FAQ

Down the road ill-fitting shoes or shoes with improper support can lead to chronic pain as well as contracture deformities like bunions and hammertoes.

Yes! In fact we have a name for it “Flip Flop Itis” – which in essence is arch fatigue or plantar fasciitis.

Plenty of toe space and good support.

An overall evaluation of your foot health – we will focus on your main concern or issue but also give you a general synopsis on what is good for your particular feet and how to care for them.

Yes, foot problems are quite widespread. In fact, 75% of Americans will experience varying degrees of foot problems at some point during their lives.

The foot is one of the more intricate parts of the body. It contains 26 bones, 107 ligaments, 33 joints and 19 tendons and muscles. All of these work together to provide the structure of the foot and allow it to move in a variety of ways.

There are 52 bones in your feet which makes up about 25% of all the bones in your body.

Women have about four times the foot problems as men with a lifetime of wearing high heels causing many of the issues.

The American Podiatric Medical Association says the average person takes between 8,000 – 10,000 steps per day which amounts to a couple miles. All together, the average person walks about 115,000 miles throughout their life which is enough to circle the globe more than 4 times.

The pressure on your foot can vary between activities. When walking it is typically around your body weight but when running it can be three to four times your weight.

According to the American Podiatric Medical Association the best time to shop for shoes is in the afternoon. Your feet tend to swell a little during the day which provides the best opportunity to find properly fitting shoes. Another tip is to measure your feet to get the perfect size and to always try both shoes on as one foot can be a bit longer than the other. 

Your toenails should be trimmed straight across and be left slightly longer than the tips of your toes.

Walking is always a great exercise for your feet and great for your health. It improves circulation, helps weight control and promotes overall well being.

Yes, your feet mirror your general health.  Problems such as arthritis, diabetes, nerve and circulatory disorders can show their initial symptoms in the feet which can be your first sign of more serious medical problems.

There are about 13,320 doctors of podiatric medicine that actively practice in America. That means there is an average of one podiatric physician for every 20,408 people and they receive more than 60 million visits per year. Even with that number of visits, that’s likely only a fraction of the amount of foot problems people experience. Many people erroneously believe their feet are supposed to hurt and go untreated.

The American Podiatric Medical Association believes only a small percentage of foot problems are hereditary. It’s typically neglect and lack of knowledge on how to care for one’s feet that bring on foot problems. A lifetime of wear and tear plus neglect is why podiatrists usually see older patients.

Corns and calluses are caused by friction and pressure from the skin rubbing against bony areas when wearing shoes. They rise up to protect sensitive areas if signs of soreness are ignored.

Plantar warts are caused by a virus which you can contract through cuts in the foot of breaks in the skin. Walking around barefoot on dirty pavement or littered ground can expose your feet to this painful skin infection.

A DPM (or doctor of podiatric medicine) is a healthcare professional trained in the care of your feet. They receive conventional medical training plus special training on the foot, ankle and lower leg. All 50 states require they pass rigorous state board exams before they are issued a license. Most states also require continuing education to renew their license.

About 19% of the US population has an average of 1.4 foot problems each year.

About 5% of the US population has foot infections including athlete’s foot, fungal infections, warts and more each year.

About 5% of the US population has ingrown toenails or other toenail problems each year.

About 5% of the US population has corns or calluses each year.

About 6% of the US population has foot injuries, bunions and flat feet or fallen arches each year.

About 60% of all foot and ankle injuries were sprains and strains of the ankle.

The more money a person makes the less likely they are to experience foot problems.

Podiatric physicians provide 39% of all foot care, orthopedic physicians provide 13% of care, physical therapists provide 11% of care and all other physicians provide the remaining 37% of care.

Podiatrists are four times less likely to use costly inpatient services than other physicians.

Podiatric physicians provide treatment for 82% of corn and calluses, 65% of toenail problems, 63% of bunions, 46% of flat feet and 43% of toe/joint deformities. Patients with foot problems visit on average 3.7 times per year while other physicians average 3 visits and physical therapists average 7.1 visits.

Yes! As people continue to age they experience an increase in medical problems including those related to their feet.  Medical Economics magazine reported that 56% of all older patients have seen a podiatric physician.

About 5% of the US population sees a podiatric physician each year.

Yes! About 80% of all hospitals have a podiatrist on staff with the largest hospitals more likely to have one.

There are 7 podiatric medical colleges that graduate an average of 592 new podiatric physicians each year.

About 53% of all active podiatric physicians were certified by one or more recognized medical boards.

The average podiatrist is 42 years old and has been in practice for 13 years.

Only about 14%

About 58% are in solo practice with an average of 3 employees.

48% have a license in one state, 31% have a license in two states, 19% have a license in three states and 2% have a license in four states.

Typically you should cut your toenails straight across, however if there is some sort of nail deformity, no cutting can stop the ingrowing. If the problem persists you can get a minor 10 minute surgery that can reshape the nail to prevent future occurrences. Early treatment is also necessary to prevent infection.

Skin fissures are a common problem in our feet, especially during winter or in people with poor circulation and diabetes. There are creams and emollients can help but it’s best to see a podiatrist for a professional evaluation.

Toe fractures can be displaced which can lead to abnormal bone healing if left untreated which can cause additional problems. If you break your toe we can treat it with flexible casting, buddy taping, physical therapy and rigid shoe immobilization. Early treatment is important to speed up healing and reducing deformity. 

As people age the foot begins to widen and weaken which can lead to fallen arches. A specially designed shoe insert called an orthotic which is custom made to your foot and provided by your podiatrist should give you significant relief.

You may not have a typical form of athlete’s foot that should be diagnosed professionally to prevent it from spreading to other parts of the body.

There is no real difference between the three and at Bartlett Foot Center we cover all three.

No, we can treat a variety of ailments around the foot and ankle including the soft tissue up to the knee, Achilles, shin splints, or even ankle fractures/sprains.

Podiatry itself is a specialty, but they can focus on sports medicine, or orthotics, or diabetic specialists within podiatry, however there are no additional qualifications..

Yes, there are a variety of different surgeries we can perform.

Circulation problems. Some conditions cause the blood vessels to shrink such as diabetes.

There are a variety of reasons you could be getting leg cramps including biomechanical problems, foot & ankle not functioning well, muscle strain, fatigue, tight calf muscle, dehydration, poor posture and more.

 It can help a fungus grow and increase the chance of getting toenail fungus.

 Absolutely. Foot, ankle, knee, hip, and lower back can all be helped through the use of orthotics.

Usually when the longest toe or the most elevated toe has the nail hitting up against the shoe.

Only if you have an HMO, otherwise we can even take walk-ins.