Painful corns, calluses and bunions may result from improper shoes. The podiatrist can usually make you comfortable, and educate you about proper footwear. Infants and youngsters may have foot problems that cause little or no pain. These are often first noticed by alert parents, who see some abnormality of gait or foot structure. Early intervention by the podiatrist may correct the problem or prevent it from progressing.
Podiatrists prescribe and construct foot orthotics.
Properly designed foot orthotics may compensate for impaired foot function, by controlling abnormal motion across the joints of the foot. This may result in result in dramatic improvement in foot symptoms. Functional foot orthotics are usually made from rigid materials, especially plastics and carbon-fiber composites. They are constructed upon a plaster impression of the feet, and modified based on the podiatrist's evaluation of your problem. They are normally quite comfortable, and do not feel hard or uncomfortable in the shoe.