Podiatrists typically treat patients of all ages and backgrounds. They often see people who have conditions such as:
What Is a Podiatrist?
A podiatrist is a foot doctor. They are also called a doctor of podiatric medicine or DPM. A podiatrist will have the letters DPM after their name.
This kind of physician or surgeon treats the foot, ankle, and connecting parts of the leg. An older name for a podiatrist is chiropodist, which is sometimes still used.
Like other types of physicians and surgeons, podiatrists complete four years of study and training in podiatric medical school. Then they gain experience in at least three years of residency training in hospitals and clinics.
Finally, after passing all the required exams, podiatrists are certified by the American Board of Podiatric Medicine. Some podiatrists may also complete more specialized fellowship training that focuses on a certain area. This makes a podiatrist a specialist in foot health.
Podiatric surgeons
A podiatrist who specializes in foot surgery is called a podiatric surgeon. They are certified by the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery. A podiatric surgeon has passed special exams in both general foot health and surgery for foot conditions and injuries.
Podiatrists must also be licensed to practice in the state that they work in. They cannot practice without a license. Like all doctors, podiatrists must renew their licenses every few years. They may also need to keep up to date with their training by attending special yearly seminars.
Podiatrists treat people of all ages. Most treat a range of general foot conditions. This is similar to a family doctor or general care physician.
Some podiatrists are specialized in different areas of foot medicine. They may be specialists in:
- surgery
- wound care
- sports medicine
- diabetes
- pediatric (children)
- other kinds of foot care
If your feet hurt you might need to see a podiatrist. Even if you don’t have foot pain, it’s a good idea to get your feet checked. A podiatrist can safely remove hard skin on your feet and clip your toenails correctly. They can also tell you what kinds of shoes are best for your feet.
Common foot problems
The most common foot problems include:
- ingrown toenails
- blisters
- warts
- corns
- calluses
- bunions
- nail infections
- foot infections
- smelly feet
- heel pain
- heel spurs
- dry or cracked heel skin
- flat feet
- hammer toes
- neuromas
- sprains
- arthritis
- foot injuries
- foot ligament or muscle pain
Other podiatrists focus on specific feet issues, such as:
- bunion removal
- fractures or broken bones
- tumors
- skin or nail diseases
- wound care
- ulcers
- artery (blood flow) disease
- walking patterns
- corrective orthotics (foot braces and insoles)
- flexible casts
- amputations
- foot prosthetics
Having certain health conditions can trigger foot issues in some people. Those include:
- obesity
- diabetes
- arthritis
- high cholesterol
- poor blood circulation
- heart disease and stroke
People with diabetes are at higher risk of foot problems. Pay close attention to any change in how your feet feel. Keep a journal of all signs and symptoms relating to your feet. Treating an underlying condition can help ease foot pain.
Let your podiatrist know if you have any symptoms of diabetic foot complications, like:
- dry or cracked skin
- calluses or hard skin
- cracked or dry toenails
- discolored toenails
- a bad foot smell
- sharp or burning pain
- tenderness
- numbness or tingling
- sore or ulcer
- pain in your calves (lower legs) when walking
You might need to see both your family doctor and a podiatrist if you have pain or an injury in any part of the foot. You may also see other kinds of specialist doctors. Physical therapy may also help your symptoms.
Your family doctor or general care physician can examine your foot to find out what is causing your pain. Tests and scans for foot pain include:
- blood test
- nail swab
- ultrasound
- X-ray
- MRI scan
Here are a few reasons you may need to see your doctor or podiatrist for foot conditions:
- Nail infection. If your foot pain is caused by a general health condition your family doctor may be able to treat it with medication. For example, you may need antifungal medication to treat a nail infection.
- Gout and arthritis: These can cause pain in your feet and toes. Treatment is needed to help ease symptoms of both gout and arthritis. Your family doctor or your podiatrist can treat these conditions.
- Flat feet: You may need to wear orthotics, such as a foot brace or arch support, for flat feet and weak or injured foot ligaments. A podiatrist will take molds of your feet to make custom foot support braces for you.
- Diabetes can cause nerve damage in your feet and other areas. This can lead to numbness, pain, and ulcers on your feet and legs. If you have foot issues due to diabetes, you’ll need to see a podiatrist and other doctors. This may include your family physician, a vascular (blood vessel) surgeon, and neurologist (nerve specialist).
- Ankle and knee problems: You may need to see a podiatrist, orthopedic surgeon, and sports medicine doctor to help treat the cause of an ankle or knee problem. You may also need long-term physical therapy to strengthen the joints and muscles in your knee, ankle, and foot.
The foot is made up of 26 bones. This complex part of your body also has a number of:
All of the parts of your feet are designed to support your weight and help you stand, walk, and run.
