Community health and foot health.

The limiting factor in health and mobility for many seniors is the state of their feet. The origins of their foot problems can often be traced back to childhood and years of wearing badly fitting or inappropriate footwear. Well-fitting footwear is essential if mobility and independence are to be retained. The chiropodist (or podiatrist) is a health professional specializing in the treatment of conditions of the foot. Some common foot conditions, together with their treatments, are described. Although numbers of chiropodists in Canada are limited, their role is being increasingly recognized in maintaining or restoring mobility, and also their place in the community health team.