It’s all about the foot-work
Reducing the number of falls in older Australians could lie in fancy foot-work, according to researchers at the University of Western Australia (UWA). The university has opened what it claims is Australia’s first podiatric teaching facility, which will encourage clinical research in podiatric surgery and offer reduced fees for elective foot surgery patients.
Reducing the number of falls in older Australians could lie in fancy foot work, according to researchers at the University of Western Australia (UWA).
The university has opened what it claims is Australia’s first podiatric teaching facility, which will encourage clinical research in podiatric surgery, offer reduced fees for elective foot surgery patients and provide training for postgraduate students.
An earlier study by La Trobe University discovered the risk of falls by older people could be reduced by more than 35% using podiatry intervention.
Professor Alan Bryant, Academic Coordinator of podiatric medicine at UWA and Clinical Director of the new UWA Podiatric Surgery Clinic, believes the centre will strongly benefit a large number of older Australians.
“Podiatrists are important providers of healthcare services and it is important in helping elderly patients remain healthy and mobile,” he says.
According to Professor Bryant, many disabling and painful foot problems can be addressed by performing “relatively straight-forward” surgical procedures under local anaesthesia on an out-patient basis.
Foot problems are common in the elderly and podiatrists can be important in helping to manage often very painful and restricting foot conditions.
UWA Vice-Chancellor Professor, Alan Robson, says podiatrists play an “extremely important” role in the health care system; particularly in treating patients with lower limb complications like diabetes, renal disease or peripheral vascular disease.
“Although our students undertake important clinical placements in our public teaching hospitals, community clinics and clinics with private practitioners; this new facility will allow them to receive advanced clinical and surgical training, which is not available to them within the public teaching hospital system,” Vice-Chancellor Professor Robson says.
Do you agree the podiatric teaching facility will benefit older Australians? Share your thoughts in the comment box below.
