Our Foot & Ankle Care Services
Feet, those important but often overlooked extremities at the ends of your legs, are subject to all sorts of trauma and pressure throughout your life—including your neglect of them. Sometimes they hold up well, but they often have little “meltdowns” or break down completely. Where do you go when foot problems strike? To an expert on feet, of course! Irving Foot and Ankle is the place to come to relieve foot pain and learn how to treat them properly so they can reward you with a lifetime of service. Following are some of our specialty areas in caring for feet.
Heel Pain
Nothing slows you down quite like sore, aching, painful heels. Whether you’re a runner prepping for your next race, a parent chasing kids around the house, a farmer or factory worker, or a senior trying to stay active and independent, heel pain interferes with daily living and keeps you from what you love.
If you are having any kind of trouble with heel pain, it’s time for a chat with your podiatrist. Don’t shrug it off and pretend it’s just “part of growing older.” It isn’t! Heel pain is not normal, and our team specializes in helping you get rid of it and go back to leading a fulfilling, active life!
Ankle Sprains
Your ankles are delicate, fascinating constructions that might remind you of the inner workings of a watch. Every piece plays a specific role and moves smoothly when all is going well. Injuries happen, however, which can affect any of those complex pieces and provide pain and discomfort for you. An ankle sprain is a rather common one, even for non-athletes. There is a good chance that you have had one—or will have one—at some point in your life.
Bunions
A bunion is a complex structural deformity that affects the foot around the base of the biggest toe.
Essentially, that joint (known as the metatarsal phalangeal joint, or MTP) becomes unstable and shifts out of alignment. The toe itself starts to push toward, against, and sometimes even over the neighboring toe. Meanwhile, an enlarged, bony bump forms along the inside of the foot at the base of the toe.
They can be unsightly and cause pain but fortunately, we can help.
Ingrown Toenails
An ingrown toenail occurs when one edge or corner of a toenail—usually (but not always) on the largest toe—grows into the surrounding nail fold skin.
The most obvious symptoms are pain and tenderness along the nail border. You may also notice redness and swelling of the skin. If the ingrown toenail becomes infected, there may even be pus or a foul odor.
Ingrown toenails can lead to further complications, including fungal nail infections. If you have diabetes or poor circulation, an infected toenail could be a precursor to an amputation if you do not seek treatment immediately.
Nerve Pain
Why does an injury actually hurt? In simple terms, it’s because nerves near the injured area transmit pain signals to the brain, triggering a response.
Well, what happens when the nerves themselves are injured, diseased, or otherwise damaged? The result could be many kinds of painful or uncomfortable sensations, including prickling, freezing, shocking, jabbing, or even hypersensitivity.
Surgery
Although we are highly trained and board-certified in several advanced surgical procedures, our first choice is always going to be solving your foot problem conservatively if it is possible to do so.
But there are still cases where surgery really is the best (or only) way to restore healthy, pain-free function to your feet. If foot pain or mobility issues continue to adversely affect your quality of life on a day-to-day basis, and you’ve exhausted all nonsurgical options that could realistically provide the relief you deserve, it’s time to start considering surgical alternatives.
Full-Service Podiatrist in Irving, TX
We see patients with these issues and others such as sports injuries, infections, or skin and nail conditions. Our goal is to relieve pain and allow you to participate as fully as possible in the life activities you enjoy. Call Dr. Kent Olsen at Irving Foot and Ankle and find the help you need to regain or maintain your foot health. Call (972) 254-0680 , or schedule using our online form and we’ll do our best for you!