Transforming Footcare In India: Footsecure's Dual Focus On Diabetic Foot And Recovery From Sports Injuries

Footsecure, a pioneering healthcare start-up specialising in podiatric medicine and wound care, is revolutionising foot care in India with a mission to reduce lower limb amputations in diabetic patients and accelerate recovery from sports injuries. With a commitment to innovation, accessibility, and quality care, Footsecure addresses over 300 chronic wounds and foot and ankle conditions, including diabetic foot complications and sports injuries.

In India, podiatric medicine is still in its infancy compared to western countries. Awareness about foot health and the role of podiatric specialists is low among both the general population and healthcare professionals. The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases like diabetes, the fast-rising recreational and competitive sports scenario, and accelerating lifestyle changes, especially post COVID, all have given rise to situations that necessitate urgent attention to foot care.

According to recent statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO), India is home to over 77 million adults living with diabetes, and this number is expected to rise to over 100 million by 2030. Among diabetes-related complications, approximately 19% of diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) patients in India undergo amputation, highlighting the urgent need for specialized foot care services. In case of sports, injury rates among young athletes have significantly risen over the past decade. According to a recent survey, Football and cricket players are experiencing 500% more knee and ankle injuries, while anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries have increased by 400%. Additionally, foot and ankle injuries contribute to approximately 16.9% of all injuries during the Summer Olympics and 5.1% during the Winter Olympics.

In light of the above, Footsecure aims to address the challenge by offering advanced services led by a team of Podiatric, Orthopaedic and Vascular Surgeons, Diabetic Foot Specialists, Physiotherapists and Orthotists. Since its inception in 2019,Footsecure has been working towards integrating podiatric medicine with the existing healthcare system to ensure accessibility and affordability for all patients. Understanding the significance of timely treatment by experts, the company aims to reduce amputation rate and address pain management, wound care and mobility through various interventions, including diagnostics, therapeutics, surgeries, rehabilitation, orthosis, and advanced wound care solutions. Also, the organisation advocates for more training programs and continuing education opportunities to enhance the skills of doctors and healthcare professionals in foot care while leveraging tech solutions.

Speaking about the vision of the company and its journey so far, Dr Sanjay Sharma, Podiatric Surgeon, Wound Care Specialist and Co-Founder of Footsecure, said, “We established Footsecure with a mission to empower individuals to regain mobility through accessible podiatry and wound care solutions, guided by values of humanity, integrity, transparency, reliability, and competency. Since inception, we have registered a remarkable growth of 5X and have managed to prevent almost 97% amputations of patients with diabetes visiting us. This reduction in amputation rates underscores our commitment to providing patients with a pathway to recovery and normalcy and restoring quality of life through innovative podiatric care. By 2025, our vision is to establish ourselves as India’s leading lower limb and wound care solutions provider.”

Additionally, Footsecure’s proprietary digital ecosystem, Wound360 and Foot360, is designed to empower healthcare providers offering guidelines and a vast knowledge base for diagnosis, treatment, support, and rehabilitation for patients. With assessment tools integrated with diagnostic devices, the platform helps healthcare professionals treat ailments ranging from chronic ulcers, aches and pains in the foot and ankle, sports injuries, diabetic and arthritic foot and other major and minor foot and ankle conditions. Powered by an AI-enabled chatbot, the conversational nature of the platform is a step ahead of the typical form-based systems. The advanced, easy-to-use solutions help monitor and manage foot health and wound care in clinics or at home through mobile triage and tele-podiatry, combining 2D and 3D imaging, gait analysis, plantar pressure scan, and videos of the wound/foot.

Speaking about their state-of-the-art clinics, Dr Sharma adds, “Our state-of-the-art centres in Bengaluru offer diagnostics, surgeries, therapies, pedorthics, and prostheses for chronic wounds and foot/ankle conditions. With advanced technology and skilled healthcare providers, we reduce diabetic foot amputations to 2.63% and expedite return to activity for sports injuries.”

In the near future, Footsecure projects significant growth, including expanding into new geographies and introducing innovative solutions, services, and products. In line with its mission to establish itself as the leading provider of lower limb and wound care solutions in India by 2025, Foot Secure aims to launch India’s first dedicated Podiatry hospital. The company also aims to launch a brand of specialised therapeutic footwear designed by medical experts from India and Australia for pain management, diabetic foot, and arthritic conditions.

For more information, log on to www.footsecure.com

About Foot Secure

Footsecure is a phygital podiatry platform driving excellence in podiatry solutions such as diagnosis, treatments, and surgeries. Footsecure aims to serve and empower both patients (via right diagnosis & treatment) and clinicians (via training/ education and AI-enabled diagnosis & treatment tools/apps). Footsecure’s clinic and podiatry department set up in hospitals provide effective diagnosis, treatments, and surgical interventions for foot, ankle, nail, and other below-knee conditions.