A podiatrist has years of training in the health and function of your feet and lower extremities. Are you considering seeing a foot doctor? At CFAC Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Center, Dr. George Tjamaloukas and Dr. Kathy Tjamaloukas are the best podiatrists in the Wesley Chapel, FL, area. They'll help you optimize your mobility, circulation, comfort, and more.

Why should I see a podiatrist?

Most people ages 40 and over, see some changes in how their feet work and feel. So, having a baseline examination by your podiatrist is a good idea. He or she will look at your feet, see how you walk, take X-rays as needed, and form a care plan to keep your feet healthy and to address any problems.

Additionally, if you suffer from an acquired deformity, such as a bunion or hammertoes, have a chronic health condition, such as arthritis or diabetes, or see or feel changes in your feet, contact CFAC Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Center for an appointment. As always, prevention is the best way to preserve your podiatric and overall health.

Other reasons to see a foot doctor

See Dr. Tjamaloukas if:

• You have a sudden injury from a fall, motor vehicle accident, or sports.
• You see a change in skin texture, color, or temperature.
• Your feet hurt or have sore spots or wounds which do not heal quickly.
• You wish to start an athletic pursuit, such as running (your foot doctor will make sure you don't overdo it and that you wear the right shoes).
• Corns and calluses become thick and uncomfortable (never do bathroom surgery, particularly if you are diabetic or have problems with circulation).
• Athlete's foot persists despite over the counter medications.
• Have ingrown and/or yellow, thick toenails.
• Trimming your toenails yourself is very difficult.
• Your heels and arches hurt.

Be prepared for your appointment

Here's how to get the most out of your visit with your podiatrist:

1. Wear your usual shoes and clean socks.
2. Be specific about any symptoms you have. For example, what provokes them, and how long they last?
3. Bring your list of medications, and tell your podiatrist about any chronic health conditions you have.
4. If you have sustained an injury, tell how it happened and how you feel as a result.

We want to help

Seeing your podiatrist is always a good thing. At CFAC Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Center in Wesley Chapel, FL, Dr. George Tjamaloukas and Dr. Kathy Tjamaloukas will help you with current conditions and help you avoid future problems. Call us! We're here to help: (813) 909-0865. We will be moving office locations to Land O' Lakes, FL. Our projected move will be on June 1st, 2020.

Talk with your podiatrist to find out if surgery is the best way to treat your foot or ankle problem.

From athletes to seniors, our Wesley Chapel, FL, podiatrists, Drs. George and Kathy Tjamaloukas, work with patients of all different ages, lifestyles, and backgrounds to ensure that they are able to move comfortably and easily through life without pain. Unfortunately, there are injuries and diseases that can affect the long-term health of your feet and ankles.

While most of the patients who walk through our doors complaining of foot and ankle pain will not need surgery in order to treat the underlying problem, our podiatrists will still want to perform an evaluation in their Wesley Chapel, FL, office to determine the cause of your pain. Once we have made a diagnosis, then we know how to properly proceed.

What conditions may benefit from foot and ankle surgery?

Unfortunately, feet and ankles are unfortunately vulnerable to injury. Add all the jumping, running and moving we do all day, and we are putting a lot of added stress on these parts of our body. One misstep, and suddenly you’re dealing with a sprained ankle or broken foot. While some injuries will heal with ample rest and proper nonsurgical treatments, you may require surgery if you are dealing with:

• Osteoarthritis: Common in older individuals, this type of arthritis causes the cartilage of the joints to wear down, leading to pain, stiffness, and bone spurs.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis: This autoimmune disorder attacks the joints, causing significant joint pain and swelling. Rheumatoid arthritis can lead to severe joint deformities and significantly impact a person’s ability to move.
• Posttraumatic Arthritis: This form of arthritis develops after a serious foot or ankle injury such as a fracture or dislocation.
• Bunions: A condition that pushes the joint at the base of the big toe out of alignment
• Severe Ankle Fracture: A broken bone in the ankle
• Hammertoe: Another deformity that affects the middle joint of the smaller toes, causing them to curl. Most hammertoes are flexible, but if a hammertoe becomes rigid, the toe will become immovable.

Again, many of these progressive conditions and deformities can be managed with simple home care; however, you may benefit from foot and ankle surgery if you are dealing with:

• Severe and chronic foot pain
• Pain that doesn’t respond to nonsurgical treatment
• Pain that flares up with movement or exercise
• An extremely large and painful bunion
• A rigid hammertoe
• Joint swelling and significant joint damage
• Severe joint tenderness
• Difficulty walking due to any of the issues above

Concerned? Give us a call

If you have been dealing with persistent and long-term foot and ankle pain, then it’s high time that you got some answers. The team at Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Center in Wesley Chapel, FL, is dedicated to helping you lead a pain-free life. Call us today at (813) 909-0865 to schedule an evaluation.

It isn’t always easy to figure out what’s causing your ankle pain. A podiatrist can help.

If you are noticing ankle pain at any point in time or after an accident it’s important that you don’t ignore it. While ankle pain is often the result of sprain it can also be caused by instability, tendonitis, a fracture or arthritis, to name a few. Of course, if ankle pain is severe, persistent or affecting your ability to move around then it’s time to turn to our Wesley Chapel, FL, podiatrists Drs. George and Kathy Tjamaloukas.

