Sports Medicine Podiatrist Q & A

This kind of professional is a fully capable podiatrist, which is a doctor specialized in injuries and diseases of the lower extremities, like the feet and ankles. A sports medicine podiatrist, though, understands the nuances of sports performance and sports injuries, so this particular kind of professional is especially good at treating athletes or anyone who’s very physically active.

A sports medicine podiatrist is capable of performing surgery when necessary, but prefers to treat patients with manual therapies and hands-on care. Another service a sports medicine podiatrist provides is preventive care to prevent injuries from occurring. This service is especially useful for athletes.

You should go see one when you suffer a sports- or exercise-related injury (like a sprain) that isn’t life-threatening and that has to do with your lower extremities (your ankles, feet, or heels). You can and should also see a sports medicine podiatrist if you believe you have an injury or issue you believe hasn’t healed properly or that may be chronic, like arthritis in the ankle. Foot pain, arch pain, or heel pain can be managed by the podiatrist. A sports medicine podiatrist is the perfect professional to treat such issues and injuries with treatments like corrective exercise and gait and movement analysis, and can provide long-term support too.

Speaking of long-term support, a sports medicine podiatrist can provide long-term preventive medicine which can help you avoid injury in the first place. On top of that, the podiatrist can help you perform better and at your peak!

If you go see a sports medicine podiatrist and also need services for other areas of your body like your legs, hips, or back, the podiatrist can refer you to an orthopedist for comprehensive care.

This depends on the reason you’re going to see the sports podiatrist in the first place, but typically, the podiatrist will ask you about your medical history, your history of injuries, your physical activity, etc. After, the podiatrist will examine how you stand, walk, and run, then check your range of motion in your joints, or if you’re injured, the podiatrist will examine the injury and evaluate how it affects you. Finally, the podiatrist will tell you about and suggest certain services like:

• Shoe and orthotics evaluation
• Custom foot orthotics
• Video gait analysis
• Functional assessment (strength, flexibility, balance)
• Athletic taping
• Physical therapy
• Surgery only when necessary

You can connect with us here at Bay Area Foot and Ankle Associates to learn more about our services and what a sports medicine podiatrist can do for you!

Bay Area Foot and Ankle Associates has two fully capable sports medicine podiatrists in Dr. John W. Scivally DPM FACFAS and Dr. Robin K. Lie DPM. Either of them would be happy to see you for an evaluation, treatment, or another service. We may be able to see you right away for a minor (non-life-threatening) emergency.

Our clinic has multiple locations in the Walnut Creek and Brentwood CA areas, so please see our Locations page for the location nearest you. Call us at the location near you to find out when we can see you or to book an appointment with us! We’re open for you Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm.

We look forward to speaking with and seeing you soon here at Bay Area Foot and Ankle Associates!