Preventive care or preventive medicine is a hot topic in today’s health care system as it becomes more widely publicized. Essentially it refers to the act of preventing a disease or controlling it from progression. This is in contrast to curing or treating a disease.
In the realm of podiatry, preventive care is mainly centered on diabetic education. This includes ensuring these patients control their blood sugars and wear appropriate foot gear in order to avoid the complications of this terrible disease. Other forms of prevention include the prophylactic management of gouty flares, protecting limbs from getting injured, and supporting the foot with orthotics to prevent recurrent pedal symptoms.