Podiatry Specialist

What is podiatry?

Podiatry is a medical field that focuses on the feet and ankles. Doctors of Podiatric Medicine (DPMs) provide comprehensive foot and ankle care, encompassing the toes, forefoot, middle foot, rearfoot, heels, and ankles. Oakland Orthopedics and Sports Medicine offers comprehensive podiatry and orthopedic care in one convenient place.

Which conditions and injuries does podiatry treat?

Podiatric care at Oakland Orthopedic Institute covers all types of foot and ankle issues. Some of the problems that patients frequently encounter include:

• Plantar fasciitis
• Ingrown toenails
• Plantar warts
• Nail fungus
• Athlete's foot
• Achilles tendinitis and Achilles tendon rupture
• Bunions
• Hammertoe
• Neuropathy
• Morton’s neuroma
• Non-healing wounds and foot ulcers
• Sports injuries
• Fractures
• Flat feet
• Gout
• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Haglund’s deformity

At Oakland Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, the team includes both podiatric care specialists and orthopedic surgeons. That means you can get all the customized care you need if your foot or ankle issues extend to other parts of the body like the knees.

What does podiatry care include?

Podiatry includes all aspects of foot and ankle care, including:

Preventive care

Preventive care involves education and supportive care for people who have a history of foot and ankle problems or for people who may be at risk for issues. 

For example, people with diabetes need regular diabetic foot care because they’re at risk for serious foot problems due to nerve damage and poor circulation. These appointments can help you take the right steps to avoid complications. 

Acute care

Acute care involves the diagnosis and treatment of foot and ankle problems, for example, sports injuries. Generally, acute issues resolve within weeks or even faster with prompt treatment. 

Usually, acute care is non-surgical, such as splinting, bracing, physical therapy, custom orthotics, PowerStep® orthotic insoles, and anti-inflammatory medication. Sometimes, acute care may involve minimally invasive in-office procedures.

Chronic care

Chronic care is the management and treatment of long-standing conditions, diseases, or foot deformities. Many chronic conditions improve dramatically with conservative care, but in some cases, chronic care may involve surgery.

For example, Oakland Orthopedics and Sports Medicine offers surgery for foot deformities like bunions if symptoms don’t improve with non-surgical care. Whenever possible, the team performs minimally invasive surgery. 

Wound care 

Wound care is a special branch of podiatry that focuses on the healing of open foot or ankle wounds. It may include topical dressings, medication, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and other treatments like precision medicine injections. 

Oakland Orthopedics and Sports Medicine provides all the foot and ankle care you need in one location, from diagnosis to treatment. The practice has on-site diagnostic testing, and the team performs most procedures in the office. 

For podiatry with empathy and expertise, call Oakland Orthopedics and Sports Medicine or book online now.