Everyone experiences some kind of foot and ankle pain during their lifetime. Your feet might ache after a long day of hiking, or your ankles might hurt at the end of your shift. But sometimes foot and ankle pain doesn’t go away. If you regularly find yourself wondering “Why does my foot hurt?”, you may need the help of a podiatrist, who is a foot and ankle doctor specializing in those conditions.

Our board-certified podiatrists listen closely to your concerns and answer your questions. Then, we create a personalized treatment plan for you using the latest technology and research. We have many podiatry clinic locations in Minnesota and western Wisconsin, so the care you need is always close to home.

Common symptoms of a foot or ankle condition include the following:

• A chronic burning or tingling sensation in your foot or ankle
• Collapsed arches
• Discoloration of the skin on your feet or ankle
• Foot deformity that rubs on shoes
• Foot pain while walking or standing that interferes with daily activities
• Growths on the foot and ankle
• Ingrown toenails
• Injury to the foot or ankle
• Open or bleeding wounds on the foot
• Persistent foot swelling or numbness

When you come in for a visit, our podiatrists will listen to you describe your symptoms and decide the best way to diagnose your condition. Podiatrists usually diagnose foot and ankle conditions using the following tests:

We’ll look at your foot, ankle or joints and feel for anything out of the ordinary, like swelling or lumps, to get a better idea of exactly where you feel pain. During a physical exam, we might ask you to stand or walk so we can see how you move.

Sometimes, imaging tests like X-rays are needed to get a better look at exactly what’s causing the problem in your foot or ankle. These tests can show fractures, arthritis, deformities, bone spurs and spots where your joints might be pressing together.

A sample of your blood or joint fluid may be taken to help determine the cause and treatment of your condition.

Our board-certified podiatrists use the latest technology and treatments to help heal your foot and ankle pain. Common treatments include:

Depending on your diagnosis, we might recommend the use of medications. Anti-inflammatory medicines and antibiotics are among the most common types of medications used to treat foot and ankle conditions.

Prescription orthotics are custom-made devices that reduce stress, relieve pain and properly align your foot and ankle. Orthotics come in two different categories, functional and accommodative. Functional orthotics are usually made of semi-rigid material, like plastic, and are used to treat foot pain caused by abnormal motion like tendinitis and shin splits. Accommodative orthotics are made of softer material to cushion the feet and relieve pain caused by ulcers or growths.

Regular physical therapy with exercises and stretching can improve conditions like plantar fasciitis, sprains or tendinitis. Physical therapy is also used for pre-surgical training and post-surgical recovery.

Cortisone injections are often used to treat foot and ankle conditions like plantar fasciitis and bursitis. A cortisone injection is a strong anti-inflammatory that helps reduce pain and inflammation or arthritis.

Depending on what type of foot condition you have, we might recommend surgery. Conditions like fractures, arthritis or bunions are often treated with surgery.