Foot pain can limit your movement. Some health conditions can damage your feet if they are not treated properly. A podiatrist is an expert on every part of the foot.
See a podiatrist if you have foot pain or injury. Get urgent medical care if you have any of these symptoms for more than one or two days:
- severe pain
- swelling
- numbness or tingling
- open sore or wound
- infection (redness, warmth, tenderness, or a fever)
Call your podiatrist or family doctor immediately if you are unable to walk or can’t put weight on your foot.
You can find a podiatrist near you through the Healthline FindCare tool.
Get your feet checked by your podiatrist even if you have healthy feet. This can help prevent foot, toe, and nail problems. You can also learn what to look out for and what shoes and insoles are best for your feet.
A podiatrist can help diagnose your foot problem and find the best treatment plan for you. They are foot specialists who have spent years of study and training to help keep your feet healthy. You can find a podiatrist in your area here.
Last medically reviewed on February 12, 2019
What Is a Podiatrist?
A podiatrist — officially known as a doctor of podiatric medicine (DPM) — is trained to treat issues in the foot, ankle, and lower leg. They can help your limb work the way it should, reduce pain, and speed healing after an injury or surgery.
What Does a Podiatrist Do?
Podiatrists treat problems with a patient’s foot or lower leg. They can set fractures, write prescriptions, recommend physical therapy, and do surgery as needed. They may assist other doctors in treating a health issue.
Podiatrists may also:
- Diagnose foot problems like skin and nail diseases, congenital (at-birth) deformities, tumors, and ulcers
- Treat conditions like corns, arch problems, heel spurs, shortened tendons, bone disorders, and cysts
- Make flexible casts to hold foot and ankle injuries like sprains or fractures steady
- Talk with patients about preventive foot care
- Refer patients to other doctors when they feel that symptoms of the foot are related to different disorders in other body systems
Podiatrists can choose to use their skills in a specific subset of medicine, such as:
Sports medicine. Podiatrists who focus on sports medicine help people who get hurt playing sports or taking part in other physical activities.
Pediatrics. Some podiatrists focus on younger patients. If your child complains about pain in their foot or legs, their primary care doctor may recommend that you take them to a pediatric podiatrist. Common issues treated by pediatric podiatrists include:
- Ingrown toenails
- Plantar warts (lumps of skin on the bottom of your feet)
- Tineaa pedis(athlete’s foot)
- Crossover toes (one toe threatening to cross over the big toe)
- Bunions
- Flat feet
- Intoed gait (turned-in toes)
- Growth plate injuries in the ankle and foot
Radiology. Podiactric Radiologists specialize in using imaging tests and equipment to help in diagnosing injuries, diseases, and illnesses of the lower limbs. They use methods like:
Pediatric podiatric radiologists interpret the results of imaging tests and diagnose your condition.
Diabetic foot care. Diabetes often causes damage to different parts of your body, including your feet. In severe cases, your doctor may need to cut off (amputate) toes, other parts of your foot, or even an entire lower leg. But podiatrists can help people with diabetes keep their feet healthy and possibly prevent this damage.
Education and Training
A podiatrist’s education doesn’t include a traditional medical school. They typically take part in a 4-year program at a podiatric medical school. After graduation, they do a residency that meets the requirements of their state. Residency offers experiences in different medical specialties. Graduates of podiatric medicine must complete a podiatric medicine and surgery residency (PMSR). Podiatrists must have a minimum of 2 years of residency to become board certified.
To become licensed, podiatrists must graduate from one of the nine accredited (approved) podiatric schools and colleges and pass the National Board Exams. Podiatrists can also choose to earn certification in specialty areas like orthopedics, primary care, or surgery.
Reasons to See a Podiatrist
Our feet act as shock absorbers for all the things we do every day. You may want to visit a podiatrist if you notice any pain or discomfort in or around your feet and ankles.
Podiatrists typically treat patients of all ages and backgrounds. They often see people who have conditions such as:
- Bunions (bump or bulge on big toe joint)
- Hammertoes (middle joint of toe is stuck in one position)
- Ingrown toenails
- Sprains
- Fractures
- Infections
You might also see a podiatrist if you’re planning to ramp up your physical activity. They can check that your legs and feet can handle the extra stress.
A podiatrist may be able to treat issues through:
- Cryotherapy (freezing the problem area)
- Steroid injections
- Surgery
Show Sources
American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine: “Becoming a Podiatric Physician.”
American Podiatric Medical Association: “Diabetes.”
The Collegian: “3 Signs It’s Time to See a Podiatrist.”
Des Moines University Medicine & Health Sciences: “WHAT IS PODIATRIC MEDICINE?”
Podiatry Today: “Top Ten Lower Extremity Conditions in Pediatric Patients.”
Stanford Children’s Hospital: “What Is Sports Medicine?”
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