Doing something new can be exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. Think about the first time you go to your kindergarten class, or when you learned how to ride your bicycle. Perhaps when you try on your roller skate for the first time. Those moments were probably exciting, but you may have been a little nervous since you have no idea of what will happen next. That same goes when you are visiting a new doctor such as a podiatrist. It can be more stressful than the pain of your leg or foot. Getting ahead of time allows you to be ready when you visit a podiatry clinic. You would feel more confident and calm when you go to your consultation.
Thus, what exactly can you expect on your appointment with a podiatrist? Let us find out.
What Usually Happens When You Visit a Podiatry Clinic?
As you get closer to the date of your appointment, preparing yourself allows you to avoid feeling tense. Most hospitals and clinics have forms on their website so patients like you would not need to fill out the form on your consultation. Doing this gives more time to relax before the desk staff call your name, and ask for your health insurance card.
Before Your Appointment
Once your consultation day with the podiatrist arrives, you would spend a lot of time talking about your symptoms. Things like when the pain starts or are there any particular reasons why you are in pain. While discussing your symptoms, the podiatrist will be assessing your lower limb through your feet. There will be times they will ask you to stand up, walk around, jump, and even sprint. Thus, for them to get a precise evaluation of your concern, it would be better to bring the following when you visit the podiatry centre in Singapore.
- Create a list of your medication and previous surgeries.
- Bring a couple of shoes.
- Show your medical records, laboratory test, and scan.
- Mention your previous and current habits.
All of these will help the podiatrist access your condition and think of suitable treatment. It will also give them some ideas which drugs you are allergic to or have tried drinking before. As for your shoes, it will help them determine which legs put more pressure when you move. This item will help enable them to confirm your habits.
Preparing for Virtual Consultation
A virtual consultation or telemedicine is what most hospitals and clinics offer these days. It allows anyone to get checked at the very comfort of their home. Most podiatrists often recommend this option for seniors who cannot visit a podiatry clinic in person. Here what you need to do when you have a telemedicine appointment.
- After installing which video conferencing you will use, you have to familiarise yourself on how it works. If you are having a hard time figuring it out, you may ask anyone who knows. It can be your child or grandchildren.
- Once done, make sure to log in, at least fifteen to twenty minutes before your appointment.
- You also have to make sure that you are sitting in a well-lit area. That way, the podiatrist will be able to see you.
- For you to be able to rely on all of your concern, you need to wear a headset or earphone. Wearing one would also help the podiatrist to hear your symptoms well.
- Just in case you have to show any part of your lower limb, ask any of your family members to hold the camera to show your legs in a more natural position and angle.
The process is the same as you when you visit a podiatry clinic in person. The only difference is that you will be using your smartphone or laptop so you can start video conferencing with them. However, if you can, send them your medical records, including the name of your medication through email. That way, they would be able to access your condition.
What Do The Assessment And Treatment Involve?
First of all, it is necessary to wear comfortable clothes that allow you to move your body freely. That way, when the podiatrist asks you to show your knee, you can quickly pull your pants up with ease. However, if you are coming from your work and you forgot to bring a change of clothes, a podiatrist can lend you their gown.
Once the podiatrist has a general idea of your condition, they would ask you to lay down on the hospital bed so they could see it well. Sometimes, they would press their index finger to grasp how painful it is. However, when you have corn, they would use a scalpel to get rid of the hard skin.
For other foot conditions such as a bunion, plantar fasciitis, flat feet, the podiatrist will perform a biomechanical assessment. This procedure includes knowing the motion of your joints as well as its weight-bearing. After that, they would sometimes recommend wearing custom insoles so your feet would feel more comfortable when you are wearing your shoes.
After Your Appointment
You might think it is over after you left the clinic of a podiatrist in Singapore, but you are slightly wrong. You see, after your appointment, you have to prepare yourself again but this time is for any tests they will order. In most cases, a podiatrist will tell you what to do and how you can prepare. However, it would be better if you can ask them right after your consultation. Just in case you forget, you may send them an email. They would appreciate that since you are making more efforts than you are supposed to do.
Do You Still Have Questions?
Hopefully, this article has helped you understand what you can expect when you visit a podiatry clinic. However, if you have more specific concerns about your foot condition, East Coast Podiatry is always here ready to answer any questions. You may drop your inquiry by visiting their website today!
