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I'm afraid to go to a podiatrist, but I know I should. What can I do?
Don't put it off any longer. Make a call to our friendly staff and tell them about your fears. By developing a relationship with us, you are also involving yourself with your treatment plan. We can discuss options to help you control and decide your own treatment and techniques to help you relax and feel more comfortable during your visit.
Are you accepting new patients?
Absolutely! We will always accept new patients and look forward to exceeding your expectations with our foot and ankle care. To schedule an appointment with us please call (219)663-2273.
Do you accept referrals?
We love referrals – from other foot and ankle doctors as well from happy, satisfied patients. In fact, your referral is the highest compliment that you can give our practice. We welcome your referrals and will always strive to accommodate the needs of your friends and family. However, you might send your enemies elsewhere!
Do you offer weekend or evening appointments?
Yes! We are open Saturdays from 8 am to 12 pm and Wednesdays from 8:30 am to 6 pm.
What are your hours?
We see patients Monday through Saturday.
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday we open at 8 am and close at 5pm. Wednesday we are open from 8 am to 6 pm, but close from 12 to 1:30 for our weekly team meeting. Saturday we are open from 8 am to 12 pm.
If you need an early or late appointment, be sure to let us know and we will do our best to work around your schedule. To schedule an appointment with us please call (219)663-2273.
How soon can you see me?
We pride ourselves on being able to see most patients within 48 hours of them calling our office. However, if you are in severe pain or have an infection, please let the receptionist know and we will try to see you even sooner. To schedule an appointment with us please call (219)663-2273.
Can I choose which doctor works on me?
You can always request your "favorite" doctor. We note this in your file and make every effort to insure that you get treatment from the doctor you want. Occasionally, due to illness or some unavoidable delay, we are unable to honor these requests. If this happens you will be offered the option to reschedule or see the other doctor.
Where are you located?
Friendly Foot Care is located at the corner of Broadway and 94th Place, just south of the V.A. Clinic and across from the Ace Hardware. Turn in at the big blue and white sign that says, “Crownhurst Centre.”
The address is 50 West 94th Place. Our phone number is (219)663-2273.
What makes you different than any other foot and ankle practices I can visit?
If you choose to visit us, you will not have to ask that question. In our most humble opinion, nowhere on this planet will you find an atmosphere that combines a sincere, amiable staff attitude in a relaxing, technologically advanced setting quite like what you will find here. More importantly, we pride ourselves in our integrity and on really caring about each patient. For example, every patient who has surgery is personally called by the doctor within 24 hours and each of these patients is given the doctor’s pager number in case they have a question or concern. Our goal is providing what you want or need in foot and ankle care, whether that is alleviating a painful bunion or simply discussing the best shoes for you, in the most compassionate, caring way possible.
Is it normal for my feet or ankles to hurt?
Foot and ankle pain is never normal. “Pain” is the body’s way of letting us know something is wrong. If you are having any type of pain, you should discuss it with the doctor. Often, foot or ankle pain can be alleviated relatively quickly and easily, sometimes in just one visit.
My family doctor says my foot or ankle pain is just arthritis. Can anything be done?
Possibly. Many types of arthritis pain can be easily and quickly alleviated. Sometimes we use tiny-incision arthroscopic surgery to “clean out” the arthritis.
What about my children, should I be concerned about the way my child walks?
If you are worried about the way your child walks or have a pertinent family foot health history, then you should bring your child in for a visit. Pediatric problems are often best addressed as early as possible.
I have diabetes. Should I see you?
Yes. Anyone with diabetes should see us at least once a year. The doctor will evaluate your feet to assess the risk for complications like nerve damage and circulation problems. You may benefit from a simple shoe modification or special insole (orthotic) to help distribute pressure across the bottom of your feet and help prevent open sores or infections from developing.
My feet are numb. Can you help me?
Possibly. Numbness, including burning, tingling and shooting pains (pins and needles) may be due to diabetic neuropathy or other types of neuropathy. The doctors will thoroughly evaluate the cause of your numbness, burning or tingling and in some cases they will be able to restore normal sensation. Please see Nerve Problems, Neuropathy and Numbness .
I was told that orthotics can help me. What is an orthotic?
