If you want to be a member of the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery (ABFAS), you need to undergo postdoctoral training to learn the knowledge and skills to perform foot and ankle surgical procedures. These surgeons diagnose and treat problems and provide orthopedic services in Provo, Utah. They educate patients and their families and offer preventive care options to improve overall musculoskeletal health.
But many people often do not see a specialist when it comes to feet and ankle problems because they think they will go away on their own. For some aches and pains in the feet, it is generally true, but the pain in the feet and ankle can be an indication of a serious problem.
Pain in the foot and ankle
Millions of people complain of foot and ankle pain, and most set it aside. No matter how frequently you feel pain, you should have it checked. Pain on the ankles and feet is not normal and is a sign of an underlying and undiagnosed orthopedic problem.
Without a specialist’s diagnosis, there is a huge possibility the problem will escalate in the future. Lack of adequate and individualized management might even lead to disability. What if pain and dysfunction are too much that it makes you less agile?
No general cure
A “cure-all” does not exist for foot and ankle pain. The foot has so many working parts; it does not make sense to prescribe one definitive treatment for a complaint of pain that comes and goes, or pain that does not go away.
The foot has 19 muscles, 26 individual bones, and 33 joints of different types. Once you’ve added that up, you’d have to multiply 107 ligaments, and a complex number of blood vessels and nerves that innervate the muscles, allowing them to move. Our feet function as both stabilizers and movers, depending on the activity.
Lastly, it has to be able to bear the weight of the entire body during walking and running, and bear forces much greater than body weight in one-leg standing activities, and in the stride phase of running.
A foot and ankle specialist must make a diagnosis. They should examine all the structures enumerated above. That is the first step to relieving pain and discomfort.
Do you need a foot and ankle surgeon?
At this point, you might be thinking the pain that won’t relent would require surgery. The foot may be complex, and its interactions with the other structures of the leg (knee, hip) and the spine add to the complexness of the situation. However, even severe pain does not necessarily require surgery.
Orthopedic specialists are in the position to provide you with the best care for your ailing feet. Consult a specialist to diagnose the problem. Non-surgical treatment, medication, and lifestyle changes could help relieve your symptoms. What if surgery is a suitable option? If surgery is the best management for symptom relief, then the orthopedic specialist will let you know, and explain to you your situation so that you can make an informed decision.
