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Are
Foot Problems Widespread?
Seventy-five percent of Americans will experience foot health problems
of varying degrees of severity at one time or another in their lives.
Are
feet complicated?
The foot is an intricate structure containing 26 bones. Thirty-three
joints, 107 ligaments, 19 muscles, and tendons hold the structure
together and allow it to move in a variety of ways.
Are
there a lot of bones in feet?
The 52 bones in your feet make up about one quarter of all bones
in your body.
Do
more women have foot problems then men?
Women have about four times as many foot problems as men; lifelong
patterns of wearing high heels aften are the culprit.
How
far does the average person walk during a typical day during their
lifetime?
The American Podiatric Medical Association says the average person
takes 8,000 to 10.000 steps a day. Those cover several miles, and
they all add up to about 115,000 miles in a lifetime - more than
four times the circumference of the globe.
How
much pressure goes into your foot while you are walking?
There are times when you’re walking that the pressure on your feet
exceeds your body weight, and when you’re running, it can be three
or four times your weight.
What
tips should I follow when shopping for shoes?
Shopping for shoes is best done in the afternoon, says the American
Podiatric Medical Association. Your feet tend to swell a little
during the day, and it’s best to buy shoes to fit them then. Have
your feet measured every time you purchase shoes, and do it while
you’re standing. When you try on shoes, try them on both feet; many
people have one foot larger than the other, and it’s best to fit
the larger one.
How
should toenails be trimmed?
Trim your toenails straight across with clippers specially designed
for the purpose. Leave them slightly longer than the tips of your
toes.
What
exercise is safe for your feet and good for your overall health?
Walking is the best exercise for your feet. It also contributes
to your general health by improving circulation, contributing to
weight control and promoting all-around well being.
Can
serious medical problems first show up in the feet?
Your feet mirror your general health. Such conditions as arthritis,
diabetes, nerve and circulatory disorders can show their initial
symptoms in the feet - so foot ailments can be your first sign of
more serious medical problems.
How
many podiatrists practice in the United States?
There are about 13,320 doctors of podiatric medicine actively in
practice in the United States. There is an average of one podiatric
physician for every 20,408 people and they receive more than 60
million visits a year from people with any number of foot ailments.
Yet that’s probably only a fraction of the number of foot problems.
Mostly, say podiatrists, that’s because many people have the erroneous
notion that their feet are supposed to hurt.
Are
all foot problems hereditary? Are you born with foot problems or
do they develop later?
Only a small percentage of the population is born with foot problems,
the American Podiatric Medical Association believes. It’s neglect,
and a lack of awareness of proper care- including ill-fitting shoes-
that bring on the problems. A lifetime of wear and tear, plus neglect,
accounts for the fact that the practices of most podiatrists are
made up of older Americans.
What
are corns and calluses?
Corn and calluses are caused by friction and pressure from skin
rubbing against bony areas when wearing shoes. If the first signs
of soreness are ignored, corns and calluses rise up as nature’s
way of protecting sensitive areas.
How
much sweat do your feet produce each day?
There are approximately 250,000 sweat glands in a pair of feet,
and they excrete as much as half a pint of moisture each day.
What
are plantar warts?
Plantar warts are caused by a virus which may invade the sole of
the foot through cuts and breaks in the skin. Walking barefoot on
dirty pavements or littered ground can expose feet to this sometimes
painful skin infection.
What
education is involved in becoming a podiatrist?
The podiatric physician (doctor of podiatric medicine or DPM) is
the health care professional trained in the care of your feet. He
or she receives conventional medical training, plus special training
on the foot, ankle, and lower leg. All 50 states, the District of
Columbia, and Puerto Rico require that they pass rigorous state
board examinations before they are licensed, and most require continuing
education programs for regular license renewal.
The seven colleges
of podiatric medicine all have entrance requirements which, like
institutions granting MD (medical doctor) and DO (doctor of osteopathy)
degrees, anticipate completion of an undergraduate degree, through
they will consider candidates who show unusual promise and have
completed a minimum of 90 semester hours at accredited undergraduate
colleges or universities. However, the colleges report that recent
entering classes were, on the average, almost as likely to have
more than four years of undergraduate/graduate work as less than
four.
