time is spent in the field where they have already decided on specializing, as opposed to MD and DO students who are undecided on a specialty.

Myth #2: Podiatrists do not perform surgery

The specialty of podiatry is generally a surgical one since many treatments a podiatrist performs in or out of the oce involve some hands-on procedure. While some of this is not surgery involving an operating room and general anesthesia, much of what podiatrists do

does involve traditional surgery. Nearly all podiatrists perform hospital or surgery centerbased surgery. They become board certified in foot surgery.

Myth #3: Podiatrists mainly treat nails and calluses

For the last forty years, podiatrists have treated every condition that could aect the foot and ankle, from bunions and hammertoes to serious infections and fractures and even severe birth deformities. Podiatrists treat skin disorders, bone disorders, nerve disorders, and injuries, and even have a role in circulation disorders. And yes, they even still treat toenail disease and corns and calluses.

Myth #4: "Bone doctors" are better trained to treat foot injuries than podiatrists.

Orthopedic surgeons share with podiatrists treatment of many of the same conditions that involve the foot and ankle. However, most general orthopedic surgeons are not as specially trained in foot and ankle medicine and surgery as modern podiatrists, with most of their experience lying within the scope of trauma and fracture care.

By contrast, most podiatrists practice a mix of non-surgical medical therapy and surgical intervention and have established themselves as the first-line specialist for foot and ankle conditions due to their comprehensive training and breadth of treatment capabilities.

Mountain Spring Podiatry

15100 Washington St #203, Haymarket, VA 20169

540-274-3205