Foot Pain Doctor in Dallas & Frisco

Should I See a Podiatrist or Orthopedist for Foot Pain?

The first thing to understand is that there actually is a difference between these two terms. They are not synonymous with each other. Podiatrists and orthopedic surgeons treat many of the same conditions and foot injuries, however. The main difference lies in the particular training they received. Much overlap occurs, obviously, but orthopedic specialists treat more than just the feet. They treat all different parts of the body, while podiatrists specialize in the feet. Depending on your individual needs and preferences, both are valid options for treatment of the feet. Below, we further outline the nuances of podiatrists and orthopedists.

Podiatrist:

• 4 years of undergraduate school, 4 years at a podiatric medical school, and 3-4 years of foot and ankle surgical residency training
• Some of their strong suits include biomechanics, foot balancing, and fitting orthotics and braces for the feet and ankles. 
• They may only treat foot, ankle, and sometimes lower leg conditions. This is because they trained only in these areas during their residency.

Orthopedist:

• 4 years of undergraduate school, 4 years at medical school, 5 years of general orthopedic surgical residency training, optional 1 year fellowship dedicated to foot and ankle disorder treatment
• They specialize in the diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and prevention of injuries and diseases to the musculoskeletal system. 
• General medical background is better, but they spend less time learning specifically about feet and ankles, even if they attend the 1 year fellowship for foot and ankle disorder treatment.

How Do I Know if My Foot Pain is Serious?

Experiencing sore, tired, aching, or swelling feet on a regular basis is never something someone wants to go through. After all, they carry most people everywhere they go. A number of symptoms warrant a trip to the doctor, even as a preventative measure. From poorly fitted shoes to serious conditions, foot pain comes from many different sources. Below, we list some signs and symptoms that we recommend visiting the doctor for.

• Diabetes with chronic or persistent foot pain
• Recent trauma to the foot, such as a sports injury
• Fever
• Inability to put weight on the foot
• Wounds on the feet
• Pain in both feet at once
• Swelling, redness, and heat
• Visible deformities
• Numbness in the foot

If you experience intermittent chronic pain, we recommend waiting a few weeks, so long as it does not affect your daily life. However, should the pain persist past those first few weeks, it may be necessary to see an orthopedist. While there might not be something wrong with your foot specifically, other conditions sometimes affect the feet. For example, one common cause of foot discomfort is corns on the feet. To find out how to get rid of corns on feet, call our office to schedule a consultation.

Why Does My Foot Hurt For No Reason?

Sometimes, people experience foot pain without injury or wounds at all. The pain seems to come from nowhere. However, a number of causes for foot pain without injury exist, and you might just overlook them. One of the most common causes is easily fixable. If someone often wears shoes that don’t fit properly, this can cause a great deal of discomfort and pressure. Additionally, engaging in high-impact exercises and activities often leads to foot pain. Diabetes also leads to foot pain for seemingly no reason. The real reasons are actually nerve damage in the feet, clogged or hardened arteries, and foot ulcers or sores. Pregnancy and obesity also play key factors in seemingly unexplained foot pain. We recommend speaking with your foot pain doctor for a proper examination and diagnosis.

Best Doctor for Foot Pain in Dallas and Frisco

At SPORT, we offer a variety of treatment options for those experiencing foot pain. Depending on your specific conditions and needs, we develop personalized treatment plans for every single patient. Below, we list just a few of the options we pursue while treating our patients.

• Physical therapy
• Ankle arthroscopy
• Applying casts
• Wart removals
• Percutaneous Achilles tendon repair

Common Causes of Foot Pain

In this section, we discuss common causes of foot pain that your foot pain doctor will check for. The best recommendation we have is to seek medical attention for unusual and persistent or chronic foot pain. The sooner you get a diagnosis, the sooner we can begin treatment. 

• Ankle sprains: Sprains occur often while playing sports, primarily when you roll, turn, or twist your ankle at an unnatural angle. The sprain stretches or even tears the ligaments holding your ankle bones in place.
• Hammertoe: This is a deformity in the foot which occurs as a result of imbalances in the muscles, tendons, or ligaments holding the toe straight.
• Bunions: These are bony bumps that form on your big toe’s joint. Generally, the cause is the big toe being moved out of place, typically toward the little toes.
• Plantar fasciitis: This is one of the most common causes of foot and specifically heel pain. A thick band of tissue runs along the bottom of your foot, from the toes to the heel bone. When this band becomes inflamed, it causes pain.
• Foot fractures: These occur for a number of reasons. Whether during or outside of sports, patients experience foot fractures when they fall, twist their foot, or experience a direct impact of the foot against a hard surface. A fracture is a crack or break in the bone.
• Achilles tendonitis: This involves the overuse of the Achilles tendon, which connects the calf muscles to the heel bone. It occurs more commonly in runners, as well as middle-aged athletes playing tennis or basketball.
• Arthritis: This is the swelling and tenderness of the joints. Specifically, it involves the breakdown of the cartilage in those joints. While it tends to worsen with age, it can happen in just about any joint in the body.
• Sprained toes: Also called turf toe, this occurs when the big toe either experiences trauma or is hyperextended while engaged in physical activity.

How to Stop Foot Pain

Foot pain is a very common, albeit frustrating problem to deal with. Speaking with a foot pain doctor is essential to good foot care and health. For those who wish to try home remedies before seeing a doctor, we recommend the following.

• Draw a warm foot bath with added Epsom salts. These are proven to help relieve sore muscles and reduce swelling in the feet. To target skin conditions rather than soreness or swelling, try adding baking soda to the water instead of Epsom salts.
• Stretching the foot muscles before and after exercise helps to prevent pain, swelling, and injury. Flex, point, and curl the toes. Move the ankles in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions slowly.
• Speak with your foot pain doctor or physical therapist about strengthening exercises for the feet and ankles. Perform the recommended exercises each day to increase strength and flexibility.
• Wear arch supports or orthotics. Either purchase the premade supports at the store or work with your doctor to design a custom set.
• Take over-the-counter medications for pain relief. Sometimes, all you need is a little pain relief and anti-inflammatory to do the trick. Try acetaminophen for pain, or naproxen/ibuprofen for both pain and inflammation.
• Wear splints at night while you sleep. They keep your feet in the optimal position to prevent waking up with foot pain. We advise many of our patients with plantar fasciitis to try this cost-effective option.

Foot Pain Treatment in Dallas and Frisco

If you suffer from chronic or persistent foot pain, you need treatment fast. After all, we use our feet basically every day, and for almost every task. Because of this, foot pain is much harder to ignore than other types of pain. At SPORT Orthopedics + Physical Therapy, we treat various types of conditions and injuries, including foot pain from numerous sources. To schedule a consultation with an orthopedic surgeon Dallas, please call our office at 469-200-2832 today.