Geriatric foot disorders: how to avoid undertreating them.

Abstract

Because the primary care physician often is the first health professional the elderly patient will consult about a foot problem--and because many conservative therapeutic measures are available and should be attempted before resorting to surgery--the primary care office can be an appropriate setting for foot care for the elderly. A brief review of foot anatomy is given, followed by a discussion of common disorders of the foot and conservative treatment measures.