By Mattie Knight


When people think of feet, they often think of keeping them soft and free of rough spots, or perhaps adorning them with toe rings or nail polish via a manicure. So few think of the more medical things regarding feet, such as misalignment, athlete's foot or any other number of ailments. Most only think of these things when they begin to feel pain in the feet, which is when podiatrists in Ottawa CA can be of great assistance.

A lot of people do not realize that a simple foot ache can affect more than just your feet, especially if left untreated. When you have an ache or pain, you start to put more pressure on your other foot, which can cause undue strain. Soon, both sides hurt, along with possibly your legs, hips and back. Nip this problem in the bud before it gets out of hand by visiting a foot doctor for help.

A lot of times, people do not realize that something as simple as walking improperly can cause you all kinds of pain. If you have a bad gait or favor one side more than the other, it can throw your body into an imbalance that hurts. You may be asked to walk and answer a few questions so your doctor can assess what is causing the pain.

Occasionally, the issue is nothing more than wearing shoes that do not fit properly, or are too stiff to let you walk the right way. Sometimes the issue is far deeper and requires surgery. You may need to go to the hospital for the surgery, though some podiatrists can do it in their offices if they have surgical rooms.

When you have diabetes, lots of things have to change, including your diet and possibly taking any insulin or other medication that may be prescribed to you. Another change is how you treat your feet, which need extra care with this condition. Be on the lookout for foot ulcers, rashes or sharp pains that could be caused by peripheral neuropathy. All of these should be looked at by a podiatrist as soon as possible.

There are some issues that may seem cosmetic at first but can often cause undue rawness and rubbing on your feet and toes. Corns are a great example of this, because they are unsightly but also can cause pressure due to rubbing against shoes. The same goes for calluses that are really thick. Then there are fungal infections such as athlete's foot that are also troublesome and may require a prescription from your doctor.

As is this list of things a podiatrist can help with is not long enough, there are still many things more to add. Arthritis is a chronic condition that can occur in the feet which podiatrists can help with. If you sprained or strained anything due to a sports injury, they can also give you assistance and advice.

If you wish to live free of foot pain and all the other conditions they may cause, it may be as simple as getting fit for orthotics. These are shoes or insoles for your current shoes that improve your gait and posture, and your podiatrist can fit you for a custom pair that makes you feel pain free and alive again.




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