Podiatrist and Foot Specialist in Nassau County

Plantar fasciitis is the single most common reason Nassau County patients call us. The classic sign is pain under the heel with your first steps in the morning or after sitting, which eases as you walk and comes back by evening. A heel spur is a small hook of bone that often shows up on the X-ray alongside it. The spur is rarely the real cause of the pain; the inflamed plantar fascia is, which is why most heel spurs never need to be removed.

We start with an exam and an X-ray in the office, then a plan built around stretching, taping, supportive shoes and custom orthotics. Most patients improve within weeks. For heel pain that has lasted months, we offer shockwave therapy, and for the small number of cases that still do not respond, a minimally invasive endoscopic plantar fasciotomy done through a tiny incision. More on our heel pain treatment page and our guide to plantar fasciitis and heel spurs.

A rolled ankle stepping off a curb, a toe stubbed hard enough to turn purple, or a foot that started aching after you upped your running mileage. Foot and ankle injuries are where getting seen quickly matters, because a fracture treated like a sprain can heal badly. We take X-rays on site, so in most cases you leave the first visit knowing whether a bone is broken.

Sprains are treated with bracing, a structured return to walking and a home exercise program. Broken toes and stable fractures are usually managed in the office with a boot or a stiff-soled shoe. Ankle injuries that keep giving way months later, which is common after a bad sprain, get a full workup for ligament damage. See our page on ankle sprains for what recovery looks like.

An ingrown toenail starts as tenderness along the side of the nail and can turn into redness, swelling and drainage within days. Soaking and cutting at it at home usually makes it worse. In the office we numb the toe and remove the ingrown edge of the nail in a visit that takes about 15 minutes, and most people are back in regular shoes within a day or two. If the same nail keeps growing in, we can treat the root so that edge does not grow back. Read more about ingrown toenail care.

A bunion is a bony bump at the base of the big toe that forms as the toe drifts toward the others. It tends to run in families and gets worse over time, especially in narrow shoes. Early on, wider footwear, padding and custom orthotics can keep it comfortable for years. When the bump becomes painful every day or the big toe starts crowding the second toe into a hammer toe, surgical correction is the long-term fix, and we will walk you through recovery time and what to expect before you decide. Learn more about bunion treatment.

Shockwave therapy uses pulses of acoustic energy to restart healing in tissue that has stalled, most often the plantar fascia and the Achilles tendon. Treatments are done in the office in short sessions with no incision and no anesthesia, and you walk out and go about your day. It is a good option for heel and tendon pain that has not improved after a few months of stretching and orthotics, and it often lets patients avoid surgery. Details on our shockwave therapy page.

We participate with many insurance plans used across Nassau County. Because plans and networks change, the quickest way to be sure is to call (516) 826-9000 with your insurance card in hand, and we will confirm your coverage before you come in. You can also review the list of participating insurances. Some plans require a referral from your primary care doctor before a podiatry visit, and we will tell you if yours does.

If you have diabetes, a yearly foot exam is one of the simplest ways to prevent serious problems. Diabetes can reduce feeling in the feet, so a blister, corn or small cut can go unnoticed and turn into an ulcer. We check sensation and circulation, take care of nails, corns and calluses safely, and work with your primary care doctor. Burning, tingling or numb feet are often peripheral neuropathy, and diabetes is the most common cause. If burning comes on suddenly along with weakness or numbness on one side of the body, call 911. More on diabetic foot care.