The podiatric practice in Australia is unique from practices in other countries in a lot of ways podiatry Blackburn is no different. Podiatry is a branch of medicine that specializing in the assessment, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of conditions of the lower extremities, ankles and the feet. This is a practice common all over the United States, in the UK and also in Australia. Podiatric physicians are trained, in courses lasting 3-4 years, in human physiology, human anatomy, general medicine, surgery and pharmacology. There are differences in practice all of the world but for the purpose of this article, we will be focusing on the podiatric practice of Australia.
Podiatry in Australia
In Australia podiatry Essendon has been defined, by The Australian Podiatry Council, as a practice that deals with the prevention, diagnosis, intervention and treatment, therapy and rehabilitation of medical conditions concerning the lower extremities, ankle and all the way down to the foot. Podiatrists are licensed by Australia’s State Boards of Podiatry and must be registered with the Podiatry Board of Australia. Podiatry is one of the three medical professions, including medicine and dentistry, which can operate surgical procedures on patients as well as provide professional medical attention. As such, just like dentists and physicians, they are also referred to as “Dr.” except in some Australian states like Queensland.
Roles of Podiatrists in Australia
Podiatrists may professionally attend to a wide array of conditions concerning the lower extremities, ankles and feet. Licensed podiatrists are able to diagnose and treat any of, but not limited to, the following conditions:
- Bone and joint disorders as well as soft tissue and muscular pathologies.
- Neurological and circulatory diseases affecting the lower limbs, ankle and feet.
- Complications of any of the above conditions including skin and nail disorders.
- They may also treat minor foot concerns such as ingrown nails, plantar fasciitis Blackburn, corns and calluses (especially of the condition, no matter how minor, interferes with the patient’s mobility).
- Injuries and infections of the lower limb sustained through sports or accidents may also be attended to by podiatrists.
The Consultation
How Will Consultations Usually Go? For many who will be seeing a podiatrist for the first time you may wonder what the consultation will be like. It is quite similar to consulting with a medical physician albeit the techniques and modalities for assessment and therapy may vary. First, the podiatrist will interview the patient in order to learn the patient’s medical history. This is important as any person’s medical history is crucial in the proper diagnosis of his current ailment. After the taking of the history, the patient will be assessed either by physical examination or through various tests. After the initial assessment the problem will be diagnosed the podiatrist will prepare a treatment plan and provide a range of therapies.
