“Everything comes from the Greek,” said Mr. Portokalis in the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” The proud family patriarch had a unique ability to make any word sound like it had a Greek origin. Well, he would have been right when it comes to the word “podiatrist.” In modern Greek, podi means foot. Iatros is doctor. Put the two words together and you get “podiatrist,” or “foot doctor.”

What exactly does a foot doctor do?

A podiatrist is identified with the letters “DPM” after his or her name, meaning “Doctor of Podiatric Medicine.” Podiatrists are specially trained to evaluate, diagnose, and treat any problem with your feet or toes. Those problems present themselves in many ways, such as sudden unexplained pain, a sports injury, a broken bone, or a toe that looks misshapen. Podiatrists diagnose disease, make recommendations for proper hygiene and footwear, and can tell you precisely why your heel hurts.

Michael Rosenberg, DPM and Heidi Christie, DPM are the caring podiatrists at Montgomery Foot Care Specialists in Montgomery, AL who do all of the above. As the name of our practice implies, we are specialists in all aspects of foot health.

When should I visit a podiatrist?

Make an appointment with one of our two river region podiatric specialists any time you experience the following:

• Pain in your feet or your toes that comes on very suddenly, doesn’t go away, affects how you walk, or gets worse over time
• Swelling, redness, tenderness, hot skin, or pus – all of these point to infection
• A change in skin color, such as bluish or purplish toes
• Any other noticeable change in the look of your feet or toes, including cracking or peeling, or toenails that appear brittle or thickened
• A diagnosis of diabetes. Specialized care of the diabetic foot is essential and in a category of its own; you can read more about it here.

What should I tell my podiatrist?

Our doctors will want to know where and when any pain or swelling started and how severe it is. Here are some other things they might ask: Is there a family history of foot disorders? Diabetes? Are you having trouble walking? What kind of shoes have you been wearing? What activities have you been doing? What medications are you currently taking? What makes the pain worse, and what improves your symptoms?

The ins and outs of proper foot care may be Greek to you, but we’re here to help. Call us, your experienced podiatrists, at (334) 396-3668, and make an appointment today.