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DEPARTMENT OF PODIATRY The Department of Podiatry deals specifically with the feet and the infections and conditions of the foot. There are many conditions that can affect and hurt your feet. There are 26 bones and 107 ligaments in the adult human foot. Many people experience complications with this part of the body and all its ligaments and bones. Our feet support the weight and force of our bodies every time we take a step. Our feet take a daily beating. The most common problems of the feet are associated with constant use, ill-fitting shoes, and improper alignment. The Department of Podiatry at La Peer Health Systems employs some of the most modern and innovative diagnostic tools, treatment methods, and minimally invasive surgical techniques to provide better health care and help patients heal faster with less risk of complications. Some of the most common conditions and procedures treated at La Peer Health Systems include:  Medical Conditions:
Procedures:
Our highly trained podiatrist brings a great deal of experience to La Peer’s Podiatry Department. From bunions to fractures and beyond, the Department of Podiatry at La Peer Health Systems is one of the best departments for this field of medicine in the United States. To request more information, please call the Podiatry Department at (310) 360-9119 or e-mail us at
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COMMON FOOT CONDITIONS Arthritis: Arthritis is a common problem especially among the elderly. Arthritis in the foot can be especially painful as a lot of pressure is placed on the foot while standing and walking. Arthritis in the foot can develop if there has been an underlying foot condition that has not been properly managed and genetics. The symptoms of arthritis in the foot are sharp pain, pain when pressure is applied, absence of pain when sitting, decrease in joint mobility, and bone spurs. Arthritis can develop in the big toe, midfoot, and ankle.
Bone Spurs: Bone spurs are small pieces of bone that form on the bone. They are very common in the foot and heel. The foot regularly experiences pressure, rubbing, and stress. This pressure on the foot can cause the body to develop bone spurs. Bone spurs also commonly occur in patients with arthritis. The cartilage between the bones wears away in patients with arthritis and bone spurs develop. Many patients do not even realize they have bone spurs and experience no symptoms. The signs of a bone spur are pain, swelling near the site of the spur, calluses, and corns. Treatment for bone spurs is required when the spur is causing pain and rubbing against another bone or tendon. The treatment for bone spurs includes surgery, losing weight if necessary, stretching the affected region, ice, and taking an anti-inflammatory drug such as Ibuprofen or Naproxen.  Bunions: A bunion is a deformity that is defined as an unnatural, bony hump that is formed at the base of the big toe where it joins to the foot. In many cases, the big toe deviates towards the other toes, where it also pushes to the first metatarsal bone – the bone directly behind the big toe. Common symptoms of bunions are foot pain, changes in joint of the big toe, callus formation, corn formation, enlargement in the base of the big toe, swelling, and redness. There are two classifications of bunions; the first is an acute bunion, which causes a very sharp, intense pain. It proceeds after a bursitis, which is a sudden outcropping of a fluid-filled sac. It could eventually progress into the second type, Hallux Vagus, where it is described a chronic, pain-free deformity that includes a permanent stiffening of the bones. The causes of bunions are due mostly to gender, genetics, and footwear. Tight and poorly fitting shoes worn over time often lead to bunions. High heels, ballet shoes, and pointed shoes all can cause bunions. Women are more likely to develop bunions, mostly due to fact that women will wear ill-fitting shoes and high heels. Some people are more likely to develop bunions simply due to genetics. If a family member has bunions, you might develop bunions easier if you wear ill-fitting shoes. There are a variety of surgical and non-surgical treatments to treat bunions. The non-surgical treatments are interventions such as avoiding excessive walking, wearing looser (wider) shoes or sandals, avoiding high heels, using ice packs, and taking anti-inflammatory medication. Stretching exercises are also effective in decreasing tension on the inner part of a joint of a bunion. Orthotic devices such as Bunion Splints are worn at night to provide further relief from pain. Depending on the foot structure, custom insoles might provide additional support and facilitates repositioning. A local injection of Cortisone may be administered for inflammation at the base of the big toe.  