Czym zajmuje się podolog?

What does a podiatrist do?. A podiatrist is a specialist whose task is to control the health of the feet. In our country, it is not yet a popular profession, but every year an increasing number of patients use the services of podiatrists. It is worth remembering that a podiatrist is not really a doctor. In this article, we explain what exactly a podiatrist does and when it is worth using his services. How to find a podiatrist in Warsaw? We answer this and many other questions below. We invite you to read!

Podiatrist – Warsaw. What does a podiatrist do? 

Podologist is a word derived from Greek – “logos” means “science” and “podos” is “foot”. It can therefore be easily concluded that this is a science about the feet. In the West, the profession of podiatrist is extremely popular. In our country, this field is just beginning to develop  . Despite the fact that the name indicates that podiatry is a medical specialization, in practice it is completely different. At the moment, the podiatrist cannot be called a doctor. However, the Polish Podiatry Society undertook a number of activities, thanks to which this profession was entered in the list of professions performed in Poland in 2015. There are quite a few podiatrists in Warsaw – the Polish capital is distinguished by a large number of experienced specialists in this field.

Despite the fact that the podiatrist is not called a doctor, he constantly collaborates with surgeons, diabetologists, phlebologists and dermatologists. It is a profession closely related to cosmetology. To become a podiatrist, you must first complete a major in higher education. Unfortunately, at present this field of study is rarely found at Polish universities. There is also another path to becoming a podiatrist: specialized courses. Podiatrists also participate in various podiatry congresses and seminars, where many trainings and lectures are conducted. Thanks to them, they constantly expand the scope of their knowledge. Before we use the services of any podiatrist, it is worth checking what education he has and what experience he can boast of. It may happen that we come across a person who has completed only one course.

What are the responsibilities of a podiatrist?

According to the definition, every person working in the profession of a podiatrist is involved in the independent recognition of changes defined as pathological in the lower limbs. Moreover, it diagnoses their causes. It is also the duty of the podiatrist to choose the type of therapy that is appropriate for a given patient. Podiatrists also perform treatments aimed at restoring the proper functioning of the feet and their optimal appearance. For this purpose, the podiatrist corrects, grinds or cuts nails. It also removes the formed thickenings and corns . Clients using the services of a podiatrist also receive a lot of valuable information on the correct rules of nail care.

Who uses the services of a podiatrist most often? Such a specialist is usually visited by elderly people who complain of various problems with their feet, people struggling with diabetes or those who have recently undergone poorly performed procedures at a beautician (e.g. pedicure). The issues that the podiatrist deals with include:

      • foot massage,
      • providing advice on the principles of proper foot care,
      • informing patients about the prevention of foot diseases,
      • professional nail correction,
      • applying dressings on heels and feet,
      • matching orthoses,
      • diabetic foot,
      • ingrown nails – podiatrists create and attach clasps to correct ingrown nails,
      • nail fungus,
      • corns, calluses, corns,
      • reconstruction of nails – changing the structure or their shape.

Step by step visit to the podiatrist 

Many people struggling with foot diseases are surely wondering what a visit to a podiatrist looks like  . Below, we describe step by step the individual elements of a visit to a podiatrist:

      • Interview – each examination by a podiatrist begins with an interview. Thanks to it, the specialist obtains a lot of information about the patient’s lifestyle, activities and all past illnesses and injuries. A well-conducted interview allows for a preliminary diagnosis;
      • Podbaroscope examination – after the interview, the examination is carried out on a mat connected to a computer (podbaroscope). At the beginning, a static examination takes place – thanks to it, the podiatrist obtains information about the symmetry or asymmetry of both sides of the body and how the weight is distributed on the foot. After the static test, a dynamic test is performed – this is where the gait pattern and the foot transverse path are checked;
      • Podoscopic examination – after the examination, the patient stands on the podoscope with a mirror under it. This allows you to define the arch and shape of the foot;
      • Plantograph test – the plantographer allows you to check the pressure zone of the foot. Information is then obtained about the shape of the foot arch and its length;
      • Manual examination – this is the final stage of the examination. The specialist checks the mobility of the foot joints and controls the position of the pelvis.

 

Podiatrist Warsaw – how to find a good foot specialist in the capital? 

Finding a podiatrist in Warsaw should not be difficult. There are many offices of experienced professionals in the Polish capital, who can boast of having many certificates and directional higher education.