by Brad Hayman, DPM, Complete Foot & Ankle Care
This month’s topic is Men’s Health. At Complete Foot & Ankle Care, men represent about 35 to 40% of the patients. Some will say women have more foot problems than men, but that is not necessarily true.
Men have certain occupational hazards that contribute to leg and/or foot problems.
Construction, manufacturing and athletic activities contribute to injuries to the legs, ankles and feet. However, women are now performing many activities that were once primarily done by men, and because of this podiatrists are seeing more of the same problems in women such as sprains/strains, fractures and over-use trauma once mainly seen in men.
Men also have many of the same type of leg and foot problems as women such as diabetes, neuropathy, vascular disease, arthritis, foot deformities (bunions and hammer toes), fungal infected skin/toenails and a variety of injuries to the feet and ankles.
Often a man will seek professional care when prompted by their wife or girlfriend. That’s a positive influence recognizing that, by nature, women are more nurturing that men. Often, a man will ignore or minimize medical issues longer than a woman.
With today’s technology preventive care is critically important not only to survival but an improved quality of life.
Early diagnosis and management of medical problems for men (and women) is the key to a good quality of life.