Foot and Ankle Pain Relief

As experts in diagnosing and treating foot and ankle conditions, our orthopedic specialists know how much foot and ankle pain can impact your quality of life.

Minor foot or ankle problems have the potential to turn into serious medical concerns. Whether you're suffering from a chronic disorder or an acute injury of the foot or ankle, our team of experienced Orthopedics and Podiatry specialists treat different types of foot and ankle injuries, disorders, and diseases.

Foot and Ankle Conditions We Treat

We treat a full range of acute and chronic foot and ankle injuries including, but not limited to:

Achilles tendon tear or rupture

The Achilles tendon connects the back of the calf to the heel. It may be ruptured through strenuous physical activity, by landing awkwardly after a jump, or from direct trauma. The tendon may partially tear or completely rupture, causing pain in the back of the heel.

Bunions

A bunion is the protrusion of bone or tissue around a joint, occurring most often at the base of the big toe. If the joint continues to be stressed, it can lead to more serious foot conditions, such as arthritis.

Foot/bone fractures

The bones in the foot may be broken in many ways from falls, overuse, or severe trauma to the bone or ankle, as in an auto accident. Metatarsal fractures are the most common traumatic foot injuries.

Plantar fasciitis

The plantar fascia is the thick tissue on the bottom of your foot that connects the heel bone to the toes and creates the arch of the foot. When that tissue becomes swollen, inflamed, or irritated from long-distance running, wearing shoes with little to no arch support, or obesity, it's called plantar fasciitis. The most common symptom is pain and stiffness at the bottom of the heel.

Hammertoe

This is a common deformity of the toe in which the toe buckles, causing the second toe to bend downward or into a claw-like position. Hammertoe is more likely to occur if you're wearing too small or too narrow shoes. In rare cases, all toes are affected.

Ankle sprain

An ankle sprain is an injury to the ligaments that connect the bones to one another. It usually causes swelling and bruising, making it difficult to bear weight.

Fungal nail

A fungal infection of the toenail is one of the most common dermatologic disorders affecting the foot. It's characterized by a thickening of the toenail due to debris, causing a change in nail color and occasionally an odor.

Diagnosing Foot and Ankle Problems

Finding possible causes of foot or ankle pain begins with a close examination of the affected area through:

• X-ray
• MRI
• Ultrasound
• CT scan
• Imaging

Treating Foot and Ankle Conditions

With our multidisciplinary approach to foot and ankle care, our physicians work closely with one another to help restore full functionality of the foot and ankle for our patients. Our team of Podiatry, Radiology, Sports Medicine, and Physical and Rehabilitation specialists can find the best solution to help minimize pain and healing time. The goal is to use nonsurgical or surgical treatment options to help facilitate a quick return to daily activities, work, and sports.

Surgery for Persistent Foot and Ankle Problems

In some cases, medication or rehabilitation may not be enough to heal an ongoing foot or ankle issue. If this is the case, Kelsey-Seybold Sports Medicine and Orthopedic specialists will discuss your surgical options and help decide what's best for you. When joints, bones, or ligaments are severely damaged, surgery might be an important option to get freedom from pain and achieve greater mobility. Surgery options may include:

• Flat foot reconstruction
• Total ankle arthroplasty
• Bunion correction
• Ankle arthroscopy
• Open reduction and internal fixation
• Hammertoe repair
• Fusions or arthrodesis
• Repair of the Achilles tendon