Podiatry Blog

Chi running, like the barefoot running movement is something that Podiatrists need to be familiar with. Patients will come in with injuries from one or more of the many different running technique and to be able to adequately treat patients who participant in running and use some of the many alternative techniques. Chi running is a running style that uses more of  forward leaning and uses more of a midfoot strike than the traditional heel or rearfoot strike used by most runners. Like the barefoot running, there are many claims made for Chi running that are not supported by any research. That does not means that there is necessarily anything wrong with Chi running, it just means that the evidence does not support it. There are many Chi running websites, book and other resources available, but many do seem to trying to sell something.

Two recent studies have shown just how important podiatrists are to managing the complications of the diabetic foot and in reducing the burden of lower limb amputation.

The first on one JAPMA showed:

Early identification of individuals at increased risk for lower-extremity ulceration and subsequent referral for advanced multidiscipline podiatric medical specialty care may decrease rates of ulceration and proximal amputation and improve survival in patients with diabetes mellitus who are at high risk for ulceration and limb loss.

The second one in Health Services Review showed:

Individuals with an LEC had high mortality. Visiting both a podiatrist and an LEC specialist in the year before LEC diagnosis was protective of undergoing lower extremity amputation, suggesting a benefit from multidisciplinary care.

This is good news to have even more evidence on podiatrists role in the management of the diabetic foot. Many of the complications of diabetes put the foot at increased risk for damage to create the so-called diabetic foot, which can range from a simple need for basic nail care to foot ulcer management to Charcot’s foot to the need for an amputation. Podiatrists play a key role in the multidisciplinary management of the diabetic foot. Diabetic foot complications represent a significant burden to society and to the individual.