Podiatrists specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the foot and ankle. Patients of all ages, with any problem relating to the lower leg are treated by podiatrists.

Podiatrists (also known as doctors of podiatric medicine, foot doctors, foot and ankle surgeons or podiatric surgeons) require a four-year undergraduate degree, a four-year degree from an accredited podiatric medical school, followed by a hospital-based residency.

In addition to treating many diseases and disorders of the lower extremity, the podiatrist also treats sprains, fractures and injuries of the foot and ankle. There are several new procedures available in podiatry that greatly assist in diagnosis and treatment.