Podiatrist Pia Kallio graduated from Mikkeli University of Applied Sciences in 2004 and has been working as a podiatrist since her first internship.
The most typical problems she encounters in her daily work are various types of painful calluses.
A reliable tool for everyday use
Kallio has been using Thermidas’ IRT-384 thermal imaging system since the summer of 2022 and it has become an integral part of her work.
“Thermal imaging helps verify my observations on clients’ feet. For example, the thermal images make it easy to verify whether the footwear fits or is too small.”
Thermography helps reveal problem areas that are impossible to detect with the naked eye.
One of Kallio’s clients had swelling in one foot, and the cause of the swelling could not be explained by an interview. The client wore compression socks on the recommendation of his doctor and the Doppler measurement showed no change from previous measurements.
“I took a thermal image of the leg and the image showed a clear temperature anomaly above the knee. I advised the client to contact a doctor and on further examination, it was found that there was an arterial thrombosis,” says Kallio.
Finding the root cause is important
Another client was diagnosed with Morton’s neuroma, which was treated, among other things, with special insoles made for him. However, the pain did not go away.
“He ended up in my practice, where I took thermal images of his feet. The scans revealed a hot spot in the ankle area. The images drew my attention to her gait, which revealed pressure between the III and IV toes. Exercise and walking instructions combined with footwear modifications helped to correct the situation.”
Kallio also sees clients who are unable to pinpoint or verbalise areas of pain accurately, for example due to a mental disability or dementia.
“With thermal imaging, I can quickly locate any temperature differences that may indicate the root cause for the pain. Clients are also happy when they can see the subjective pain visualised.”
Thermal imaging has become an important part of Kallio’s daily work.
“The main benefit I feel is that my own professional skills have been reinforced. Thermal imaging also helps me to motivate the client to use assistive devices and commit to foot rehabilitation.”