What is Podiatric Foot Care in Seattle, WA?

At-risk foot and ankle care is part of a continuum of limb preservation services, both in the office and in long-term care facilities such as skilled nursing, assisting living, memory care, adult family home, independent living.

Podiatrists are fully licensed physicians and surgeons who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the foot, ankle, and lower extremity.  Their education, clinical training, and board certification closely parallel those of their allopathic (MD) and osteopathic (DO) colleagues.  The role of the podiatric foot and ankle surgeon is to perform a complete physical examination of the feet and ankles, and treat conditions medically and surgically to avoid morbidity and mortality.  All foot care services rendered by this office will also include an examination of all foot and ankle conditions, performed at each visit for each patient.

Limb preservation prevents the worsening of the feet and ankles in patients with pain in the nails or calluses, history of non-traumatic amputation in the foot, or systemic conditions such as peripheral neuropathy or peripheral vascular disease.  The following are some examples of conditions treated:

1. Nail care.  Long nails can lacerate the skin of adjacent toes.  Thick nails can ulcerate the underlying nail bed and cause bacterial infections and abscesses.  Nails can be ingrown and lacerate the nail borders causing infections.  Fungal infections may also occur causing an athlete’s foot and bacterial superinfection.  Painful nails can cause mobility issues and falls.
2. Corn and callus care.  These skin lesions can be very painful and cause mobility issues and falls.  They may also cause blisters which can lead to ulceration and gangrene.
3. Wounds and ulcers.  Wounds may be injuries to the skin such as lacerations.  Ulcers are often caused by calluses that go untreated, which develop into blisters.  The base of the blister is the ulcerated tissue.  Bedsores or decubitus ulcers are another type of ulcer.  Ulcers can extend to the level of bone and cause bone infections.
4. Bone infections or osteomyelitis.  Infections of wounds and ulcers can extend deep to tendons, muscles, ligaments and bones.  Local infections of the feet can lead to systemic infections throughout the body, known as sepsis.
5. Skin conditions. Foot and ankle surgeons treat fungal and bacterial infections, and other skin conditions, including suspicious lesions.
6. Musculoskeletal conditions. Foot and ankle surgeons treat injuries and other painful deformities such as hammertoes, bunions and plantar fasciitis.
7. Neurological conditions. Foot and ankle surgeons treat burning and tingling in the feet, including neuritis and neuromas.
8. Circulation conditions. Foot and ankle surgeons treat swelling, gangrene and other circulatory conditions.

Podiatric physicians and surgeons treat the above conditions by medical, orthopedic and surgical means.  A medical treatment would be a prescription such as an antifungal, antibiotic, keratolytic or steroid cream.  A surgical treatment would be a surgical debridement of the nails, calluses, ulcers, abscesses, foreign bodies or ingrown toenails. An orthopedic treatment would be orthotic therapy or an immobilization device. Examples include:

1. Nail debridement.  It is for patient safety to have the nails at a proper length and thickness, preventing and treating ingrown nails and infections, both bacterial and fungal.
2. Paring of calluses.  This is also a surgical procedure which reduces pain and reduces risk of ulceration.
3. Wound debridement and care.  This involves removal of non-viable, infected tissue and applying proper wound dressings such as local antibiotics.
4. Antibiotics. Foot and ankle surgeons prescribe oral antibiotics, and arrange adjunct care, such as vascular and infectious disease specialists and hospitalization.
5. Other board-certified medical and surgical services. Foot and ankle surgeons work with at least four body systems: vascular or circulation, neurological, dermatological or skin, and musculoskeletal.

“I found Dr Hoy to be an extremely competent doctor. He addressed some foot pain I had been having, provided callus care and useful education.” -Douglas N.

Podiatry services are medical and surgical services, not allied health or pedicure services.  We do not provide nail care for those without at-risk conditions such as history of non-traumatic amputation in the foot, peripheral vascular disease, peripheral neuropathy, and pain in the nails and calluses.  Foot care nurses at senior centers locally and others provide such services in the absence of the above medical conditions.  We have no affiliation with these providers and make no specific recommendations.

Foot care nurses are usually registered nurses who have been trained by a podiatrist to provide medical pedicure services.  The nurses at senior centers charge between $25 and $45 per visit.  Please contact the individual centers in the Seattle area listed below for an appointment.  Other senior centers also provide this service.  Contact them to see if medical pedicures are provided.  You may also want to confirm that your care is performed by a nurse who has been trained by a podiatrist.