Do leg or foot wounds require special care?

There are many types of wounds and ways in which leg and foot wounds occur, so not all wounds can be treated the same. Many factors can come into play when determining the proper leg and foot wound care. If you are a diabetic with a wound, or have a chronic non-healing ulcer on your leg, you know the challenges that arise in treating such ulcers. In the case of a puncture or laceration, particular care must be given to prevent the onset of infection. Each wound should be carefully assessed by a trained and licensed podiatrist in order to prevent that wound from developing into an even more serious condition.

Factors that determine treatment.

In order to treat a wound or ulcer, we need to first understand the conditions and contributing factors which caused the wound. The location of the ulcer, for instance, can reveal the cause of the ulcer as it may be the result of increased stress or pressure on a particular area of the foot or leg. The increase in pressure is often the result of poor blood flow and edema brought about by weak veins in the leg (venous ulcer). An arterial ulcer happens when there is a lack of blood flow and oxygen to the affected area resulting in the death of tissue. Contributing or complicating factors can be diabetes, nutritional deficiencies, and infections.

It is important to understand each of these factors and to address them in a manner which will effectively promote healing . If you have a wound or non-healing ulcer, we encourage you to make an appointment today with Dr. Gowdie. He and his team of caring professionals are trained and specifically equipped to provide the very best leg or foot wound care and ensure that you are quickly on the road to healing.

Treating wounds of the foot and leg.

With today’s advancements in medicine, there are a wide array of treatment options in leg and foot wound care. Those treatments may involve “offloading”, a form of treatment in which a removable cast or other such appliance is used to distribute pressure evenly in the affected area, eliminating a pressure point that contributed to the ulcer. In certain cases, surgery is required, or antibiotics may be needed if an infection exists. We also use advanced wound care techniques and the use of advanced skin substitutes which are grafted to the affected area to aid the body in healing.

Holistic approach to wound care

You are an important player in the healing of a wound. The staff of the Foot and Ankle Treatment Center are ready to help you understand how to care for your wound at home as well as providing guidance in areas of nutrition to support your body in it’s healing process. Controlling one's diabetes and lowering Hemoglobin A1c is very important in a diabetic patient. Dr. Gowdie and his team are on the cutting edge of diabetic wound care.

To talk to one of our staff about your foot or leg wound care options, call The Foot and Ankle Treatment Center at (706) 310-4288 or complete our online appointment request form.