New study shows importance of podiatry

BETHESDA, Md., Aug. 15 (UPI) -- A new American Podiatric Medical Association study says a majority of injuries received in Iraq and Afghanistan are to soldiers' limbs.

The study was released in advance of the American Podiatric Medical Association's Annual Meeting in Philadelphia.

It says 68 percent of all U.S. soldiers wounded in the current conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan are a result of extremity injuries. The report also says nearly 22 percent of those injuries involve the foot and/or ankle.

The study was conducted by Army Lt. Col. Michael Neary, a podiatric physician and surgeon stationed at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. Neary reviewed 42 months of retrospective records of U.S. troops admitted to the podiatric service unit at LRMC. Neary concluded that podiatric physicians were critical to the overall LRMC medical mission after assessing more than 350 patient records from March 2003 to September 2006.

"The study's findings confirm the fundamental role that podiatric physicians are playing in the ongoing conflicts," said Neary, in a statement. "This study was a way to validate podiatrists' role in the war and educate civilians and the U.S. Army about the extent of injuries the podiatric staff is seeing and treating."

As a result of the increased demand for expertise in low limb injuries podiatric physicians have moved to the surgical front lines and have seen their role expanded to match their medical and surgical training.