The foot and ankle specialists here offer:
- Specialty training. Foot and ankle specialists on the Baylor Scott & White medical staff are board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons who are experts in evaluating and treating foot and ankle injuries and disorders.
- Individualized treatment. The foot and ankle specialists here understand each individual is different and will present a treatment plan that is best for you. Many foot and ankle problems can be treated conservatively. Others require surgery. From professional athletes with sports injuries to individuals with everyday foot or ankle issues, our goal is to get you back to your desired level of activity without pain.
- Comprehensive care. Orthopedic foot and ankle surgeons on our medical staff work closely with a team of physicians and health professionals, including vascular surgeons, endocrinologists and rheumatologists to optimize your care. If surgical treatment is needed, our foot and ankle specialists are trained in advanced techniques, including minimally invasive surgery.
Foot and ankle injuries and disorders treated
- Achilles tendon rupture, if overstretched (typically in sports), the tendon connecting your heel bone to the back of your calf can tear
- All foot and ankle deformities, including low and high arches
- Ankle instability
- Ankle osteoarthritis
- Arthritis of the foot and ankle
- Bone spurs
- Broken ankle
- Bunions
- Cartilage injury, caused by wear and tear, this type of injury can lead to osteoarthritis
- Charcot foot
- Charcot-Marie Tooth disease
- Claw and hammer toes
- Diabetic neuropathy
- Diabetic ulcers
- Dislocations
- Foot pain associated with flat feet, heel pain, and tarsal coalition
- Fractures
- Great toe pain
- Heel pain
- Heel spurs
- Joint disease
- Ligament tears, where the ligament that connects the bones in the foot tears
- Neurologic diseases effecting the foot and ankle including strokes and foot drop
- Neuromas
- Osteoarthritis
- Peroneal injuries
- Plantar fasciitis
- Residual compartments syndromes
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Sports injuries
- Sprained ankle
- Stress fractures
- Strains
- Tendonitis
- Treatment for sprains
- Turf toe, a sprain of the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint of the first toe
Orthopedic treatment options
How your physician approaches your personalized treatment plan depends on your age, your injury and your lifestyle. Treatment options include:
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Custom orthotics
No more molds or casts. Foot and ankle experts use a digital pressure mat to analyze and create orthotics made specifically for each patient’s foot or ankle.
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Treatment for sprains
Sprains, particularly ankle sprains, may usually be treated at home through RICE along with an over-the-counter, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug.
RICE includes:
- Rest—Avoid activities that could increase inflammation in your ankle
- Ice—Apply ice immediately to help reduce inflammation
- Compression—Wrap your ankle with an elastic bandage
- Elevation—Elevate your ankle to help reduce inflammation
If improvement isn't noticed within a few days and you are unable to place any weight on your foot without significant pain that may be accompanied by excessive swelling or bruising, you may have a severely sprained ankle, and we recommend making an appointment with an orthopedic foot and ankle physician.
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Surgical treatment
The foot and ankle specialists on the Baylor Scott & White medical staff are trained in the full spectrum of foot and ankle surgery, including:
- Ankle arthroscopy: a minimally invasive scope procedure to evaluate and treat a variety of conditions
- Correction and salvage of previously failed surgeries
- Diabetic limb salvage
- Flat foot and high arch surgery
- Fracture and dislocation repair
- Osteotomy: a bone realignment procedure to correct bunions, claw and hammer toes
- Osteoarthritic and rheumatoid reconstructions
- Reconstructions for complex deformities associated with residual compartments syndromes, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, rheumatoid arthritis, strokes and other neurologic diseases
- Tendon repair or reconstruction: a procedure to suture or lengthen tendons damaged in peritoneal injuries and Achilles tendon ruptures
- Ligament, tendon and cartilage surgery
- Capsulorrhaphy: the suture of a torn joint capsule (damaged cartilage)
- OATS, or osteoarticular transplants: transplanting of cartilage to improve deficits from injury or arthritis
- Debridement: removal of damaged or infected tissue to treat heel spurs, Achilles tendinitis, arthritis and diabetic ulcers
- Arthrodesis: an ankle fusion procedure used for arthritis patients that removes damaged cartilage and fuses two bones together
- Ankle arthroplasty: total ankle joint replacement
- Bone fracture repair, including a broken ankle
- Joint realignment
- Minimally invasive surgery
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Other conservative treatments
- Full spectrum of medical devices, including boots, casts and splints or braces to treat ankle sprains, if needed
- Prescription medication
- Joint and ligament injections to reduce inflammation and pain
- Physical therapy: Trained physical therapists work closely with each patient to address the problematic area and help patients regain function
- The physical therapy department uses advanced equipment, including ultrasound, electrostimulation and iontophoresis to help reduce inflammation
- Aqua therapy is also available to reduce stress on the ankle, while still mobilizing the affected region
- Wearing appropriate shoes is very important, and this will vary depending on each individual's foot type. The physicians on our medical staff can provide recommendations on proper shoes
Diagnostics
Baylor Scott & White offers advanced diagnostic imaging and lab services to evaluate your foot and ankle pain. These include:
- Traditional X-ray
- MRI
- CT
- Bone scan
- Ultrasound
- Fluoroscopy
- EMG and nerve condition studies
- Blood work
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