Foot pain is common and prevalent around the world. Some studies indicate that a third of people in older age brackets suffer from ongoing foot pain conditions. While research from the American Podiatric Medical Association showed that 77 percent of adults had experienced foot pain at some point.
Strangely, only a third of these people felt the need to seek professional help. Like many conditions, foot pain gets ignored by sufferers sometimes until symptoms have greatly worsened.
Access to healthcare is sometimes limited too. Getting treatment for health conditions in general isn't always easy for some people.
What are the problems with accessing foot healthcare?
For many, quality healthcare is a given. Some countries enjoy free healthcare, while others rely on medical insurance to cover treatments. Employers provide healthcare coverage in many cases, while individuals often choose to have additional policies in place.
However, not everyone enjoys accessible healthcare. Staff shortages, physical barriers, and mobility issues can restrict healthcare access.
Fortunately, some of these problems are being addressed. Telehealth is being used more commonly now to provide easy access to patients. Dr. Lanier is one healthcare professional providing virtual podiatry remotely to patients. Virtual podiatry assists patients with fast diagnosis and treatment when it is available.
But, many communities are underserved by the healthcare industry still. And chronic foot pain sufferers need access to care.
What help is there for sufferers of foot and ankle conditions?
Traditionally, a person with foot pain would probably first approach their general practitioner. Most foot pain problems will go away with mild treatment and rest. Light sprains and tears will often fix themselves. A doctor might prescribe some painkillers and rest and that will be it.
Some acute foot problems, and especially chronic conditions will be better addressed by a podiatrist. In the past, these foot and ankle specialists were better known as chiropodists. But, chiropodists and podiatrists are the same.
What do podiatrists do?
Podiatrists deal with painful conditions of the foot, the ankle, and the legs. A podiatrist will aim to diagnose problems and the underlying cause of the conditions. Then, a suitable course of action and treatment will be put into place.
Podiatrists can handle broken bones, prescribe suitable medication, and even perform surgery. And doctors working in podiatry will offer preventative care too. Many people find podiatrists help to mitigate the risks of foot problems occurring. This is vital for patients with conditions such as diabetes which needs careful foot care management.
Podiatrists can also recommend orthopedic devices or advise on footwear. The importance of comfortable shoes for work is an area that a podiatrist would be happy to discuss as part of preventative care.
What alternative treatments are there for foot conditions?
Patients looking to access treatment for painful foot conditions aren't limited to podiatrists. Though, podiatrists are very often the best route to follow.
Alternative treatments for foot pain might include these:
Acupuncture
Massage therapy
Functional medicine
Lifestyle changes
Chiropractor
Virtual podiatrist or telehealth
Chiropractic adjustments
Chiropractors are more commonly known for treating backs. But, they actually treat many joints and nerve problems. A chiropractor could assist with relief where pressure on nerves is causing foot pain.
Functional medicine and lifestyle changes
Functional medicine is a discipline where it is believed that all health conditions can be traced back to an underlying cause. Instead of treating symptoms, the root cause should be discovered and fixed.
Some foot conditions such as gout could benefit from functional medicine and nutritional changes to diets. Gout is known to improve when some foods are removed from diets. And functional medicine is concerned heavily with how nutrition affects the body.
Virtual podiatry
Telehealth could be seen as an alternative treatment. Really, though, telehealth is just an alternative way to access healthcare. In this case, it would be podiatry.
How can remote patients access online podiatrists?
Telehealth rapidly became more visible during the pandemic. As remote communities were cut off from healthcare access, the need for telehealth grew. However, despite Covid restrictions lifting, telehealth has remained.
In much the same way that ecommerce and online teaching grew during the pandemic, virtual healthcare has stayed in the spotlight. The pandemic changed how many people handled the daily aspects of their lives, and the benefits of keeping telehealth was clear.
There is less than one doctor per 1,000 people in rural areas. The internet has allowed patients everywhere to access some form of virtual healthcare.
Patients needing a podiatrist can simply Google telehealth podiatry near me, or something similar. Once a virtual podiatrist is located, there are simple steps to take to gain an appointment.
1 Register as a new patient
2 Choose an appointment time and date
3 Pay any necessary fees
4 Open the appointment link
5 Join the podiatrist for the appointment
One thing to note: Despite the term virtual being used to describe these services, the podiatrist is a fully licensed and qualified medical professional. Telehealth is about providing true benefits to patients in need through the convenience of an online platform.
What are the benefits of telehealth podiatry?
The medical care industry has always been swift to adopt new technology when it offers benefits. So, why not use the internet to reach out to patients?
The benefits work both ways, but patients will gain the most from telehealth care. Patients suffering from chronic foot pain with limited mobility will appreciate the convenience of tele podiatry.
Some of the clear gains from using tele podiatry as a patient include:
The convenience of home appointments
Time and cost savings
Better outcomes
Increased engagement
Accessibility
No physical barriers
Fast diagnosis
Remote and rural areas might be physically hard to access. And there may simply be no podiatrist in the immediate area. Therefore, telehealth podiatrists will be extremely beneficial.
Conditions can be diagnosed quickly over the internet, and treatments are recommended. Patient and doctor engagement may increase as telehealth is an efficient way to manage appointments. Plus, patients will be more likely to seek healthcare thus reducing potential problems later on.
By removing the cost of travel and the time it takes, patients may see better outcomes. Putting off doctor visits often leads to conditions worsening. Affordable telehealth may promote preventative care and encourage patients to log on.
What foot conditions can virtual podiatrists treat?
The first barrier to getting people to accept telehealth care is educating them that proper diagnosis can be done online.
Tele Podiatrists or virtual podiatrists will be able to ask questions online and inspect feet to make a diagnosis. Once done, a treatment plan will be put into place.
Some of the common foot conditions that tele podiatrists will diagnose are here:
Plantar fasciitis
Diabetes
Sports injuries
Bunions
Foot ulcers
Sprains
Nerve damage
Poor circulation
Osteoarthritis
Sweaty feet
Cellulitis
Hammertoe
Ringworm
Gout
Fungal infections
Painful conditions such as plantar fasciitis cause heel pain and are common. Other conditions such as nerve damage may need further tests in a physical podiatrist's office. But, early detection online will help to minimize damage later on.
Summary
Telehealth will make accessing podiatric care easier than ever. Hopefully, the advances in virtual healthcare will overcome some of the problems facing patients today.
For rural communities and people with mobility issues, telehealth care may be the only way to access a podiatrist. With easy access to podiatrists, patients will face better outcomes, and conditions will be treated before they worsen.
Encouraging patients to seek telehealth care could help reduce the financial strain on the medical industry as a whole, and lead to improved patient health.
