Patients’ awareness of the prevention and treatment of the selected podiatry diseases

Background The lower limbs are an essential element of the structure of our body, bearing the weight and responsible for the correct motor skills. Defects in the functioning of the lower limbs and nails or foot skin can significantly affect the quality of life and limit full mobility. Due to the multitude of causes of podiatry changes, we consider their prevention and treatment interdisciplinary. Aims This study aimed to examine the patient's awareness of selected podiatry units' prevention and treatment methods. Patients/methods The study was an anonymous questionnaire consisting of 23 questions. The survey was carried out from November 4, 2020, to March 3, 2021. 516 questionnaires were collected. Results The results indicate that pain in the area of the feet is common. It was shown that patients do not have enough awareness and knowledge about proper foot care, yet the vast majority, mainly using Internet sources, try to solve the problem independently. In turn, a definite minority uses the services of a professional (eg, podiatrist) in this matter. The most commonly observed biological conditions are corns, cracked heels, ingrown toenails, and calluses. Conclusion Patients, despite low awareness of proper care and the risk of complications, rarely decide to seek the help of a specialist in the field of podiatry diseases, even though appropriate care constantly improves foot motor skills. This problem is significant among people chronically ill with somatic diseases that often cause symptoms in the feet and thus reduce the patient's quality of life.