Your feet are the foundation of your body. Like any other foundation, the stronger they are, the better the rest of the structure holds up to stresses. Taking care of your feet is an essential part of maintaining your health. Many people know this as a generality, but are unsure of some of the specifics as to why maintaining good foot health is so important. So, what are some of the reasons that you should take good care of your feet?
Knee and Back Health
As the first major joints above the feet, the knees and back are most affected by the health of the feet--or the lack thereof. Your feet hold up the rest of your body, and the position of the feet contributes to the position of the joints in your ankles, knees, hips, and back. Having major structural joints out of alignment on a regular basis is a recipe for pain and problems. Discomfort such as ball of foot pain can lead to pain higher up in your body.
One factor that is especially impactful on back and knee health is your choice of shoes. There is often a temptation to choose shoes largely based on whether or not they’re fashionable. However, choosing shoes that are functional and supportive is essential to the health of your feet and of your knees and back. The wrong kind of shoes can contribute to foot problems such as a tailor's bunion. As health consciousness becomes a greater issue on the whole, shoe companies strive to provide shoes that are both fashionable and functional.
Indications of Other Health Issues
It is very easy to miss indications of other health issues that present in your feet because it’s so easy to chalk it up to normal aches and pains from overuse or other everyday problems. However, a foot doctor can differentiate between normal wear on the feet and other troubles that are symptomatic of a greater issue.
Diabetics are especially prone to foot problems that can accelerate rapidly to become major problems. There are other health issues that can creep up as well, and early detection and intervention are an important part of foot and overall health.
Circulatory problems can show up first in the feet. The distance from the heart and the fight against gravity to return blood to the heart means that any shortcomings of the circulatory system are likely to present in the feet before they are noticed elsewhere. Catching these problems early is so important that it could literally save your life.
Problems with the nervous system often show up first in the feet as well. Because the feet carry the weight of the body, the nerves are almost constantly under the pressure and strain of bearing the weight of the entire body, sometimes enduring more than the body weight as you carry things or participate in high impact activities.
Be sure to have your feet checked often by a professional. If you are looking for the best podiatrist Seattle, the team at Foot & Ankle Center of Washington would love to ensure that you maintain your foundations and support the health of your entire body.
The foot is a fragile, complex body part that sets the tone for the rest of the body. Pain or discomfort in the foot can affect spinal health, potentially leading to major health problems if left untreated. That is why it is important to see an experienced Seattle foot doctor for the most effective treatment.
Find The Right Specialist
Podiatry is a specialization that requires four years of additional education after completing medical school. With 26 small bones interlocking in such a complex fashion seeing a podiatrist provides a level of understanding that a general practitioner may not be able to provide. Furthermore, within podiatry there are many specializations such as heel pain that focus on specific needs and ailments. It is important to research what specializations are available in one's community and which ailments they cover to ensure the best outcome.
Reputation Matters
One of the greatest advantages of choosing an experienced podiatrist is that for good or ill they have a reputation in the community that can be a reliable indicator for what kind of service to expect. Check within the community for a podiatry office with good recommendations from patients and colleagues alike. See if the doctor is published, and look for a practice or doctor who has won awards for things like customer care and technical accomplishment within the community. For example, Foot & Ankle Center of Washington has been voted the Best Podiatrist Seattle multiple times by several different publications.
Experienced = Experience
Any position in the medical profession is defined but constant improvement and continued education. A podiatrist with time under their belt has the added benefit of years of research and background knowledge as well as access to the latest breakthroughs in the podiatric academic community. This foundation of knowledge combined with cutting edge research and years of practical experience are a recipe for the high quality care one should be seeking for chronic foot and ankle issues.
Cost-Effective Care
Established podiatrists will be able to combine all of the benefits in this article to make sure the timeliest and most cost effective care takes place. Years of practical experience mean less trial and error when deciding on a treatment to meet the patient's needs. An established practice means they may be less inclined to push expensive treatments than new doctors looking at a mountain of student debt. An established foot doctor Seattle, Washington will have the presence of mind to keep the patients' best interests at the forefront of their practice.
Foot health dictates the health of the rest of the body. The feet are one of the most important and most stressed parts of the human form. Problems in that area should be reported to a doctor quickly so treatment can be started and the effect of the rest of the body can be minimized. While swift action is necessary, taking the time to find an experienced specialist who meets the needs of the patient is even more important.
