Treatments
Ankle arthroscopy: keyhole surgery for an ankle that never settled
An ankle that still hurts, swells or gives way months after a sprain often has a treatable problem inside the joint. How keyhole surgery finds and fixes it.
Blog
Foot and ankle health, explained
Practical, sourced articles from Dr. Efe Ozturk on heel pain, sports injuries, footwear, diabetes, skin and nail care, and the treatments we use.
More articles
Treatments
Tenex and TenJet: minimally invasive treatment for stubborn plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinitis
When heel or Achilles pain hasn’t improved after months of good care, the next step doesn’t have to be open surgery. How Tenex and TenJet work, what the studies show, and who they suit.
Treatments
Broken ankle: when you need surgery, and when a cast or boot is enough
Many broken ankles heal without an operation. How stability is judged, what the trials show for casts versus surgery, and what recovery looks like.
Treatments
Minimally invasive bunion surgery: what the research says, and who it suits
Studies show less early pain and a smaller scar, similar results at a year, and real trade-offs. What the evidence says, and who it suits.
Sports & running
NFL Week 4 foot and ankle injuries: Edgerrin Cooper’s Achilles, Tyquan Thornton’s ankle and more
A foot and ankle look at NFL Week 4: Edgerrin Cooper’s suspected Achilles tear, Tyquan Thornton’s dislocated ankle and three more ankle injuries, and what each means for athletes at every level.
Sports & running
Justin Jefferson’s ankle sprain: why some sprains cost days and others weeks
What the Vikings reported about Justin Jefferson’s ankle sprain, and why a high ankle sprain can cost weeks instead of days.
Sports & running
Ankles that keep rolling: chronic ankle instability
An ankle that keeps rolling after a sprain is more than bad luck. Why it happens, and what helps.
Heel & arch
A bump on the back of the heel: Haglund’s deformity
A firm bump on the back of your heel that your shoes rub red has a name: Haglund’s deformity. Here’s why it hurts, and how to take the pressure off.
Treatments
Cortisone shots in the foot and ankle: what to expect
What a steroid injection can and can’t do for foot and ankle pain, what to expect at the visit, and the risks worth knowing.
Footwear & prevention
Barefoot and minimalist shoes: who they suit and how to switch
These shoes can suit healthy feet, but the switch, especially an abrupt one, is linked to forefoot and Achilles injuries. How to change safely.
About foot & ankle care
X-ray, ultrasound or MRI: which test for foot pain?
MRI sounds like the most thorough test, but it isn’t always the right first step. Here’s what X-rays, ultrasound, MRI and CT each show, and why we usually start with an exam and an X-ray.
Sports & running
Pain on the outside of the ankle: peroneal tendon problems
Ankle pain that won’t settle after a sprain may be the peroneal tendons. The signs, and how they’re treated.
Heel & arch
Heel spurs: are they really the cause of your heel pain?
Most people with heel spurs have no heel pain. Where the pain really comes from, and what helps.
Toes & nails
Big toe arthritis (hallux rigidus): why your big toe is stiff and sore
A stiff, sore big toe is often arthritis. How it differs from a bunion, and what helps.
Skin
Cracked heels: why they happen and what actually helps
Dry, cracked heels respond to the right daily care. What works, and when a crack needs attention.
Diabetes & wounds
Poor circulation in the feet: the warning signs of peripheral artery disease
Many people with PAD don’t have the symptoms they expect. The signs to watch for in your feet.
Heel & arch
Why does my heel hurt in the morning? Plantar fasciitis explained
That stab of pain with your first steps out of bed is the classic sign of plantar fasciitis. Here’s why it happens and what helps.
Sports & running
Pickleball foot and ankle injuries: how to play longer and hurt less
Pickleball injuries are rising fast. The foot and ankle injuries to know, and how to keep playing without them.
Diabetes & wounds
Diabetes and your feet: the two-minute daily foot check
Diabetes can hide foot injuries from you. A two-minute daily check, and the habits that protect your feet.
Sports & running
Sprained ankle recovery: the first 72 hours and getting back to sport
A week-by-week plan for a sprained ankle, from the first days to getting back to your sport.
Treatments
Does shockwave therapy work for heel pain? What the studies show
Shockwave therapy has strong evidence for stubborn heel pain. What the studies show, and where it fits.
Sports & running
Achilles pain in runners: load, rest and recovery
Why runners get Achilles pain, why rest isn’t the answer, and how to recover without losing your season.
Heel & arch
Plantar fasciitis stretches and exercises that are backed by evidence
The heel pain exercises that have actually been tested in trials, and how to do them properly.
Sports & running
Is it a sprain or a fracture? When an ankle injury needs an X-ray
Swelling and bruising don’t tell you. Here’s how doctors decide whether an ankle injury needs an X-ray.