How your foot doctors in Land O’Lakes, FL, can keep your feet and ankles healthy

It’s always a good time to see a podiatrist because a podiatrist can treat foot, ankle, and toe conditions to keep you mobile and active. Taking care of your feet can improve your overall health.

Drs. George and Kathy Tjamaloukas at Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Center in Land O’Lakes, FL, provides a wide range of foot and ankle services, to keep your feet and ankles healthy.

Seeing your podiatrist is especially important if you suffer from medical conditions like diabetes because diabetes directly affects your feet. Diabetes causes problems with your immune, circulatory, and nervous systems and can result in:

• Delayed healing or infection of open wounds
• Poor blood flow, resulting in amputations
• Loss of nerve sensation or peripheral neuropathy

Your podiatrist can help keep your feet from suffering due to diabetes. Foot doctors also treat:

• Bunions
• Hammertoe
• Ingrown toenails
• Toenail fungus
• Plantar fasciitis
• Flat feet
• Lateral ankle instability
• Strains, sprains, and fractures

If you have acute foot, ankle, or toe problems, you should see your podiatrist if:

• You can’t walk or stand due to foot pain
• You don’t feel stable when you walk or stand
• You have foot pain that doesn’t go away
• You have a fever accompanied by foot pain
• You can’t put on shoes due to foot pain
• Your mobility is affected due to foot pain

Your podiatrist also offers a wide variety of orthotics, which can help with:

• Flat feet
• Bunions
• Hammertoe
• Plantar fasciitis

Foot surgery may also be recommended by your podiatrist for:

• Bunion removal
• Hammertoe realignment
• Foot realignment
• Correction of lateral ankle instability

Don’t suffer from foot, toe, or ankle pain when relief is just a phone call away.

To learn more about when to see your podiatrist and how your foot doctor can keep your feet and ankles healthy, call Drs. George and Kathy Tjamaloukas at Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Center in Land O’Lakes, FL. You can reach them in the office by calling (813) 909-0865, so call now.

Find out if your ankle weakness could be due to instability and how to treat it.

Ankles that feel as if they might give out, particularly on the outer side of the ankle, are always a cause for concern, as this could be due to chronic ankle instability. Repeated ankle sprains that did not heal as they should or were not cared for properly are usually the main causes of chronic ankle instability and ankle pain. Fortunately, our Land O’ Lakes, FL, podiatrist Dr. George Tjamaloukas and Dr. Kathy Tjamaloukas at Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Center can help.

When you sprain an ankle the ligaments are either torn or stretched. The purpose of treatment is to help strengthen the muscles around the ankle to help improve balance and facilitate healing of the ligaments. But if you don’t seek treatment from our Land O’ Lakes and Wesley Chapel, FL, foot doctors then you could end up dealing with multiple ankle sprains, chronic ankle pain, and ankle instability in the future.

Do I have ankle instability?

Those with this condition may experience any of these symptoms:

• Chronic pain, swelling, and tenderness
• An unstable ankle
• An ankle that turns in while walking or during physical activity

If you are experiencing chronic or persistent ankle pain it might be due to ankle instability or you could be dealing with another issue. This is why you should visit our Land O’ Lakes, FL, foot and ankle team right away for diagnosis and treatment. X-rays or other imaging tests are often needed to diagnose ankle instability.

How is ankle instability treated?

The million-dollar question! The results of your tests, the severity of your symptoms, and how physically active you are will determine whether you will require nonsurgical or surgical treatment. The most common non-surgical options include,

• Pain relievers: Taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen can target both pain and inflammation.
• Ankle brace: Wearing an ankle brace can provide stability and support for the ankle and prevent it from turning outward. Wearing a brace can also protect the ankle from future sprains.
• Physical therapy: By incorporating stretching and strengthening exercises into your daily routine you can retrain and strengthen muscles to reduce pain and improve movement and balance. We can show you the best exercises to improve your ankle instability.

Do I need surgery?

If your problem is severe or if nonsurgical treatments aren’t giving you the results you need the next step may be surgery. The purpose of surgery is to repair the damaged ligament or ligaments. If surgery is necessary we would be happy to sit down with you and discuss your options.

Don’t let ankle problems keep you from your life. Turn to our podiatrists Dr. George Tjamaloukas and Dr. Kathy Tjamaloukas and the team at Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Center in Land O’ Lakes, FL, and serving Wesley Chapel, FL. Call us at (813) 909-0865.

Maybe you stepped strangely onto a toy or curb and your ankle feels slightly sore. This is a common occurrence, but when is it something that requires help and treatment? Dr. George Tjamaloukas and Dr. Kathy Tjamaloukas at Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Center in Land O’ Lakes, FL, and serving Wesley Chapel, FL, can explain when you may be experiencing an ankle sprain and when you should visit your podiatrist for care.

When to Visit for a Sprained Ankle

If you accidentally stepped incorrectly and twisted your ankle, you will experience pain fairly immediately. Some ankle sprains are more severe than others, so when should you visit your podiatrist in Land O’ Lakes, FL, and serving Wesley Chapel, FL?

