Should you see a podiatrist or physical therapist?

Physical therapist or Podiatrist for foot and ankle pain?

If you're experiencing foot pain, you may be wondering who to see: a physical therapist or a podiatrist. Both of these doctors are can help with foot pain, but there are several things to consider when making an appointment.

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Physical therapists (PTs) are movement experts who help people recover from injuries, illnesses and surgeries (which are basically considered injuries). Physical therapists use a variety of techniques, including exercise, manual therapy, and education, to help people improve their strength, mobility, and function. Their expertise overlaps with podiatrists in that both a physical therapist and podiatrist can assess a wide variety of soft tissue disorders. Physical therapists focus on the road to recovery to ensure return to a quality of life that existed pre-injury. With much longer appointments, physical therapists have the tools and time to make that difference in your life.

Podiatrists are focused on acute problems, like surgical repair of a ruptured tendon; surgery for ingrown nails; acute pain management with FDA controlled drugs, and ordering imaging. 

PTs can treat a wide range of foot conditions, including:

  • Plantar fasciitis
  • Achilles tendinitis
  • Stress fractures
  • Foot arthritis
  • Neuropathy
  • Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
  • Foot deformities
  • Hammertoes
  • Flat feet
  • Plantar fasciitis
  • Achilles tendinitis
  • Stress fractures
  • Foot arthritis
  • Neuropathy
  • Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
  • Foot deformities

PTs can also help people with foot pain that is caused by other conditions, such as:

  • Back pain
  • Knee pain
  • Hip pain
  • Pelvic floor pain and disorders
  • TMJ/TMD, jaw pain
  • Post surgical recovery

Podiatrists (DPMs) specialize in the foot and ankle. They diagnose and treat a variety of foot conditions, including both the above conditions and the following more acute issues:

  • Surgery for ruptured achilles or other foot tendons
  • Ingrown toenails
  • Warts
  • Bunions
  • Calluses
  • Corns
  • Drug prescriptions
  • Ordering imaging

So, who should you see for foot pain?

The short answer is that in most cases a physical therapist is the key, but not in all cases.

If you're experiencing foot pain, it's important to see a healthcare professional as soon as possible. The sooner you get treatment, the sooner you'll be on your way to feeling better.

If your foot pain is caused by an injury or a condition that is affecting other parts of your body, such as your back or knee, you may want to see a physical therapist first. PTs can help you address the underlying cause of your pain and develop a treatment plan that will help you get back to your normal activities. In cases when other parts of the body are involved, often clients do not know where their pain is coming from. That is something a skilled physical therapist at Rose in Washington, DC can help you figure out and address.

If your foot pain is caused by a condition that is acute, such as a tendon rupture, you may want to see a podiatrist first. Podiatrists can diagnose and treat a variety of foot conditions, and they can also perform surgery on the foot and ankle if necessary and get you the imaging that you might need to better understand the injury.

One hopes that a good podiatrist will refer you to a good physical therapist when appropriate, but that does not always happen because podiatrists are, by profession, not focused on physical therapy. In most states you can see a doctor of phjysical therapy immediately and directly without needing a referral, and that is the case with Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia. We have established Rose Physical Therapists as leaders in the Washington, DC area in knowledge base, expertise and the ability to get to the root of foot problems and many other soft tissue disorders. 

Rose Physical Therapy is a clinic that specializes in the treatment of foot pain. We have a team of experienced physical therapists who are experts in the treatment of foot conditions. We use a variety of techniques, including exercise, manual therapy, and education, to help our patients improve their strength, mobility, and function. Our offices located in downtown Washington, DC between Dupont Circle and Farragut Square, and in Navy Yard near Capitol Hill, are easily accessible by metro or other means of public transportation. And our one-on-one appointments for one hour with a doctor are the best you will receive anywhere.

We understand that foot pain can be debilitating, and we are committed to helping our patients get back to their normal activities. Schedule an appoint today to get started.