Your feet, like other specialized structures, require specialized care. A Doctor of Podiatric Medicine can make an important contribution to your total health, whether it is regular preventive care or surgery to correct a deformity.

• Athlete's foot (fungus)
• Blisters
• Bunions
• Corns & Calluses
• Foot Odor
• Hammertoes
• Heel Pain
• Heel Spurs
• Ingrown Toenails
• Neuromas
• Warts

For the foot that is not able to function normally due to biomechanical conditions such as excessive pronation (rolling in) or supination (rolling out), a state of optimal biomechanics can be achieved through the use of orthoses, custom shoe inserts that can be prescribed by a podiatrist. Orthoses not only allow the feet to function as they ought to, but can alleviate the predisposition to injury brought on by biomechanical imbalances.

Warning Signs
For the person with diabetes who has not yet developed foot complications, there are warning signs which should be recognized and called to the attention of your family physician or podiatrist.

They include:
• color changes of the skin
• elevation of skin temperature or coldness in feet or legs
• swelling of the foot or ankle
• pain in the legs, either at rest or while walking
• open sores, with or without drainage, that are slow to heal
• ingrown and fungus-infected toenails
• corns or calluses with bleeding within the skin
• dry cracks (fissures) in the skin, especially around the heel

Ulceration is a common occurrence of the diabetic foot. Poorly fitted shoes, or something as seemingly trivial as a stocking seam, can create a wound that cannot be felt and may not immediately be seen by someone whose level of skin sensation has been minimized. Left unattended, such an ulcer can quickly become infected and lead to serious consequences.