What Procedures Are Podiatrists Allowed to Perform?

Podiatry is a branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of foot, lower leg and ankle problems. While it is not required, podiatrists are frequently board-certified. Podiatrists are physicians who go through rigorous schooling, including four years of undergraduate study and four years of graduate education at an accredited podiatry school, followed by two or three years of hospital residency. Podiatrists are qualified to perform a number of procedures.

Common Foot Problems

• Many problems with the foot easily can be taken care of by a trip to the podiatrist's office. Common problems include ankle sprains, athlete's foot, corns and calluses, heel spurs, warts, poor circulation and flat feet, and a podiatrist is certified to assist in the treatment of these conditions. For conditions like a severely ingrown toenail, a podiatrist removes the part of the nail that penetrated the skin, dresses the toe and prescribes an antibiotic to complete treatment.

Reconstructive Surgery

• A type of surgery podiatrists are permitted to perform, reconstructive foot surgery is a procedure undertaken when the bone structure of the foot needs to be reconstructed. Reconstructive surgery can be necessary to rectify flaws or problems in the feet, such as the removal of a bunion or a hammer toe--a toe deformity that usually causes the second toe to be bent downward. Arthrodesis is a type of bunion surgery in which the damaged joints are removed and metal plates or screws are inserted to hold the foot together until the healing process is complete.

Cosmetic Surgery

• Other surgeries, if not done because of pain in the foot, are purely for cosmetic reasons or can be done to make wearing certain types of shoes more bearable or painless. Sometimes toes are removed to wear high heels more easily, and foot models frequently have foot reconstructive surgery for aesthetic reasons, such as osteotomy, in which case the joint is cut and realigned to better fit the foot.