Podiatry

Take a step toward better ankle, foot, and toe health with expert care from local podiatrists who are part of the medical staff at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula. A podiatrist is a doctor with advanced training to diagnose and treat foot and ankle conditions.

When to see a doctor

Talk to your primary care provider if any part of your foot has severe or frequent:

• Bruising
• Numbness or tingling
• Pain
• Swelling

If you have diabetes, check your feet daily. See your doctor if you notice any sores, cuts, or blisters.

Your doctor will examine your foot and may order an imaging test or lab test to learn more.

Conditions treated

You may receive a referral to a Monterey-area podiatrist or another specialist. Common podiatry conditions include:

• Ankle or heel pain, such as Achilles tendinitis, heel spurs, plantar fasciitis, and tarsal tunnel syndrome
• Athlete’s foot
• Ball-of-foot pain, including metatarsalgia, Morton’s neuroma, and sesamoiditis
• Calluses and corns
• Diabetic foot wounds
• Extensor or peroneal tendinitis
• Flat feet
• Toe problems, including bunions, ingrown toenails, fungal nail infections, and mallet or hammer toes
• Warts

Podiatry services

If you need treatment, your doctor will recommend a plan tailored to your condition, symptoms, and goals.

Conservative, nonsurgical care

You may walk, stand, or enjoy athletic activities more comfortably after nonsurgical treatments such as:

• Cryotherapy – Freezes warts to eliminate them
• Diabetes care and education – Teaches you how to prevent and manage foot wounds
• Medication – Treats athlete’s foot or nail infections through drugs you take by mouth or creams you spread on the skin
• Orthotics (shoe inserts) – Support your feet throughout the day to prevent pain
• Physical therapy – Provides hands-on care and guided exercises to relieve pain, build foot strength, and restore range of motion
• Wound care – Uses hyperbaric oxygen therapy or other treatments to heal long-lasting sores or ulcers

Podiatric surgery

When surgery is your best option, trust a podiatrist or orthopedic surgeon for excellent care during any of these procedures:

• Achilles tendon repair – Fixes the tissue connecting your heel bone to your calf
• Arthroscopic ankle surgery – Takes the least invasive approach possible by using small incisions
• Bunionectomy – Removes a bump on the joint of your big toe
• Hammertoe repair – Corrects a deformed toe joint by releasing the tendon that prevents the toe from lying flat
• Heel spur resection – Removes all or part of a heel spur, a bone-like growth made of calcium
• Osteotomy – Repairs a damaged joint by removing or reshaping bone
• Toenail removal – Removes all or part of a nail

Surgery settings

Podiatrists can perform some minor procedures in their offices. But if your surgery requires a higher level of care, choose Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula. Your procedure may take place in our Outpatient Surgery Center, designed to give you the best possible same-day surgery experience.