What To Bring When Visiting A Foot And Ankle Specialist
Dealing with chronic foot or ankle pain can be incredibly debilitating. Walking and standing are necessary for so many facets of life. It's hard to even get through a work day or play with your kids when your foot is sore or painful. The good news is that there are treatments and surgical solutions for most common foot problems. To gain access to these treatments, you will typically need to see a foot and ankle specialist. Here are some things to bring with you to your first appointment to help ensure it's a productive and helpful experience.
1. Previous X-rays or images
If you have ever had any x-rays or other images taken of your feet, bring them along with you to the specialist. If you don't have copies of the images yourself, you may need to call the imaging center that took the x-rays or even the doctor who ordered your x-rays and ask for copies. They can even send the images directly to the foot and ankle specialist if needed.
Your foot and ankle specialist may, indeed, need to have new x-rays taken. But at least these earlier x-rays will give them something to look at so they can start to get an idea of what's bothering you or what might be wrong with your foot.
2. Records of symptoms
It's not enough to say your foot hurts. To make an accurate diagnosis, your foot and ankle specialist needs to know more about the pain — what it feels like, where it is centered, when it is worse, and how often you experience it. The easiest way to deliver this information to your doctor is to keep a journal or record of your symptoms over a period of a week or two. Write down when you feel pain, what you're doing when it happens, and how severe the pain is.
3. Your shoes
The shoes you wear can play a huge role in your foot pain development and in your diagnosis. Your foot and ankle specialist will likely ask you questions about your footwear. Rather than hoping you answer correctly, just bring your shoes with you. Then, your foot specialist can evaluate the shoes directly and get a better idea of how they fit, where they put pressure on your foot, and so forth.
When you see a foot and ankle specialist, make sure you bring the information and items above with you.
