Has anyone ever looked this website? I can understand the need of podiatry and looking at foot health from a sensible viewpoint. I can agree with orthotics and support only from the point of people who can no longer walk at all because their muscles are atrophied so bad, whereas anyone's who young, I don't agree with the idea. But, other than that it seems as though their viewpoint is one of we were born with shoes. It seemas as though if you take your shoes off you will get puncture wounds, lacerate your foot, and basically not be able to walk ever again if you go barefoot. It seems like as though there's a paranoid person writing all the articles. I don't know, just go look at the website, it freaks me out.
American Podiatric Medical Association?
- Thread starter Spencerv
- Start date
Podiatry is a relatively new
Podiatry is a relatively new medical field, only having been founded in the 1960's. Before that there were chiropodists, but they did not perform surgery and spent most of their time trimming away callouses and nails.
The profession always was based on repairing damage inflicted on feet from shoe wearing, but never looked at shoelessness as an acceptable alternative.
Podiatry will never be a profession based on preventive foot health, but rather will always be one of damage control to shoe wearers.
A forward thinking person interested in optimum foot health as well as joint preservation really should not look to the podiatric profession for insight, with a few rare exceptions.
Podiatry is a relatively new medical field, only having been founded in the 1960's. Before that there were chiropodists, but they did not perform surgery and spent most of their time trimming away callouses and nails.
The profession always was based on repairing damage inflicted on feet from shoe wearing, but never looked at shoelessness as an acceptable alternative.
Podiatry will never be a profession based on preventive foot health, but rather will always be one of damage control to shoe wearers.
A forward thinking person interested in optimum foot health as well as joint preservation really should not look to the podiatric profession for insight, with a few rare exceptions.
Read through their "Ask the
Read through their "Ask the expert" column if you enjoye digging up justification to feel indignant and superior. Virtually every problem asked about is caused by shoes and the answer is NEVER "get rid of the shoes".
I searched the term "barefoot", which appears pretty often, and this entry is representative of all the rest:
Teresa in CA: Can feet widen as a result of going barefoot?
Dr. Fitzgerald: In some instances, going barefoot can indeed make your foot appear wider. In the absence of arch support, the foot can flatten out and in doing so can appear wider due to excessive pronation. The body has built-in structural supports that can hold up your arch, but often these weaken over time, and as this occurs the foot can appear to flatten as well as widen. Is it bad to be barefoot? No. Should you be barefoot all of the time? No. The short answer is: everything in moderation.
So, "Dr." Fitzgerald, in one breath, tells the concerned person that her feet have natural structural strength that goes weak over time. He does not tell her WHY this happens - it's because of the shoes, of course! The feet may well "widen" (to their natural width) when going barefoot, but the arch will return to its intended form as well and a whole host of problems will cure themselves, without the advise or consent of the good "Dr."
The concerns about feet widening is pure vanity - you may not fit into the shoes you want. But of course you will fit into the ones you need... just don't expect the Doc to tell you that.
Read through their "Ask the expert" column if you enjoye digging up justification to feel indignant and superior. Virtually every problem asked about is caused by shoes and the answer is NEVER "get rid of the shoes".
I searched the term "barefoot", which appears pretty often, and this entry is representative of all the rest:
Teresa in CA: Can feet widen as a result of going barefoot?
Dr. Fitzgerald: In some instances, going barefoot can indeed make your foot appear wider. In the absence of arch support, the foot can flatten out and in doing so can appear wider due to excessive pronation. The body has built-in structural supports that can hold up your arch, but often these weaken over time, and as this occurs the foot can appear to flatten as well as widen. Is it bad to be barefoot? No. Should you be barefoot all of the time? No. The short answer is: everything in moderation.
So, "Dr." Fitzgerald, in one breath, tells the concerned person that her feet have natural structural strength that goes weak over time. He does not tell her WHY this happens - it's because of the shoes, of course! The feet may well "widen" (to their natural width) when going barefoot, but the arch will return to its intended form as well and a whole host of problems will cure themselves, without the advise or consent of the good "Dr."
The concerns about feet widening is pure vanity - you may not fit into the shoes you want. But of course you will fit into the ones you need... just don't expect the Doc to tell you that.
stomper
Guest
I hate to generalize (though
I hate to generalize (though it is fun!) -- but with a few exceptions, podiatrists seem to know less about the realities of going barefoot than practically anyone. i keep tabs on articles about BF running, and consistently the least-informed statements come from podiatrists.
to give just a single example, i was just reading on a podiatrists' web page the other day that barefoot running could cause ugly calluses, which is the opposite of what most BF runners have noticed-- that calluses tend to get worn off. my wife is actually glad i run barefoot because my feet look nicer (once they've been washed off.
When I read that, I knew that podiatrist had never ever seen the feet of a real barefoot runner.
i think podiatrists have fallen into an unfortunate business model (selling orthotics, etc) that warps their ability to imagine human existence without shoes. I hope they come back!
I hate to generalize (though it is fun!) -- but with a few exceptions, podiatrists seem to know less about the realities of going barefoot than practically anyone. i keep tabs on articles about BF running, and consistently the least-informed statements come from podiatrists.
to give just a single example, i was just reading on a podiatrists' web page the other day that barefoot running could cause ugly calluses, which is the opposite of what most BF runners have noticed-- that calluses tend to get worn off. my wife is actually glad i run barefoot because my feet look nicer (once they've been washed off.
When I read that, I knew that podiatrist had never ever seen the feet of a real barefoot runner.i think podiatrists have fallen into an unfortunate business model (selling orthotics, etc) that warps their ability to imagine human existence without shoes. I hope they come back!
