Dr. Veith and his colleagues at Seattle’s Prosthetic Outreach Foundation have been helping to ensure that children and adults with limb loss or limb deformities in developing countries have access to high-quality orthopedic and physical rehabilitation services, so that they can enjoy lifelong mobility. Children and adults suffer from disability and deformities from various causes such as traumatic injuries resulting from land mines or traffic accidents, and from disabilities they were born with such as polio, cerebral palsy, and club feet.
In some developing countries, health care is delivered in environments with worn out and outdated equipment, provided by doctors with limited training. Dr. Veith and his colleagues work side by side with some of the local doctors to provide surgical services, prosthetic care, and treatment through hands-on teaching and training. This also includes assisting developing countries with the in-country fabrication of prosthetic and orthotic components (artificial feet, knee joints, shoe braces, etc.) to break dependence on costly component imports. To date, Dr. Veith has participated in programs in Vietnam, Bangladesh, Sierra Leone, and Haiti. He will continue with these medical missions, finding fulfillment in helping people who would otherwise never be able to walk.
VOA’s Foot and Ankle Center located at the Renton clinic provide services to patients with foot and ankle conditions. Foot pain can be caused by shoes that do not fit properly. Shoes that are too tight can cause pressure on the skin, joints, and bones of the foot, shoes that are too loose may allow the foot to rub against the shoe, causing calluses or other foot problems. However, ill-fitting shoes are not the only source of foot and ankle problems. Genetics, injury, repetitive motion, or arthritis may also cause serious foot, ankle, or heel pain. The Foot and Ankle Center treats many of these conditions including bunions. A bunion is a painful enlargement of the joint in the big toe. The skin covering the joint becomes swollen and tender, making the area sensitive to pressure. Other ankle or foot problems can be caused by arthritis. Common symptoms associated with ankle or foot arthritis include swelling, pain, stiffness, tenderness, and the inability to easily walk or move the ankle or foot. If you have a foot or ankle problem, talk with your primary care physician about a referral to the Foot & Ankle Center at Valley Orthopedic Associates or call VOA at 425-656-5060.