I understand. You get a diagnosis and some treatment…so why does the podiatrist say I need to come back to see them? Is this a waste of time and money?
Review appointments actually prevent you from wasting your time and money.
Review appointments are arguably the most important consultation you have for 2 reasons.
- ADJUSTMENTS. Most treatments are not an overnight fix, so when a podiatrist straps your foot, or gives you strengthening exercises or possibly a new orthotic device, this adjustment to your feet and body takes time. How you react to the treatment will be different on day 1, different again on day 3, and different again on day 7. Your podiatrist needs to know how your body is responding to the treatment. Your pain levels, how well your foot is functioning after therapy, and how much more you can do in everyday living, will determine the adjustments your podiatrist makes to your treatment plan moving forward – and everyone is different, so don’t ask your neighbour!
- LONGEVITY. Your podiatrist will give you stages to your treatment plan. This is because the body cannot go from level 10 pain to level 1 pain in one treatment session, unless you are bedridden and you rest your whole entire body for a week :). But if you cannot do this, then your body heals itself in stages. If you stop at stage 1 or 2 before you reach the optimum stage 4 or 5, then there is much risk that your body will not function at its best and you are more likely to re-injure the site or develop compensatory pain elsewhere in the body.
Rehabilitation exercises: To develop strong foot and leg muscles you need to master the basics, before you have the strength to move onto more advanced exercises. This is what your podiatrist will be looking for when reviewing your exercises – “can you go up a level, and are you doing the exercise correctly to gain better foot and leg strength”.
Orthotic reviews: Orthotic devices need to be adjusted most of the time to gain the correct fit and comfortability. When your orthotic is designed and printed on the 3D printing machine, it is not yet trialed under the foot. This is why we require you to wear your orthotic device for 1-2 weeks before we will make any adjustments, as your foot needs to get used to a different way of functioning and your muscles need adjust. Reviewing your orthotic also allows the podiatrist to determine the longevity of the device, as we do not want the materials compressing in a matter of months due to high loads. An orthotic review will identify any area of concern.