Perhaps I'm naive but I don't
Perhaps I'm naive but I don't like that everyone seems to think that the doctors are only out to "sell" orthodics. I've met a lot of pigheaded, stupid, ignorant, god-complexed doctors, who push the wrong sorts of drugs, ect.. but I've never met any that I really thought were just sales people. I really do think they are doing what they think is best. The problem is that med school seems to be more about learning what is already "known" and accepted than pushing the boundries and looking outside the standard model of doing things. Thats the researchers job, and once they prove their case the podiatrists will change their tune as well. Cushioned shoes and orthodics got accepted based on the immediate benefits they provide and people sort of forgot to look at the long term consequences. But now that that is the accepted "knowledge" most of the doctors aren't going to change their minds until there is far more research to back it up. Especially since barefoot seems to have the opposite issue. In the short term we have some issues, problems, growing pains ect... and its not till you retrain your body that you see the real benefits. But either way the doctors are just being standard clinicians not sales people.
Perhaps I'm naive but I don't like that everyone seems to think that the doctors are only out to "sell" orthodics. I've met a lot of pigheaded, stupid, ignorant, god-complexed doctors, who push the wrong sorts of drugs, ect.. but I've never met any that I really thought were just sales people. I really do think they are doing what they think is best. The problem is that med school seems to be more about learning what is already "known" and accepted than pushing the boundries and looking outside the standard model of doing things. Thats the researchers job, and once they prove their case the podiatrists will change their tune as well. Cushioned shoes and orthodics got accepted based on the immediate benefits they provide and people sort of forgot to look at the long term consequences. But now that that is the accepted "knowledge" most of the doctors aren't going to change their minds until there is far more research to back it up. Especially since barefoot seems to have the opposite issue. In the short term we have some issues, problems, growing pains ect... and its not till you retrain your body that you see the real benefits. But either way the doctors are just being standard clinicians not sales people.
It's more complicated than
It's more complicated than that. Podiatry is not a profession founded on the principles of promoting healthy feet or bodies. It is one that was founded as a service to help feet stay healthy despite wearing shoes full time. It will always remain interested in that principal. Podiatrists are very limited in the scope of their practice. Unlike a chiropractor, medical doctor, osteopathic physician, naturopath, or Dr. of oriental medicine, the podiatrist cannot cure the feet by recommending shoeless life/activity and then move on to healing other parts of the body. The podiatrist will remain as the caregiver for shoe wearing feet, while the other medical professions will prevent their patients from the need to see a podiatrist by following the recommendations of the latest reseaerch. Those that refuse to minimize their supportive shoe use will keep the podiatrist busy.
It's more complicated than that. Podiatry is not a profession founded on the principles of promoting healthy feet or bodies. It is one that was founded as a service to help feet stay healthy despite wearing shoes full time. It will always remain interested in that principal. Podiatrists are very limited in the scope of their practice. Unlike a chiropractor, medical doctor, osteopathic physician, naturopath, or Dr. of oriental medicine, the podiatrist cannot cure the feet by recommending shoeless life/activity and then move on to healing other parts of the body. The podiatrist will remain as the caregiver for shoe wearing feet, while the other medical professions will prevent their patients from the need to see a podiatrist by following the recommendations of the latest reseaerch. Those that refuse to minimize their supportive shoe use will keep the podiatrist busy.
Very few symptomatic patients
Very few symptomatic patients leave a chiropractor's office without being told they have a pathologic subluxation or two requiring semi-weekly manipulation. The chiropractor is not licensed to prescribe, dispence, or administer prescription medications so never sees a need for them. Surgery is also beyond the scope of their practice, so even if surgery or prescription medication is the evidence-based proven treatment for the condition, it could only be performed or administered via referal to a different Dr.
If the patient is refered for surgery or prescription of chemotherapudic agents, he/she is usually still encouraged to return for additional manipulation.
Osteopathic medicine had similar beginings, but as modern research slowly began pointing towards surgery and drugs as being more effective, the profession evolved and has become virtually identicle to that of medical doctors.
Podiatry has nothing to transition into if western culture adopts shoelessness. Sure, they can treat fractures and other injuries, as well as foriegn object removal and congenital abnormalities, but the MD and DO professions can handle all of that with ease.
Chiropractors still survive in this era of surgery and drugs and podiatrists will as well, but as the patient population begins to believe what they are guaranteed to hear more and more of......that supportive footwear is for a minority of people rather than the majority... the "bread & butter" of the profession will be diminished to just salad or appetizer for the few patients still demanding a magical quick orthotic centered fix.
Very few symptomatic patients leave a chiropractor's office without being told they have a pathologic subluxation or two requiring semi-weekly manipulation. The chiropractor is not licensed to prescribe, dispence, or administer prescription medications so never sees a need for them. Surgery is also beyond the scope of their practice, so even if surgery or prescription medication is the evidence-based proven treatment for the condition, it could only be performed or administered via referal to a different Dr.
If the patient is refered for surgery or prescription of chemotherapudic agents, he/she is usually still encouraged to return for additional manipulation.
Osteopathic medicine had similar beginings, but as modern research slowly began pointing towards surgery and drugs as being more effective, the profession evolved and has become virtually identicle to that of medical doctors.
Podiatry has nothing to transition into if western culture adopts shoelessness. Sure, they can treat fractures and other injuries, as well as foriegn object removal and congenital abnormalities, but the MD and DO professions can handle all of that with ease.
Chiropractors still survive in this era of surgery and drugs and podiatrists will as well, but as the patient population begins to believe what they are guaranteed to hear more and more of......that supportive footwear is for a minority of people rather than the majority... the "bread & butter" of the profession will be diminished to just salad or appetizer for the few patients still demanding a magical quick orthotic centered fix.
