General Podiatry Archives - Page 8 of 17 - Anderson Podiatry Center

General Podiatry Archives - Page 8 of 17 - Anderson Podiatry Center Anderson Podiatry Center

The Advantage of Choosing a Podiatry Clinic With It’s Own Surgical Center

Posted on September 22, 2022June 30, 2025 by admin

Teamwork, Savings, And Great service – Why It All Really Matters!

When you’re needing surgery for your foot problems, having a surgical center within the clinic gives you an advantage. When non-surgical options such as physical therapy fail to give relief of your foot or ankle problems, surgery may become part of your treatment plan. Our surgeons are board certified foot and ankle surgeons who specialize specifically in the foot and ankle. We provide surgery for a variety of foot and ankle problems. Oh, and did I mention that all of our podiatric surgeries are day surgeries and require no overnight stay? That is what I mean by “the advantage”.

Not only do we have the top foot and ankle specialists, but our surgery center is also the only foot and ankle surgery center in Colorado. In fact, the only one in the entire rocky mountain region.

The Advantage

The Team Approach: As a patient, you may not be aware of the challenges a surgeon faces when needing to travel to various facilities in order to conduct their procedures. Each and every time they go, they will be faced with having staff who have no familiarity with them, and vice versa. Not to mention the staff may not specialize in the specific surgery that they may be conducting.

At Anderson Podiatry Center, our staff is here for us when it comes to day-to-day patient care, and for surgery. They have been selected and trained by us for our specialized needs during surgery. This team approach helps us to serve our patients better in the operating room. They are knowledgeable on every surgical procedure we do!

Savings Cost transparency this is the new “buzzword” in healthcare, but nothing new at Anderson Podiatry Center. We have been offering bundled pricing for many years.

What is bundled pricing?

Simply stated, we include the surgeons’ fees, anesthesia fees, and facility fees all together with one cost. There are no surprises. We have found our patients to be excited about this, as it seems to be the opposite approach when they get their services from big healthcare facilities. Also, in today’s world of high deductibles, patients may save money by not using their insurance in certain situations by instead simply paying out of pocket. Again, a significant cost savings.
We also offer services that are unique! Amongst the most popular include the reversal of restless legs, and neuropathy.

Many people travel here from throughout the United States and Canada without insurance, or because we are not part of their insurance plan. We always offer affordable pricing for many.

How can we offer such affordable pricing?

Let me explain: When you look at healthcare dollars in the past, 70% of those dollars went to the doctors and nurses who delivered the care, and 30% to the administration. Now the percentages have flipped. 70% goes to administration, and 30% to the doctors and nurses. At larger facilities you are paying for that administrative cost. In a smaller facility such as ours, we don’t have that administrative cost. That is how the cost saving can be passed on to you!

Great Service.

As a final thought, I think you’ll find our staff to be exceptional in their expertise and friendliness. We have the best staff around! Please consider our clinic and surgical center as your one-stop clinic for all your foot and ankle care.

Plantar Fasciitis : Stabbing Pain in Heel of Foot

Posted on September 19, 2022June 30, 2025 by admin

Stabbing heel pain is one of the most common foot complaints. There can be a multitude of reasons for such pain, but the most frequent cause is plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is a name most are familiar with. However, in this blog, you will see me use the proper name, plantar fasciocis. This may come to a shock for some, but there is the potential you may be misdiagnosed because of a nerve problem that is frequently overlooked by health professionals. As you scroll through this blog, I will dive deeper into plantar fasciocis, pain, treatments, and supporting research.

Plantar Fasciitis

This is the pain that frequently catches your attention when getting out of bed in the morning. Your heel makes an impact with the ground, and the first steps out of bed are painful. But, after a few minutes, the pain typically fades. So why the heel? Well, this is where the fascia connects to the heel bone, extending out into the ball of your foot. Most misunderstand plantar fasciitis as a tendon or a ligament, when in fact, by true definitions, it is tight connective tissue.

What Causes Plantar fasciitis?

With every step you take, the fascia is stretched and pulled from your heel creating tension. Children and teenagers seldom have plantar fasciitis, as their fascia is flexible and stretches rather than pulls from the heel.

Treatments

When it comes to pain, there are a multitude of treatments which include home remedies. Icing, anti-inflammatories, night splints, stretching exercises, supportive shoes, arch supports, and ice packs. These all may be helpful if used in the early stages of your heel pain, as they can potentially assist in reducing the tension of fascia in the heel. More often than not, these home remedies can be successful in self-management of your pain, but with only partial improvement – leaving you with unresolved symptoms.