As soon as you experience what could be a sprained ankle, you should visit your podiatrist for care as soon as possible. When a sprain is left untreated, it can cause long-term issues and further damage in the future. It’s possible that you may have just walked funny and not experienced an ankle sprain, so it’s important to recognize when you may have sprained your ankle.

The most common symptoms of an ankle sprain include swelling and bruising. It can be difficult to walk and cause reoccurring pain. You should be resting and elevating your ankle and applying ice throughout the day to deal with swelling. Your podiatrist may also recommend compressive bandages to help stop your ankle from continuing to twist or sit in strange positions.

When an ankle sprain is severe and doesn’t seem to heal, surgery may be required to repair the damaged ligaments. It’s important to closely follow your treatment plan so that your ankle can heal and you can continue to walk and participate in activities that you enjoy.

Contact Your Podiatrist Today!

Don’t let your sprained ankle go untreated. Contact Dr. George Tjamaloukas and Dr. Kathy Tjamaloukas at Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Center in Land O’ Lakes, FL, and serving Wesley Chapel, FL, to treat your ankle sprain and improve your quality of life. Call for more information and to schedule your appointment today at (813) 909-0865.

Are you experiencing problems with your feet? A foot specialist has received specialized training to help you take care of your feet. There are a number of problems with your feet that an experienced doctor might be able to treat. What are a few examples of conditions that a podiatrist might be able to help you with? Dr. George Tjamaloukas and Dr. Kathy Tjamaloukas of Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Center, a foot doctor serving Wesley Chapel, FL, located in Land O' Lakes, FL, can help you.

Acute Injuries to Your Feet

If you have suffered an acute injury to your feet, a podiatrist may be able to help you. For example, you may have a significant cut, scrape, or laceration that has to be treated. Or, you might have stepped on something, suffering a puncture wound.

You may even have a stress fracture, a ligament sprain, or a tendon strain that has to be addressed. If you have sustained an acute injury to your foot, you should work with a podiatrist who can help you figure out the best way to treat this issue.

Managing Chronic Conditions

If you have been diagnosed with a chronic condition involving your feet, then you should work with a foot doctor in Wesley Chapel, FL who can help you. For example, you may have been diagnosed with a condition called hammertoes, which can lead to deformities of your feet. A podiatrist can help you figure out the best way to treat this issue.

You might have been diagnosed with diabetes and developed diabetic neuropathy impacting your feet. This is another common condition that a doctor can help you address.

Completing the Recovery After Surgery

There are some situations where you may need surgery to fix issues with your feet. Perhaps you have a genetic condition that has to be corrected, or maybe you have suffered an acute fracture that needed to be repaired by an orthopedic surgeon. If that is the case, you need a local doctor who can help you manage the recovery process. This is another area where a podiatrist might be able to help you.

You need to improve your strength, flexibility, and mobility after surgery. You should work with a professional who can develop a comprehensive plan of care for you.

Work with a Reliable Podiatrist

These are just a few of the many examples of conditions that a foot doctor serving Wesley Chapel, FL can help you treat. Dr. George Tjamaloukas and Dr. Kathy Tjamaloukas of Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Center in Land O' Lakes, FL can help you manage conditions with your feet. Call 813-909-0865 to make an appointment.

If you're looking for a new podiatrist in Land O'Lakes, FL, Dr. George Tjamaloukas and Dr. Kathy Tjamaloukas of Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Center treat patients in Land O' Lakes, FL, and the Wesley Chapel, FL, area. If you've never seen a podiatrist, your podiatrist's goal is to help you stay healthy and on your feet later in life. Keep reading about podiatry and foot health and come see us, especially if your feet are in pain!

Podiatrist in Land O'Lakes, FL

A podiatrist specializes in diagnosing and treating conditions affecting the feet, ankles, and related structures of the leg. It's important for diabetics and athletes to have a close relationship with a podiatrist. Diabetics are prone to foot problems because of decreased circulation to the extremities, and athletes are more likely to have foot injuries. Even if you don't have a preexisting condition or injury, a podiatrist is an important resource to help you take control of your foot health. When you have pain in a foot you can overcompensate for it as you walk around, and this often leads to other injuries and foot problems. Don't hesitate to see a podiatrist in Land O'Lakes, FL, when you are in pain.

Treating your feet

Your podiatrist will evaluate your feet and may ask to see your current footwear. Observing the wear patterns can help them determine where your problems or your pain are coming from. Like any doctor, your podiatrist will be interested in your family's medical history, so come to a first appointment with as much information as you can. Be honest with your doctor, because your podiatrist will consider your regular exercise habits when prescribing treatment.

Your podiatrist can help you with any foot ailment, from a foot fungus or an ingrown toenail to a complete fracture. Treatment recommendations from your podiatrist can include medications, prescription orthotics, lifestyle changes, and stretches and exercises for your feet. The goal is always to keep you healthy and on your feet!

At Comprehensive Foot and Ankle Center, Dr. George Tjamaloukas and Dr. Kathy Tjamaloukas treat all kinds of foot ailments and can help you stay healthy and on your feet! Contact us for an appointment in the Wesley Chapel, FL, area, and Land O'Lakes, FL, at (813) 909-0865.