Treatment of Toes, Feet & Ankles

The podiatry team at Advanced Foot & Ankle Care Specialists in Dallas, TX, offer a wide range of health care solutions dealing with foot or ankle problems. Our treatment plans are based on years of experience and accurate diagnosis using the most up-to-date medical equipment and podiatric methods.

Best Care Options: Conservative to Surgical

The foot and ankle care team here values your outcome and symptom resolution above everything else. Our Dallas podiatry clinic typically emphasizes conservative treatment options first. No one really wants to have surgery, especially when not necessary. We treat our patients the way we would want to be treated, starting with a thorough discussion of any recommended non-surgical treatments options. Although the vast majority of conditions we treat are resolved with only conservative treatment, there are some conditions that respond better with surgical treatment. Dr. Legel makes every effort to mend rather than cut. He will fully educate you about your diagnosis and your treatment options based on your particular medical history. Some of the most common foot and ankle problems we treat:

• Arthritis
• Bunions
• Charcot Neuropathy
• Corns and Callouses
• Diabetic Foot
• Fractures
• Fungal Nails
• Hammertoe
• Heel Pain
• Ingrown Toenails
• Neuromas
• Neuropathy
• Pediatric and Adult Flat Feet
• Pediatric Deformities
• Soft Tissue Masses
• Sprains/Tendonitis
• Warts
• Wounds
• Ulcers

Our foot and ankle care practice provides a wide range of effective, proven treatment options for these and other related podiatric conditions. Reconstructive procedures, wound care, joint replacement, setting fractures or breaks, and advanced surgical techniques are all available to provide the best possible care for your individual conditions.

Caring for Diabetic Feet & Wounds

Diabetes is one of the major causes of disease and death in the United States, resulting in huge economic cost and affecting key medical statistics such as heart attacks, strokes, kidney failure, blindness, depression, anxiety, peripheral neuropathy, and amputations. An estimated 371 million people suffer from diabetes worldwide, and the problem is getting worse.

There are currently 19 million Americans diagnosed with diabetes and approximately 7 million more undiagnosed. According to the latest data, 9.7% of Texans are diabetic with that average being higher for Hispanics (11%) and African Americans (16.5%). No matter what your risk factor, anyone suffering from diabetes must be alert to problems with their feet.

For a diabetic, even small wounds can have serious consequences stemming from the long-term nerve damage and reduced blood flow that occurs with diabetes. In serious cases, something as simple as a pebble in your shoe can trigger complications leading to an amputation of a toe, foot or leg. Fortunately, Dr. Legel specializes in diabetic foot care and limb salvage. Much of his surgical training involved diabetic research and wound care, leading to his existing passion to save diabetic feet. In many instances, Dr. Legel has been able to offer a helpful second opinion when a patient faced a significant amputation. With his surgical expertise and patient-centered approach to wound care, he has saved several limbs that would have otherwise been lost to diabetes. Please ask us about his success stories in the area of wound care and diabetic feet.

Biomechanics

The study of the way the human body interacts with our environment is known as biomechanics. This area of podiatry specialization sets Advanced Foot & Ankle Care Specialists apart from other podiatry clinics. Biomechanics ranges from the inner workings of a cell, to the movement and development of limbs, or the mechanical properties of soft tissue and bones.

Research methods include hypothesis and verification, including modeling, computer simulation, and experimental measurements.

Sports biomechanics helps us gain a greater understanding of athletic performance and may help reduce. sports injuries. Biomechanics in sports considers the muscular, joint and skeletal actions of the body during the execution of a given task, skill and/or technique. Proper understanding of biomechanics relating to sports skill has the greatest implications on sport’s performance, rehabilitation and injury prevention, along with sport mastery

As we develop a greater understanding of the physiological behavior of living tissues, researchers are able to advance the field of tissue engineering, as well as develop improved treatments. Biomechanics also can be used to study musculoskeletal systems. Such research utilizes force platforms to study human ground reaction forces, and infrared videography tracks markers attached to the body to study 3D motion. Biomechanics is widely used in orthopedic industry to design orthopedic implants for human joints, dental parts, external fixations and other medical purposes. Biotribology plays an important part, allowing specialists to study performance/function of biomaterials used in orthopedic implants.

Orthotics, AFOs, Bracing and Podiatric Shoes

Many podiatry patients benefit from specialized bracing and supports customized well beyond the over-the-counter products available in your typical retail store. Orthotics involves the design, manufacture and application of orthoses, which are externally applied devices that modify the structural and functional characteristics of the neuromuscular and skeletal system.

Foot and ankle specialists like Dr. Legel effectively use orthotics to guide, limit, and/or immobilize a joint or extremity. The goal is to provide easier movement and reduced pain. Common orthotics may include an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO), a brace encompassing the ankle and foot. We apply AFOs externally to control position and motion of the ankle, compensate for weakness, or correct deformities. These types of orthotics help support weak limbs, or to position a limb with contracted muscles into a more normal position. They are also used to immobilize the ankle and lower leg in the presence of arthritis or fracture, and to correct foot drop.

Dr. Legel provides custom prescriptions for orthotics that address specific needs based on your podiatrist’s diagnosis. For example, common diabetic treatment regimens call for extra-depth diabetic shoes with custom molded insoles. Typically, medical insurance will cover one pair of shoes with three pairs of inserts per year if you are diabetic. Insurance companies have accepted that it is much more cost effective to buy orthotics every year than it is to pay for a 3 to 5 day hospital stay to treat a diabetic ulcer, which could have been easily preventable with proper shoe gear. Dr. Legel provides this service to his diabetic patients, including assistance with choosing the correct shoes, fitting, and proper adjustments.

Schedule an Appointment Today

Whether you have suffered injury such as a fractured foot or sprained ankle, or feel the debilitating effects of arthritic joints, diabetic wounds, ingrown toenails, bunions, sports injury and more, our experienced podiatry team offers specialized foot and ankle care for Dallas and surrounding cities.

To make an appointment, please contact us online or call (214) 366-4600.