Family Foot and Ankle Center

07/03/2022

04/28/2022

04/26/2022

Get your feet ready for Summer. If you have painful bunions and hammertoes, or diseased toenails, call our office for an appointment. We will help you get your feet ready for Summer. If you do not have any issues with your feet, use the guide below.

04/18/2022

Worried about a non-healing wound on your foot?
Your skin is your body’s first line of defense. Wound care is far more than fixing a wound, it is a process of investigating the reasons why a wound is not healing.

From poor circulation, uneven pressure distribution on the foot, prominent bones to foot and ankle deformities, wound care is a technical process that requires expert analysis and treatment.

Lingering wounds and ulcers (often due to diabetes), circulation problems, foot deformity, or immobility, can result in severe tissue damage or amputation if left untreated.

Why seek out a podiatrist to treat a foot wound?
Wound examination by a foot and ankle specialist at Family Foot and Ankle Center involves looking at the patient from 4 key vantage points: vascular (meaning your circulation), dermatologic (skin integrity), orthopedic (bones, muscles, and ligaments), and neurologic (nerves). Expertise in these key areas as well as in lower extremity biomechanics, structural deformities, and the nuances of both surgical and nonsurgical interventions used to treat wounds makes our podiatrists uniquely qualified to treat challenging wounds.

Our goals at Family Foot and Ankle Center are simple. Attempt to salvage all of the foot and ankle in a timely and cost-effective manner. Avoid amputation at all expense, if possible, and get the patient back to their life in a pain-free and rapid manner. Protect the foot from further ulceration and keep our patients on their feet for years to come. This may seem simple, but it is far more complicated than expected and requires a comprehensive approach from an expert team.

03/29/2022

ARE YOU EXPERIENCING CHRONIC HEEL PAIN?
Do you experience sharp pain when you get out of bed in the morning?
Do you have heel pain when you walk or stand for periods of time?
Get relief from your heel pain today!
Dr. Leonard R. La Russa of Family Foot and Ankle Center can help you.
Call today to schedule an appointment (229) 931-0505.

02/11/2022

If you experience any of the symptoms in this video, call Family Foot and Ankle Center for an appointment with Dr. La Russa, who is renowned in the field of podiatry. To schedule an appointment call our office at 229-931-0505, or click on the CALL NOW button.

Managing the complications of diabetes can be just as tricky as managing the condition itself. By the end of this video, you'll know all about the optimal ma...

02/05/2022

In general, you can lower your risk of diabetes-related complications by keeping your blood sugar in the goal range and seeing your doctors for regular checkups. You can also lower your risk of developing foot problems by examining your feet regularly. This way, if problems do occur, you are more likely to notice them right away so you can get the proper treatment. It may take time and effort to build good foot care habits, but it is an essential part of diabetes management.

RISK FACTORS

Over time, diabetes that is not carefully managed can lead to foot complications. You have an increased risk of developing foot problems if you:

●Have had a foot ulcer in the past

●Have nerve damage

●Have any foot deformities

●Have poor circulation

If you have any of these risk factors (discussed in more detail below), particularly a previous foot ulcer, you may be at increased risk of foot problems if you take medications called sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors to manage your blood sugar. SGLT2 inhibitors, particularly canagliflozin, may increase your risk of requiring toe amputations. Your health care provider can talk to you about other medication options.

Past foot ulcer — Once you have had a foot ulcer, even if it heals completely, you are at an increased risk of developing ulcers again in the future.

Nerve damage — Over time, high blood sugar levels can damage the nerves that carry sensation; this nerve damage is known as "diabetic neuropathy." Because people with neuropathy may lose their ability to sense pain, they are at increased risk for injuring the feet; even a minor injury can become serious quickly if it goes unnoticed. Nerve damage can also weaken certain foot muscles and contribute to foot deformities.

A diabetes care and education specialist is your partner in diabetes management. They'll get to know you and work with you to create a management plan indivi...