What to Expect at Your First Podiatry Visit
Heading to an appointment can be a daunting process if you don’t know what to expect. But rest assured that we have you covered. Here’s everything you need to know. It’s important to remember that generally your first appointment will be a fact finding exercise. Initially, you will sit down with your podiatrist and discuss your requirements, goals and health history. They will then perform a full assessment of your feet to understand their condition and determine the best course of treatment.
It’s natural to feel apprehensive when you are heading into your first appointment but the healthcare professional should work to put you at ease throughout. If you have any queries, concerns or worries, your first podiatry visit is the perfect time to air these. The podiatrist will be able to ease your mind to ensure that you feel more relaxed at your following appointments.
Reasons to See a Podiatrist
Podiatrists are able to treat any condition that affects your feet, ankles and lower legs and may perform minor surgical procedures within their scope of practice, subject to local regulations and individual practitioner qualifications. They commonly treat both short term and long term issues to improve mobility, reduce pain and discomfort, and may improve your overall quality of life.
Reasons that you might see a podiatrist include:
- You have an ingrown toenail
- You have bunions
- You suffer with corns or calluses
- You have plantar fasciitis
- You suffer with a fungal toenail
- You have unexplained pain in your foot, ankle or lower leg
It’s important to note that you don’t have to be in pain or discomfort in order to seek treatment from a podiatrist. They also provide general treatment if you are unable to take proper care of your feet yourself, and give advice that will prevent the development of issues in the future.
Pre-Appointment Preparation
Like with any appointment, it’s natural to wonder how you can prepare. The best way that you can do so is by listing any medication that you are taking and any medical condition that you have been diagnosed with. These are questions that your podiatrist will ask during your initial consultation and can have an impact on the treatment plan that they devise.
Then, once treatment begins, it’s beneficial to wear loose fitting clothing and avoid stockings or tights. The majority of treatment sessions will require your podiatrist to access your feet, ankles and lower limbs so having these easily accessible is convenient and will allow your session to commence without delay.
The Initial Consultation
Your initial consultation will be different to your ongoing appointments because your podiatrist needs to understand your condition and determine the best course of treatment. They will take into consideration your needs, your goals, your lifestyle, your level of health and more. And using this information, they will be able to tailor a personalised treatment plan that achieves results, whether that be a reduction in pain, an improvement in movement or another outcome. During your initial consultation, your podiatrist will likely perform a physical examination.
Comprehensive Physical Examination
It’s important for a podiatrist to perform a comprehensive physical examination during your initial consultation. They will take a range of approaches during this examination including a visual examination. Your podiatrist will look for visual signs of issues such as hard skin, bunions, calluses, verrucas, fungal infections and poor circulation. To aid their investigation further, your podiatrist may ask you to undergo diagnostic procedures.
Diagnostic Procedures
With the advancements of technology, there are now many ways in which a podiatrist can diagnose issues, injuries and health conditions. A comprehensive clinic will be able to perform a number of diagnostic procedures including:
Biomechanical Examination
This examination will help your podiatrist to understand the way that your joints, bones, muscles and ligaments are working. This will help them to determine potential causes for your injury or condition.
Gait Analysis
If your injury or condition is related to sports, a gait analysis is recommended. It assesses the way that you walk or run and aids your podiatrist in determining the best course of treatment.
Footwear Assessment
The healthcare professional may also perform a footwear assessment to ensure that the shoes you commonly wear aren’t causing or triggering your condition.
Running Assessment
If you are suffering with a sports related injury or experience mild discomfort when running, an assessment is beneficial. This will allow your podiatrist to see if you are moving optimally or whether there are tensions or misalignments that could be negatively impacting your feet, ankles, legs and pelvic region.
Developing a Treatment Plan
Once your initial consultations and physical examinations have taken place, it’s time for your podiatrist to develop a personalised treatment plan. With a variety of approaches available to them, they will combine a range of techniques in order to achieve optimal results.
Treatment options could include a combination of:
- General foot care
- Nail restoration
- Joint mobilisation
- Laser treatment
- Stretching exercises
- Strengthening exercises
- Shockwave treatment
- Wart or verruca removal
- Minor surgery
When developing your treatment plan, your podiatrist will take into consideration all of the information that they learned within your initial consultation. If your goal is to restore proper movement following an injury, you may find more sessions in joint mobilisation, stretching and strengthening exercises. If you are suffering with an ingrown toenail, your plan will be tailored more towards general foot care with the potential for minor surgery. It’s this personalised approach that ensures you get the results that you want and need.
Speak to an Expert Today
You don’t have to be suffering with pain to benefit from seeing a podiatrist. Regardless of your issues, injury or condition, the team at Optimise Health will optimise your foot, ankle and lower leg health. Want to find out more information about how a podiatrist can improve your quality of life?
Get started immediately by scheduling an appointment today or, for more information, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our expert team. We look forward to hearing from you soon.
