Podiatry Services in Los Angeles

Many often ask, what is podiatry? Podiatry itself, also called podiatric medicine, is an entire branch of medicine devoted to the treatment, study, and diagnosis of any problems relating to the foot or ankle. Podiatric treatment can include treatment as simple as outpatient therapies or complex treatments such as surgical corrections. A podiatrist is a specialist doctor that has devoted years of study and practice to understanding and treating just the foot, ankle, and lower extremities of the human body. In the United States a podiatrist must undergo rigorous education on a number of subjects before receiving a DPM (Doctor of Podiatric Medicine). The curriculum that such a degree requires includes physical rehabilitation, genetics, microbiology, neurobiology, biochemistry, histology, pharmacology, ethics, biomechanics, general medicine, physiology, and specialized foot and ankle surgery.

The training involved in becoming a podiatrist involves two years of a medical curriculum that mirrors what that of an M.D. or D.O. requires. After passing the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), a DPM degree can take a minimum of four years to attain. After a four-year podiatry education, a surgical based residency is required as a part of post-doctoral training. Podiatric residents often rotate between positions of surgical specialization and medicine. After the three year residency, many podiatrists choose to do fellowship training in a more specific field of podiatry. These residencies are highly exclusive in the modern medical landscape, however.

• Podiatric Orthopedics – Imperfect leg and foot structure can often lead to extreme discomfort and mobility issues.
• Podiatric Primary Care – Podiatrists have a place in any general family health care environment. In the case of a clinic like CCCHC, they can aid in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of podiatric conditions as it relates to general medicine.
• Podiatric Sports Medicine – Athletes are often the first to experience injuries to their lower extremities. A specialist can aid in the prevention, treatment, and diagnosis of common to severe disorders in athletes.
• Podiatric Surgery – Surgeons that specialize in podiatry are able to utilize modern operating procedures to better alleviate a patient’s foot and ankle problems.
• Podopediatrics – Childhood is the best time to identify possible lifetime podiatric disorders. Not only is a developing patient easier to treat in the long-term, but issues that can affect quality of life can be treated early on. Pediatric doctors that specialize in podiatry are key in preventing, diagnosing, and treating children’s foot and leg disorders.