That's right, PT's may not be who you think of to heal your wound but they are absolutely qualified to perform many wound care tasks including sharp debridement of necrotic tissue.
It is even in the Physical Therapy Practice Act for NYS (I didn't look it up for other states, but it's there too) NYS Physical Therapy - Practice Alert 13 (nysed.gov)
That does not mean that every physical therapist is confident in their wound care skills because we all get a niched down a bit and forget things we do not practice. There are plenty of wound care courses and certifications that a therapist may take. For instance, I am a Board Certified Wound Specialist (CWS since 2005) through the ABWM which is the most long-standing rigorous multidisciplinary exam to offer a wound certification to therapists.
I bring this up to highlight another option while you consider how to heal this wound wreaking havoc on your days. It has been my experience that for people with DM wounds, Leg Wounds, Foot wounds, Lymphedema and Non-healing surgical sites; often a multidisciplinary approach is ideal. What you put on the wound may not be the only thing to consider for healing. It also includes mobility, managing to stay active and independent that will really promote healing right along with fostering good local wound care, blood flow and nutrition.
Physical therapists can be ideally suited to help a client with a wound issue even if they are not comfortable performing hands-on care to the actual wound. Activities like lymphatic massage, progressive exercises, use of compression and offloading techniques are essential to heal a wound.
If you are local to the capital region of Troy, Albany and Latham NY, at Better Wound Consulting, we perform telehealth and Mobile In-Home Care. Currently accepting new patients with
Leg Wounds
Foot Wounds
Incisional Issues
Edema Issues
Mobility Concerns
If you are a bit out of the way, I encourage you to check out our Healing Bundle which includes a Private Video Visit and Access to the Nutrition and Home Healing Program!
This may be just the thing to give you an extra boost to healing until you find a local wound care clinician close to you.