How to Find Information About Podiatry Problems and The Best Seattle Washington Podiatrist Consultations
From ingrown toenails, Tailor’s bunion, plantar fasciitis, and heel pain, there are many reasons Seattle, Washington residents may need to immediately see a specialized doctor for their foot pains. Podiatrist Seattle can look at the feet to assess the problem, provide an official diagnosis, and go about developing a treatment plan.
Common aches, dry flaky skin, foot odors, and athlete’s foot have a plethora of at-home remedies. Websites across the internet claim to have just the answer but do keep in mind that many of these websites do not have scientific backing and are not created by professional podiatrists. DIY remedies sometimes work. Other times, however, they can make the problem worse or even be signaling that an underlying problem exists that a consultation with a local podiatrist could unveil and solve. The podiatrist will be able to give you specific instructions on how to care for the foot problem so that nothing is done to worsen the issue.
Foot & Ankle Center of Washington has an excellent website to help those suffering with foot ailments find the information they need to determine if their foot odor, ball of foot pain, and other such foot problems should be seen about by a podiatrist Seattle. The website is very comprehensive, easy to navigate, and created by renowned professionals in field of podiatry. Users can simply use the search option to obtain detailed and reliable information about specific foot disorders and subjects.
Those, for example, who think they might have a Tailor’s bunion can simply type the keyword into Foot & Ankle’s search line. Multiple headings will pop up to provide specific information, such as the best work boots for bunions, at-home treatment options, and Seattle specialists for conservative and surgical treatment.
Use the search line for more generalized concerns as well, such as ball of foot pain. The website will provide a heading to help users learn about problems that can cause the foot ailment, how specific foot problems occur, how foot ailments can be prevented, foot diagrams to help isolate the location of the foot ailment and potential problems most likely to affect the area, and even self-help videos. In the case of someone experiencing pain in the ball of the foot following a recent bunion surgery, information from the Foot & Ankle website can help them discover that this isn’t uncommon since the first metatarsal bone is usually cut for realignment and the shortened bone now must get accustomed to bearing additional weight. Such information from a reliable website can be an invaluable tool to those suffering with foot problems.
Visit the Foot & Ankle website today to learn more about both common and rare foot conditions and how to schedule an appointment to have one of the excellent Foot & Ankle Center of Washington specialists evaluate what’s going on with your feet.
Visit the Best Seattle Washington Foot and Ankle Center for All Your Podiatry Needs Today
Feet get the short end of the stick, and they’re literally at the bottom of the totem pole. The feet carry around their owner’s body weight day in and day out, and they’re usually the last thing health-wise that the owner tends to routinely and urgently. In the world of feet, many ailments and medical issues can arise. These issues can affect mobility, productivity, and even general health. So, the importance of taking care of the feet and giving them the attention, they need cannot be understated. If something has been ailing the feet, it’s always prudent to see a Seattle foot doctor immediately to determine what might be wrong and the things that can be done to improve foot health and/or solve foot ailments.
A visit to Foot & Ankle can help those in need of the best podiatrist Seattle find the information needed about common foot issues, signs and symptoms of foot and ankle ailments, and how to schedule a consultation with a professional. Those in need of a foot doctor Seattle WA can quickly and easily get all the information they need to attend to their foot care and foot health service needs in one place.
The best podiatrist Seattle will provide invaluable services, including the following:
Seeking out these services from the Foot & Ankle website allows foot suffers of all types and degrees to get the assistance they need from the best foot doctor Seattle WA offers.
Want to know how to contact Foot & Ankle? It’s easy, and they give you three one-step options. Go to the website and call them to set up an appointment for a consultation. To schedule or ask a question by phone, look for the contact number in the upper right corner of website. There’s also an email address for those that prefer to correspond that way. Want to speak with someone face-to-face? The Foot & Ankle Seattle foot doctor has a contact link on their website that includes their physical address and a handy map. Simply put the address in your GPS from any location and go by the Foot & Ankle physical location to scope out the facilities and speak with a friendly staff member today.
Your feet carry a big responsibility daily - your entire body. Don’t you think they deserve the professional attention of Foot & Ankle in Seattle if they’re experiencing problems that could affect your mobility, employment, social life, and even general health? Use any of the above three methods to contact the best foot and ankle doctors today.