Spotlight on Podiatry
Good foot health is key to leading an active and healthy lifestyle and podiatrists are experts in all aspects related to the structure, function and health of feet, ankles, and lower limbs. They are highly skilled healthcare professionals able to prevent, manage, and correct issues in addition to relieving pain and treating infection to improve the mobility and independence for people of all ages.
Client needs can range from low-risk injuries to long term acute conditions, these include people who suffer with altered gait, lower limb spasticity, diabetes, arthritis, rheumatism, and podiatrists are able to assist by integrating into a number of care settings with a focus on prevention or early intervention to support improved health outcomes, independence, and quality of life.
It’s about more than the feet
Feet are the foundations of our bodies and play an important role in our overall health and when looked after properly, they can keep more serious medical conditions from developing and impacting quality of life. A foot condition or injury can contribute to poor health in other parts of the body, including;
- Back and joint pain can develop from foot issues or injuries such as tendonitis or stress fractures, which may result in changes to walking patterns that adds stress to other areas
- Poor posture / altered biomechanics can also be a result of changes to walking patterns caused by feet issues
- Issues that originate in the feet can travel up the ankles, shins, knees, and lower legs and cause discomfort, pain, and muscle weakness and reduced independence
- Athlete’s foot infections can spread and cause skin conditions in other parts of the body
Bush & Co provide podiatry expert witness reports for cases where catastrophic injury has occurred due to clinical negligence or personal injury, with objective expert witness opinion delivered by experienced podiatrists. We provide liability expert witness and quantum expert witness reports to suit your needs, court requirements and value of the case.
Podiatry is crucial to overall health
Common issues originating in the feet can potentially have a significant impact on our everyday lives and if neglected, can have serious long-term health implications. Podiatrists are specialists in identifying and managing injuries and conditions which may first manifest in the feet and our podiatrist expert witness reports deliver objective opinion based on a thorough assessment and evaluation of the injuries sustained or condition present.
Foot health is an integral part in the management of diabetes, with clients having a diabetic foot ulcer at risk of facing amputation or experiencing vascular disease if specialist intervention is not sought. Infections can also develop if toenails are not properly looked after, and these infections can attack the bones of the feet and result in potentially serious ramifications.
The importance of looking after feet
As highly skilled allied health professionals, podiatrists have an input into the effective rehabilitation and management of conditions throughout the body. Knee, back, hip, leg length discrepancy, arthritic pain, indigestion, headache, and stress can all be traced back to problems with the foot and are common to podiatry specialists among clients of all ages.
Symptoms can lead to severe pain, disability and reduced mobility and consequently reduced health. Pains in the feet and legs are often ignored or neglected, with little thought given to their potential for long-term health limitations.
Our experienced associate podiatrist expert witness works with clients to assess conditions related to feet or lower limbs before providing objective opinion on a comprehensive treatment plan to restore or manage function and mobility, delivering a written report that covers cases ranging from nail surgery to musculoskeletal and sporting injuries.
