Podiatry

Podiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in a medical field known as podiatry or podiatric medicine. Sometimes referred to as podiatric doctors, podiatrists diagnose and treat patients with injuries and conditions relating to the lower extremities, including the foot and ankle.

When our podiatrist develops a treatment plan for a patient with a foot or ankle problem, his first step is always to consider nonsurgical treatment options. Sometimes, there are nonoperative treatments, such as diabetic foot care, physical therapy, or orthotics, that can provide relief for a patient’s ankle or foot injury or condition. However, sometimes the patient’s podiatric issue may require surgery.

If surgery is the best option for you, our podiatric surgeon will work with you to create a surgical treatment plan that is right for your injury or condition. Our podiatrist is equipped with state-of-the-art technology as well as the knowledge and surgical skills needed to treat your ankle or foot problem and get you on the road to becoming stronger.

Should You See a Podiatrist?

It may be time to see a podiatrist if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Ankle pain radiating into the foot
• Bump on the side of your big toe
• Calf pain
• Heel pain
• Inability to straighten your toe
• Numbness in the feet and toes
• Pain when pointing or flexing toes
• Skin next to toenail is swollen or tender
• Stiffness
• Swelling
• A raised bump or thick skin on the sole of your foot
• Skin next to toenail is swollen or tender

These problems may indicate that you are dealing with an ankle or foot injury or condition, such as:

• Achilles tendonitis
• Ankle sprains
• Arthritis
• Bunions
• Corns
• Fractures
• Hammertoe deformity
• Plantar fasciitis
• Tarsal tunnel syndrome
• Toe deformities
• Warts

Specialized Podiatric Care You Can Trust in Elizabethton and Johnson City

Our specialty-trained podiatric doctor at Appalachian Orthopedics, Dr. Samuel Straus, has a full understanding of the anatomy of the foot and ankle. He will apply his expertise directly to your situation and can guide you toward treatments that help reduce pain and restore you to optimal health. Our podiatrist always carefully considers nonsurgical options first before recommending surgery. Early on, he may take X-rays so he can further study the area of concern to determine which nonsurgical treatment may be right for you, such as physical therapy or injections. If surgery is ultimately needed, rest assured that our surgeon is specialty-trained in the foot and ankle and will use his skills along with our state-of-the-art technology to perform a surgical procedure that can help reduce or eliminate your pain and help you regain your strength and function.

If your foot or ankle pain is keeping you from living an active life, we're proud to offer access to an orthopedic specialist whenever you need it. Schedule an appointment online or call our Elizabethton or Johnson City location for a consultation with our expert podiatric surgeon to diagnose and treat your foot or ankle issue.

For those acute injuries that can't wait, we also offer the following ways to be seen today: 

• Walk into one of our Orthopedic Urgent Care clinics at our Bristol Regional Medical Center or Johnson City office. No appointment needed.
• To be seen by a doctor on the same day, call your desired office.
• Chat with an orthopedic specialist 24/7, 365 days a year with our free OrthoCareNow service.