Podiatry

Podiatry is a field of healthcare primarily devoted to the study and treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle, and sometimes knee, leg and hip (collectively known as the lower extremity). In this regard, the range of disorders of the lower extremity which podiatry can address is largely dependent on the scope of practice as per national, state, and/or provincial jurisdiction.

Modern podiatry is gaining popularity as a medical specialty worldwide, but remains largely centered in the United States, where it is generally considered to be an outgrowth of traditional chiropody with the addition of a more holistic and/or surgical approach to disorders of the lower extremity, as warranted.

For information about podiatry as a profession, see podiatrist.

For an Australian viewpoint of the history of podiatry, see A History of Podiatry

Anatomy and physiology

 * Foot
 * Ankle
 * Toe

Disorders of the skin

 * Athlete's foot
 * Callus and Corns of the Skin
 * Onychocryptosis (Ingrown Toenail)
 * Keratosis palmaris et plantaris

Disorders of the joints

 * Hallux valgus (bunion)
 * Hallux varus

Disorders of the bones

 * Fracture
 * Osteomyelitis

Disorders of the nerves

 * Tarsal tunnel syndrome
 * Neuroma
 * Nerve Entrapment
 * Metatarsalgia

Combined disorders

 * Pes cavus (Cavus foot)
 * Club foot

Genetic disorders

 * Polydactyly

Specific manifestations of systemic disease

 * Diabetic foot
 * Rheumatoid foot

Common complicating factors

 * High heels