FootSecure, a phygital podiatry and wound care company, began operations in 2018. These specialised podiatry and wound care centres have treated several patients with foot-related health problems and chronic wounds. These centres have become a boon, especially for diabetics, athletes and pregnant women to manage their foot health. The Malleshwaramcentre of FootSecure is located at No 29, 11thMain, Malleshwaram.
The clinic was formally inaugurated by Dr. Shalini Rajneesh, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports. Film personality Chi. Gurudutt, Dr Sunita Maheshwari, Founder, RxDx Healthcare, and Mr. Mahesh Shetty, Honorary Counsel of the Republic of Djibouti in Bengaluru, were present.
Dr. Sanjay Sharma, Founder of FootSecure, said, "We have introduced for the first time in Karnataka (one of the 8 centres of excellence in India in the podiatry category) a technology that brings a paradigm shift in wound healing. – DERRIM (regenerative medicine). This technology helps in faster closure of Diabetic Foot Ulcers."
In the newly inaugurated centre, the following diagnostic facilities are available: – ABI/TBI, Neurotouch Screening, Plantar Pressure Scan, Gait Lab, X-Ray/MSK-USG. Under the therapeutic category, the facilities available are – Anodyne therapy, Angiopress, Lymphopress, Warm oxygen therapy and Laser Therapy. It has state-of-the-art surgical facilities. It also provides custom-made footwear/insoles for athletes and diabetic patients, helping them increase their performance and prevent amputations.
Dr Sharma said the centre is a one-stop-shop for podiatry and wound care. With increased sporting activities and the incidence of diabetes in India, foot and ankle ailments have also multiplied manifold. An estimated 46 crore people are suffering from various foot and ankle ailments in India due to arthritis, diabetes, pregnancy, etc.
Diabetic foot is of significant concern today; the reports show that for every 20 seconds, a limb is lost due to diabetes somewhere in the world. India is witnessing an average of 14 lakh amputations yearly due to diabetes, with a 5-year mortality rate of 70%. It is higher than the mortality rate of cancer, as the doctor pointed out.
In about four years of establishing FootSecure, no less than 10,000 people have been treated and provided with timely care, which has saved 3,000 amputations.
FootSecure has the lowest rate of amputation due to diabetes in India, i.e., 2%, whereas the national average is about 19%. FootSecure was awarded the best podiatry clinic in India by the India Today Group in 2021, while Dr. Sanjay Sharma was awarded the Rising Star in the Health Care Achievers Award by the Government of Karnataka and The Times of India in 2020.
FootSecure is not only limited to treating patients but has imparted training to about 1,500 physicians and surgeons on recognizing and managing a diabetic foot, analyzing various scans of the foot, and prescribing the right footwear/ped orthosis."
The doctor said that to ensure early intervention in rural areas for diabetic foot conditions, thus preventing amputations, FootSecure developed a digital, artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled wound care application – Wound360. This helps clinicians recognise and treat ulcers at an early stage in patients sitting anywhere in the globe.
Dr Sharma said the plan is to expand its presence across India and have a dedicated hospital for podiatry and wound care in India. This expansion plan and dedicated hospital venture will be supported by the funds committed by Mr Mahesh Shetty of Multiplex Group of Companies