Diabetic Foot: Diabetic foot problems are becoming a major concern for people. The cause of diabetic foot is the damaged blood vessels and nerves in the body, and especially the feet. Diabetic patients often cannot cuts, blisters, calluses, or sores on the foot. If theses conditions are left untreated, they can develop into serious infections. Meanwhile, because the blood vessels are damaged, blood and oxygen cannot travel to the foot as well and the healing process is impaired. Because of these issues, it is very important to take care of your feet and see a podiatrist if you develop any infections or sores. If you have diabetes, it is important to see a podiatrist if you notice cuts that aren’t healing, nail discoloration, pain, tingling, or difficulty moving your joints. Hammer Toes: A hammer toe is when the toe is permanently pushed back into a claw-like position. It normally occurs with the second toe, but can occur with the other smaller toes. Symptoms of hammertoe are a bent middle toe, foot pain, weak movement of the affected toe, corns, callous formation, and nail changes. The most common cause of hammertoe is wearing ill-fitting shoes that are pointed or too short. In an ill-fitting shoe, the pressure is increased, and pushes the toe back. Therefore, leading to the hammer-like shape of the toe. Women are more prone to hammertoes than men because of the types of shoes women wear. Hammertoes may eventually lead to muscle wasting, and decreased motions in the toes. If the underlying condition is treated early, surgery is oftentimes unnecessary. If left untreated, deformities may eventually lead to dislocated joints. In children, a mild hammer toe can be treated by manipulating and applying a splint in the affected toe. To fix a hammer toe, it is best to wear shoes with a wide toe area, avoid high heels, wear insoles to relieve pressure, and wear corn pads. A foot doctor (podiatrist) can make foot devices such as straighteners and hammer toe regulators as part of the treatment regimen. Gentle stretching exercises can be done if the toe is not in a fixed position. Picking up a towel with the use of your toes can aid in stretching and straightening the foot’s smaller muscles. For a severe hammer toe, an operation called osteotomy might be done to straighten back the joint. Flat Foot: Typically, people have a gap under the arch of the foot when they standing. The arch is found in the inner foot and is slightly elevated from the ground. A flat foot is the absence of this arch. A considerable number of people with flat feet have a painless experience and present no problems at all. Those with flat feet often experience foot pain, leg pain, stiffness, swelling, foot arch abnormalities, calluses, redness, and posture problems. The causes of flat feet can be attributed to genetics, weak arches, injury, nerve disorders such as spina bifida, diabetes, and pregnancy. The most common treatment for flat feet is through interventions and at-home treatments. In most flat foot cases, treatment is not a top priority. Common treatments for flat feet include attempting to align their lower limbs, wearing fitted insoles, wearing more comfortable shoes, wearing ankle braces for posterior tibial tendinities, resting the feet when uncomfortable, wedges, and weight management for overweight patients. If a child has flat feet from a congenital deformity, it may be necessary for the child to have surgery to fix the deformity. Foot deformities: Foot deformities are abnormalities of the foot that are congenital defects or acquired over time. Common foot deformities include club foot, bunions, hammertoe, flat feet, and Calcaneovalgus foot. The treatment for foot deformities depends on the condition. If the deformity is mild, it may be able to be treated with an intervention such as a splint. If the deformity is more severe, surgery is typically required. Fungal Nails: Nail fungus is the growth of fungus in one or more toenails. They can appear as a white or yellow discoloration of the nail. Other symptoms of fungal nails are pain, foul odor, crumbly appearance, thickening, and discoloration of the nail. Because we wear shoes, fungus grows better in the toes because it is a dark, moist area. Those with diabetes have a higher chance of developing toenail fungus. If left untreated, the fungus can spread farther into the nail. Fungal nails do not go away without treatment. The treatment for fungal nails is anti-fungal medication either taken orally, an anti-fungal lacquer to paint on the nail, or a topical medication. It will take about four months for the new nail to grow in and replace the infected nail. Heel Pain: Heel pain is a common condition among adults. There can be many causes of heel pain including being overweight, an abnormal gait, ill-fitting shoes, walking/running on hard surfaces, or injury. Heel spurs, arthritis, and plantar fasciitis are also common causes of heel pain. The treatment for heel pain depends on the underlying cause of the pain. The TOPAZ radiofrequency albation is often successful in relieving heel pain. Morton’s neuroma: Morton’s neuroma is a condition where the tissue around a nerve in the ball