Veterans! Need a podiatry appointment? VBA Can help!
From rolling your ankle regularly to experiencing shin splints, pain in the feet can be debilitating and frustrating! During military service, feet, ankles and knees take a beating! Heavy boots combined with carrying packs and the demands of staying fit through running drills, veterans more than most need to see a podiatrist once they’re discharged from the military.
So, with this in mind let’s jump in feet first and talk about 7 reasons you might need to see a podiatrist:
- Numbness, swelling or pain in one foot – occasionally having some swelling or discomfort in the feet is normal. Just ran a 10KM race? Stood on your feet for a few hours? Walked more than normal in a day? All valid reasons that your feet might be painful or a bit swollen. However, if you’re finding that ONE foot is swelling abnormally or frequently or you experience numbness or pain regularly, that is a really good indicator that something isn’t right with your feet!
- Nail or Foot Fungus – “there’s a fungus among us” having something like Athlete’s foot or nail fungus can be itchy, unsightly and contagious! Left untreated they can cause infection and require serious intervention. Often quite easy to treat, but if you’re finding they’re a recurring issue, seeing a podiatrist can help with different medicines to help treat a fungus.
- Ongoing Heel Pain – there are many reasons why you might be experiencing heel pain, and without seeing a professional to get an x-ray or ultrasound it can be an annoying debilitating issue. Seeing a podiatrist can help you determine the root cause and the best course of action.
- Sprains, strains or breaks – podiatrists are the experts here for lower extremities and it makes sense to see an expert when you suspect that something isn’t right. If you’re noticing that there is unusual swelling or pain see point 1.
- Diabetes – there is a significate risk for foot and circulation issues when you have Type 1 or 2 Diabetes. As part of a prevention cycle, it’s wise to see a podiatrist once a year, even if you don’t have any issues to help with the prevention of ongoing problems.
- Ingrown Toenails – painful and treatable ingrown toenails will often require both a physical intervention, like cutting and removing the affected nail and a course of antibiotics. In extreme cases, surgery might be required to help remove the nail and prevent the ingrown toes from getting worse.
- Bunions, corns and callouses – poor or restrictive footwear can contribute to the build-up of skin on the feet triggering bunions, callouses and corns. All of these conditions are treatable when working with a podiatrist, it may involve specialist footwear, therapeutic exercises and manual removal of callouses and corns.
Gold and eligible White card holders can get access to a podiatrist with appointments available in our podiatry in our Gold Coast and Ipswich clinics.
We make it easy for Veterans to take control of their foot health!
Providing the latest in foot and ankle care, the team at the Foot & Ankle Clinic Queensland are part of a nationwide team of podiatry clinics. Combining the very best in clinical practice with the latest in modern podiatry services, you can rest assured that The Foot & Ankle Clinic Queensland team will take care of all your podiatry needs. With 4 locations in SEQ including, Enoggra, Ipswich, Helensvale and Bundell, register now for a call back to book!