Are
foot problems widespread?
About 19 percent of the US population has an average of 1.4 foot
problems each year.
Do
many people have athlete’s foot or other foot infections?
About 5 percent of the US population has foot infections, including
athlete’s foot, other fungal infections, and warts each year.
Do
many people have ingrown toenails?
About 5 percent of the US population has ingrown toenails or other
toenail problems each year.
Are
corn and calluses common?
About 5 percent of the US population has corns or calluses each
year. Of the three major types of foot problems (infections, toenails,
and corn and calluses), people are less likely to receive treatment
for corns and calluses and more likely to continue to have corns
and calluses as a problem without treatment.
Do
many people suffer from fallen arches or injuries to their feet?
About 6 percent of the US population has foot injuries, bunions
and flat feet or fallen arches each year.
What
are the most frequently occurring foot problems?
About 60 percent of all foot and ankle injuries, reported by the
US population older than 17, were sprains and strains of the ankle.
Does
income affect foot health?
As a person’s income increases, the prevalence of foot problems
decreases.
Do
podiatrists treat the largest percentage of the population that
require foot health care services?
Podiatric physicians are the major providers of foot care services,
providing 39 percent of all foot care (orthopedic physicians provide
13 percent of all foot care, all other physicians provide 37 percent
of all foot care, and physical therapists and others provide 11
percent of all foot care).
Is
it more expensive to be treated by a podiatrist?
Podiatric physicians are four times less likely to use costly inpatient
services than other physicians.
How
would you further describe the treatment and care provided by podiatrists?
Podiatric physicians provide treatment for 82 percent of corn and
callus problems, 65 percent of toenail problems, 63 percent of bunion
problems, 46 percent of flat feet or fallen arches problems and
43 percent of toe/joint deformities. Patients with foot problems
visit podiatric physicians an average of 3.7 times a year, orthopedic
physicians 3.4, osteopathic physicians 3.2, all other physicians
3.0 and physical therapists and others 7.1
Do
more people visit podiatrists as they get older?
As people age, they increasingly choose podiatric physicians. Medicare
data verifies that podiatric physicians are the physicians of choice
for 83 percent of hammertoe surgery, 67 percent of metatarsal surgery,
77 percent of bunionectomy surgery, and 47 percent of rearfoot surgery.
Medical Economics magazine reported that 56 percent of all older
patients have seen a podiatric physician.
How
many people see a podiatric physician each year?
About 5 percent of the US population sees a podiatric physician
each year. There were more than 55 million patient visits in 1995
from about 14 million people. In 1998, the average number of yearly
patient contacts with a podiatric physician was 4,488.
Are
podiatrists on the staffs of many hospitals?
About 81 percent of all US hospitals have podiatric physicians on
staff. The larger the hospital, the more likely it is to have podiatric
physicians on staff.
Are
podiatrists affiliated with many managed care organizations?
About 87 percent of podiatric physicians are affiliated with preferred
provider organizations, 52 percent with nursing homes, 81 percent
with health maintenance organizations, 21 percent with academic
institutions, and 12 percent with insurance companies, utilization
review firms, or peer review organizations.
How
many podiatric physicians graduate each year?
Over the past 10 years, an average of 592 new podiatric physicians
graduated yearly from the 7 podiatric medical colleges.
Are
the majority of podiatrists additionally qualified by board certification?
In 1998, 53 percent of all active podiatric physicians were certified
by one or more recognized podiatric boards.
How
old is the average podiatrist?
On average, the podiatric physician in the United States is 42 years
old and has been in practice 13 years.
Are
there many women practicing podiatric medicine?
Over 14 percent of podiatric physicians are female.
Are
most podiatric physicians in group or solo practice?
About 58 percent of podiatric physicians are in solo practice. They
have an average of 3 employees.
Are
podiatrists usually licensed in more than one state?
About 48 percent of podiatric physicians have a license in 1 state,
31 percent in 2, 19 percent in 3, and 2 percent in 4 states.
Sources
for the data are:
American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine
American Hospital Association
American Podiatric Medical Association
Council on Podiatric Medical Education
Podiatry Insurance Company of America
United States Bureau of the Census
United States Department of Health and Human Services
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