of the foot thickens. The most common area neuroma develops is between the third and fourth toes. The sensation has been described as having a pebble stuck beneath the toes, pain, burning, and numbness. The treatment for neuroma include sole inserts, arch supports, custom made shoe inserts, injection therapy, and surgery. Plantar fasciitis: Plantar fasciitis is the inflammation of the tissue on the bottom of the foot, the plantar fascia. The symptoms of plantar fasciitis include pain and stiffness in the bottom of the foot. The most amount of pain is often felt in the morning, after long periods of sitting or standing, and after intense exercise. The most common causes are obesity, sudden weight gain, flat feet, high arches, a tight Achilles tendon, ill-fitting shoes, and long-distance running.  Warts: Warts are benign growths that are caused by the HPV virus. The most common warts found on the feet are plantar warts, subungual warts, and periungual warts. Plantar warts are typically found on the soles of the feet. Subungal and periungual warts are found around or under the toenails. Most warts are easily identified. The most common symptoms are round or oval raised bumps on the skin and they are often painful under pressure. There is no medication that will cure warts, but they can be removed surgically.If you are experiencing foot pain or have an existing foot condition, please call the Department of Podiatry to schedule an appointment at 310-360-9119 or email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . You can find relief from your foot pain and find a solution. PROCEDURES FOR FOOT PROBLEMS
 Bunion surgery: Bunion surgery aims to correct toe deformities and relieve the pain experienced. It is classified into two categories, namely the head and base procedures. In the head procedure, an operation is done on the joint of the big toe while the base procedure is done on the joint behind the largest toe. There are numerous sub procedures that are done in different sections of the toe mainly because of its different components. Cheilectomy: A cheilectomy is surgery to remove the bone spurs at the base of the big toe. Osteotomy (Hammertoe surgery): An osteotomy is used to correct a severe hammer toe. The surgery involves cutting and moving tendons and ligaments, and sometimes the bones, on each joint are needed to be fused or connected to each other. In most cases, this is an out patient surgery and the patient is allowed to go home on the day of the surgery. Necessary treatments are done to reduce pain threshold and eliminate walking discomforts. Ankle surgery: Ankle surgery can can be used to treat a variety of conditions. It is used to treat fractures, arthritis, chronic ankle pain, or torn ligaments. Injection therapy for Morton’s neuroma: To relieve the pain, a doctor may inject cortisone into the sight to help relieve pain around the nerve. There are other injection therapies for neuroma which include injecting a ethanol mixture into the site of the affected nerve. Surgical treatment for Morton’s neuroma: There are a few surgical treatments for neuroma. The first surgical option is to cut away some of the ligaments around the pinched nerve to allow to decompress. If the nerve is extensively damaged, a podiatrist may surgically remove part of the nerve to relieve the pain. The incision is typically made on the top of the foot to reduce healing time and reduce the risk of infection Surgical treatment for flat feet: Surgical treatment for flat feet is used if other treatments have not helped or relieved the pain. There are many surgical techniques used to treat flat feet. It is best to discuss the options with a podiatrist. Surgery for Arthritis: When surgery is required to treat arthritis, the goal is to reduce pain without decreasing functionality. The surgery often involves removing the buildup of scar tissue in the joint to increase mobility and reduce pain. TOPAZ Radiofrequency Ablation for chronic heel pain or tendon injury: This procedure is used for serious, chronic foot pain. The TOPAZ procedure is typically used to treat plantar fasciitis and tendon pain. The procedure is minimally invasive and produces good results. The doctor will prod the tendons in the plantar fascia. The body reacts by healing injured tendons in the plantar fascia and subsequently relieving the pain. Wart Surgery: Warts can be very painful if they are located on the bottom of the foot. If warts are painful, it is best to have them surgically removed as they will not go away quickly on their own. There are three surgical options for warts: curettage, laser, electrosurgery.
If you are experiencing foot pain or have an existing foot condition, please call the Department of Podiatry to schedule an appointment 310-360-9119 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . You can find relief from your foot pain and find a solution. DoctorsDr. Jamshidinia at Tower Foot and Ankle Surgery is a board certified foot surgeon trained in all areas of foot and |
