The foot is simply like any other part of the body and can be affected by any of the many different types of arthritis. Rheumatology is the healthcare speciality which deals with all of the different arthritis conditions. In regards to the foot there are plenty of podiatry practitioners which have a specialised interest in rheumatology or the arthritis conditions that affect the foot. One of such specialists is Professor Debbie Turner, PhD who is the Director of Academic Program for Podiatric Medicine at the Western Sydney University. Debbie has been fairly recently a guest on the Facebook live, PodChatLive to talk about podiatry and rheumatology. PodChatLive is a regular live stream which has on a selection of different experts to discuss a number of topics of meaning to podiatry and the foot. In this chat with Debbie Turner she gave the listeners a taste of precisely what the role of a Podiatrist inside a specialist Rheumatology service should be structured. Debbie discussed the disorders generally observed in the foot in rheumatology services and her procedure for the examination and treatments for these patients. She also presented some great suggestions for clinicians that do not work within Rheumatology, but may very well be neglecting problems because of their capability to masquerade as musculoskeletal concerns.
Debbie Turner first qualified as a podiatrist in 1996 and has always worked clinically as well as developed a skilled scope of clinical practice in the aspects of gait study and imaging. She obtained an Arthritis Research UK academic fellowship in 2007 after which commenced training in musculoskeletal ultrasound and also injection therapy of the foot. The utilization of an integrated imaging in addition to alignment approach to managing chronic illnesses including diabetes and inflammatory joint disease continues to be the main objective of her investigation work. Debbie has published frequently in the field of rheumatology and has helped to set up capacity in podiatry investigation as a result of PhD guidance.