An orthotic is a custom-made arch support that slips into a shoe and oftentimes alleviates many kinds of foot, ankle, leg, knee, hip, back pain and just plain tired, cramping feet. Dr. Nirenberg first thought about becoming a podiatrist when a podiatrist alleviated his father’s knee pain with orthotics. In those days patients had to have a mold of their feet made with plaster, which often took up to a half hour and was quite messy. Today, some doctors still cast patients’ feet for orthotics. Here at Friendly Foot Care we make most of our patients’ orthotics using the new 3DO digital computer system (and we are proud to say that we were the first doctors in Indiana to utilize this technology!)
Can serious medical problems first show up in the feet or ankles?
Your feet and ankles are often a mirror of your general health. Such conditions as arthritis, diabetes, nerve problems, circulatory disorders and even thyroid problems, can show their initial symptoms in the feet or ankles -- so foot or ankle ailments can be your first sign of more serious medical problems.
I love your web site, and would like to know who did yours! Can you connect me to the designer?
Thank you! We're very proud of our new web site and appreciate your interest. Please contact Network One at netonenwi@gmail.com.
I heard your doctors often do a plastic surgery closure when patients need surgery. What is this?
Depending on the patient and their particular foot or ankle problem, the doctors will often use plastic surgery techniques to close the skin. This is something that, as far as we know, sets our practice apart from most others. All the sutures are buried under the skin and they all dissolve. Typically, this results in a much less visible scar and patients love not having to have sutures removed.
What is diagnostic ultrasound?
Diagnostic ultrasound is a quick and painless way to evaluate the soft-tissues (tendons, ligaments, nerves, muscles, etc.) of the foot and ankle. It is similar to sonar used on submarines by the military and fetal ultrasound used by OB-GYN doctors to evaluate the developing baby. In experienced hands, the images and information obtained from the ultrasound can provide as much information as much more expensive and time-consuming tests such as MRI and CT-Scans. We were among the first podiatrists in Northwest Indiana to offer this technology, and often use it to when treating tendonitis, heel pain, pinched nerves and neuromas, puncture wounds caused by stepping on glass or wood, and deep infections in the foot or ankle. Click here to see our diagnostic ultrasound.
Shockwave is really a misnomer and does not involve any type of electrical shock, but rather a small sonic boom similar to a super sonic jet breaking the sound barrier. The same technology is used to break up kidney stones. In the early 1990's, it was discovered that this high intensity sound wave benefited wound and fracture healing. It utilizes a high intensity sonic pulse which can be focused on a target area in and around the foot and ankle. Although the exact mechanisms for the technology is not fully known it is believed that micro-trauma will ultimately repair and increase the blood supply to the area. We use shockwave to treat heel pain. The treatment takes approximately 30 minutes, patients can be wide-awake, and can usually resume their normal activities in one to two days.
The flouroscan is a special x-ray device that lets the doctors see the bones in your feet and ankles "live" as you move them. The flouroscan is superb for examining painful joints for arthritis, spurs or loose bone fragments.
Laser beams can be used surgically to treat many foot and ankle problems that previously had to be dealt with by cutting the skin. A laser uses a precise and intense beam of light that can vaporize tissue almost instantly. There is usually little or no bleeding and the laser also sterilizes the skin surface. There usually is less pain and a shorter recovery time than with conventional surgery. We use two kinds of lasers: the pulse-dye laser and the CO2 laser.
How do the doctors keep up to date on all the current techniques?
You will be hard-pressed to find a procedure, material or technique with which our doctors are unfamiliar. Aside from the many clinical journals they read and the courses they attend, they get updates and news from all over the world via the Internet. This is an invaluable resource for keeping our office on the leading edge of technology and foot and ankle research.
In addition, both our doctors have always obtained greater than the minimum number of continuing education hours than the State demands.
I've always been nervous about getting x-rays. What do you do to make them safe?
Realistically, the x-ray doses required for podiatry are relatively harmless (for anyone who is not pregnant). However, we recognize your concern and we use a special x-ray machine specifically designed to x-ray the foot and ankle, and we strictly adhere to state rules and regulations.
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“Your Feet Deserve A Hand” ® |
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Proud Member of the American Podiatric Medical Association
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©2006-2009 Friendly Foot Care, PC
50 West 94th Place , Crown Point, IN 46307 (at Broadway and 94th) 219-663-2273