History of Podiatry

[EChipouras]

Hi guys--I was curious about something..I assume that podiatry split off of 'mainstream' medicine some time ago, right? Anyone know why podiatry become an independent field?

just wondering. thanks.

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[lightfoot]

It never really "split off". It evolved that way. Its in early, primitive days, podiatry was called chiropody. Chiropodists were basically foot specialists that had been recognized since 1774. It was more of a craft of trade than a medical speciality at the time, similar to how dentistry used to be a long time ago (at least that is what one dental student told me, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong). *FYI...Queen Victoria and President Lincoln had their own personal chriopodists to tend to their corns, bunions, and nails. However, as the profession progressed, the name "podiatry" was suggested by an M.D named Maurice J. Lewi who took an interest in the profession and started the first school of podiatry in New York in 1911. Then of course, more rigorous education was needed as we recognized complex problems of the foot and starting perfoming surgery, etc.
Really, if you look at it from the beginning to where it is now, you'll see that it has actually grown more towards traditional medicine than where it started from. We will forever be our own branch of medicine, but I find it facinating to see how far the profession has progressed over the past century. Podiatry is still a relatively "new" medical profession.

 

[cool_vkb]

*FYI...Queen Victoria and President Lincoln had their own personal chriopodists to tend to their corns, bunions, and nails. However, as the profession progressed, the name "podiatry" was suggested by an M.D named Maurice J. Lewi who took an interest in the profession and started the first school of podiatry in New York in 1911. Then of course, more rigorous education was needed as we recognized complex problems of the foot and starting perfoming surgery, etc.
.

This not directed towards you but a lot of people easily group Corns and bunions in one category. i doubt chiropodists could surgically operate.

Bunion correction involves serious orthopedic surgery. corns are external thingy where as bunion is a whole topic/speciality in itself. but unfortunately a lot of people (premeds/md students/general public) always group bunions and corns together.

 

[lightfoot]

Haha, I do know the difference and the difference in treating them. I just took that directly from a lecture on Chiropody in my Introduction to Podiatric Medicine class.
However, yes, I agree with you. Bunions and corns pathologically are two very different things.