Signs of a Sprain

Ankle sprains are one the most common sports injury; therefore, if you experience ankle pain, swelling, bruising or other problems after a fall or tackle on the field then you could be dealing with a sprained ankle. While mild cases can often be treated with the traditional RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) method, it’s important that you see your Wesley Chapel, FL, podiatrist if symptoms don’t respond to at-home care or are severe.

While sprains affect the ligament and strains affect the muscles, it isn’t always easy to tell the difference between a sprain and a strain. The RICE method is almost all that’s needed to treat a strain while a sprain will often require additional care.

Signs of a Fracture

If you are dealing with a fractured ankle it’s important that you seek immediate medical attention. After an accident or injury, here are some telltale signs of a fractured ankle,

• Immediate and intense throbbing pain
• Pain that gets worse when moving the ankle
• Bruising
• Tenderness to the touch
• A visible deformity
• Swelling

If you suspect that you or your child has fractured their ankle bring them in right away for care. Along with at-home care, your doctor may recommend splinting or bracing the ankle, or even using crutches to take the weight off the affected foot while it heals. Severe fractures may require surgery.

Signs of Arthritis

It’s easy to determine the cause of your ankle pain if you experienced an accident, but it’s a little harder to pinpoint if you aren’t sure why you are dealing with pain. Arthritis is a chronic condition that leads to joint pain, and it often affects the joints in the ankle and foot. Along with joint pain, it’s also common to experience inflammation and stiffness. There are many different types of arthritis so it’s important to see your podiatrist for a diagnosis.

If pain persists it’s important not to ignore your condition. Call Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Center in Wesley Chapel, FL, today at (813) 909-0865 to schedule an appointment.

It's very important to look after your feet if you have diabetes. Diabetics are more prone to foot problems. You can reduce the chances of having foot problems by taking good care of your feet every day. Led by Dr. George Tjamaloukas and Dr. Kathy Tjamaloukas, Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Center (located in Land O' Lakes, FL) provides diabetic foot care to the patients they serve. Read on to discover the importance of proper diabetic foot care.

How Diabetes Can Harm Your Feet

Diabetes can cause decreased blood flow to your feet and loss of feeling known as neuropathy. Loss of feeling often means you may not feel an injury. Gangrene can occur in diabetics who unknowingly injure a foot or toe. Neglecting ulcers can result in an infection.

Reasons to Check Your Feet

Checking your feet every day will help you spot problems early before they get worse. Try to do it at a regular time each day like when you take your shoes off in the evening. Look for problems such as a change in color, sores, cuts, blisters, splinters, ingrown toenails, calluses, corns, and plantar warts. Immediately report any skin changes to your podiatrist.

Why You Should See a Podiatrist

All diabetic patients should have a podiatrist. Podiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in foot and ankle care, including the treatment of diabetes-related foot problems. See your doctor regularly, even if you don't have any problems with your feet. Get your feet checked by your healthcare provider at every visit. Your healthcare provider will play a key role in helping you manage your condition successfully and prevent foot complications.

When you have diabetes, your feet need extra TLC. Call Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Center at 813-909-0865 today to schedule an appointment with one of our podiatrists in Land O' Lakes, FL. Practicing good foot care and seeing a podiatrist on a regular basis will go a long way toward keeping your feet healthy.

Heel pain is an exceedingly common issue, particularly among runners and athletes. While systemic illnesses such as arthritis can sometimes be to blame for heel pain, more often than not our Wesley Chapel, FL, podiatrists Drs. George and Kathy Tjamaloukas can pinpoint a localized injury or condition that is causing the cause. Some of the most common causes of heel pain include:

Plantar fasciitis

This is the most common cause of heel pain, and it results from microtears in the fibers of the plantar fascia, a thick ligament that stretches from the toes to the heel bone. Plantar fasciitis can occur in anyone but it’s more common in,

• Runners
• Athletes who play high-impact sports
• People with diabetes
• People who have to stand for long periods of time throughout the day
• Pregnant women

The classic sign of plantar fasciitis is pain that occurs at the bottom of the heel. This pain may also radiate to the arches, as the plantar fascia is responsible for arch support. Along with pain, you may notice stiffness, as well. These symptoms are often worse in the morning or after extended periods of rest.

Achilles tendonitis

A term referring to inflammation of the Achilles tendon, this condition is caused by overstressing the feet. Although Achilles tendonitis will also cause heel pain and stiffness, the pain won’t originate at the bottom of the heel, but above the heel bone instead. You may notice that that pain gets worse with activity, and swelling around the heel bone may also be present.

Heel spur

A heel spur is a calcium deposit that results in the development of a hard protrusion around heel bone. Some people who have plantar fasciitis may also deal with a heel spur. Like plantar fasciitis, the pain may be sharp and painful in the morning or after rest. You may notice a dull, persistent ache throughout the day, as well as inflammation and swelling. Sometimes you may even see a bony bump sticking out from the bottom of the heel.

Need relief? Give our Wesley Chapel office a call!

If heel pain is making it difficult to get around, it’s important that you get the care you need. Call Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Center in Wesley Chapel, FL, today at(586) 771-1460 to schedule an evaluation for your heel pain!