Thu, Feb 2, 2017 at 06:00 AM

Problems plague feet but podiatrists can treat

There are two new podiatrists in Marshall County.

Leonardo da Vinci called the human foot “a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art.” A group of senior citizens might not agree with him after seeing graphic photos of diabetic ulcers, hammer toes and bunions.

Lucky for feet suffering from those issues,  Dr. Robson Araujo and Dr. Dustin Grimmett opened the Marshall Foot Clinic last fall and are seeing patients in Guntersville and Boaz.

The two podiatrists spoke to a large group of Goldcare55+ members and shared facts on foot care, including:

·      25 percent of diabetics will get foot ulcers

·      Callouses are warning signs for ulcers

·      Untreated ulcers can lead to amputation

·      Every 30 seconds a limb is being amputated around the world

·      Mortality rate is 47 percent for someone who has had a lower limb amputated

·      Neuropathy, which is numbness, prickling or tingling in feet or hands, is the most common complication of diabetes

The good news is that chronic wounds can be healed with the right treatment. It’s not easy and it’s very serious, said Dr. Araujo.

“It takes a team to heal wounds,” he said. “Every member of the team has a function.”

Another condition treated by podiatrists is osteoarthritis of the foot and ankle, which starts with swelling and stiffness in the joint and can lead to a deformity.

“It’s sometimes called ‘wear and tear’ disease,” Dr. Grimmett said.

Surgery can repair hammer toes, arthritic joints, bunions and other conditions of the feet.

Marshall Foot Clinic can be reached at (256)840-4810 for the Boaz office and (256)571-8750 for the Guntersville location. The website is marshallfootclinic.com.