The Real Problem That No One is Talking About

Science says your fascia is not inflamed, but rather it’s the tissue that is deteriorating. I want to briefly make a bold and averse statement: doctors aren’t looking at science. Doctor Harvey Lemont did a study taking fifty plantar fascia specimens when he performed surgery for plantar fasciitis ¹. Out of 50 specimens, only one came back showing inflammatory changes. The other 49 showed the tissue was deteriorating, thus creating the term plantar fasciocis ¹.

How Does that Change Treatments?

Home remedies may still be used, but because we now know that the tissue is inflamed, this explains why the pain is so persistent. Using ice, anti-inflammatory medication, or cortisone injections may not have high success rates. Unfortunaltey, many podiatrists continue to recommend cortisone injections offering only temporary relief.

Regenerative Medicine

At Anderson Podiatry Center, we started using regenerative medicine to repair damaged fascia tissue over 13 years ago. We were one of the early pioneers of this technique, and we now use human cellular tissue products such as placenta cells or umbilical cord fluids to repair fascia. We find this far more successful than cortisone.

Supporting the Foot

Yes, podiatrists recommend custom orthotics specifically made for your foot type to reduce the pulling of the fascia from your heel with each step you take.

Nerve Pain

This is the hidden problem that can mimic plantar fasciitis. There is a small nerve branch that comes from a region of the foot and ankle called the tarsal tunnel, just like carpal tunnel in the hand. The nerve going through this region travels to the bottom of the foot, into the arch and toes. Within the ankle region, a small branch travels beneath the heel from the ankle area called the medial calcaneal nerve. So, how is this treated? Typically, a series of two cortisone injections can reverse this type of heel pain. Additionally, a laser can also be effective.

How Do WE Know What You Have?

To begin, every patient we see with heel pain has an ultrasound examination of their heel. We know what the normal appearance of fascia should be by immense studies that have been performed. Generally, a patient with plantar fascia pain will have a thicker and darker appearing fascia in the area where it attaches to the heel bone. A diagnostic ultrasound is extremely useful to ensure that your pain is truly from fascia. If the fascia looks normal, we will then suspect the nerve problem.

Can You Have Plantar Fasciitis and Nerve Pain?

Yes, it is not uncommon from our clinical examination and diagnostic ultrasound to discover both. It is thought that the thicker the fascia becomes, the more likely the nerve may become irritated.

Summary

So, this may mean for you that if you’ve had many of the conservative treatments for plantar fasciitis, and you still have that sharp stabbing heel pain, your nerve may be the issue. If you are having stabbing pain in the heel of your foot, don’t assume it’s always going to be plantar fasciitis. You could be having nerve pain. And finally, understand that your heel pain may be from a fascia that is deteriorating (plantar fasciosis) and not inflamed. This gives you a whole new way of looking at the problem and a possible solution that could be the use of regenerative medicine!

References

¹ Lemont, H., Ammirati, K. M., & Usen, N. (2003). Plantar fasciitis: a degenerative process (fasciosis) without inflammation. Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 93(3), 234–237. https://doi.org/10.7547/87507315-93-3-234

Sural Nerve Pain: Causes, Symptoms, and Effective Treatments

Posted on August 31, 2022June 30, 2025 by admin

Don’t be Fooled!

Sural nerve pain is a common problem that is overlooked or misdiagnosed by doctors. Your lower extremity, such as your back, can be a common guess for the source of your pain. Typically, this is not the case for most, and it’s important to investigate further for those whose nerve pain may be a mystery.

What is the sural nerve?

The sural nerve is a sensory nerve which means it does not supply to any muscles. For example; if you were to injure yourself, there would be no loss of muscle strength. Within the leg, the sural nerve has different origins, but in the foot, it supplies feeling to the lateral (outer) side of the foot near the small toe. On its pathway to the foot from the leg, it travels down the back of the calf and/or outside of the leg. The sural nerve’s origin may be from the common peroneal nerve, which is the main branch that supplies the top of the foot.

There are other potential origins of the sural nerve. One may be that it originates from the tibial merch, which is that main nerve that supplies the bottom of the foot.

There is also the potential that it may originate from both locations. The diagram visually demonstrates how both origins merge together to form one nerve, the sural nerve.

Location of Pain

The pain created by this nerve can be along any of the locations noted in the diagram above. There may be symptoms of burning, tingling, or numbness on the outer side of the leg. Additional locations of pain may be along the calf, or on the outside of the foot towards the small toe.

Causes of Sural Nerve Pain

Trauma: Different forms of trauma can be a leading cause of sural nerve pain. Trauma such as ankle sprains can create significant pulling and traction on the nerve. Ankle fractures involving the fibula may also traumatize this nerve. Direct impact to the nerve from being kicked, falling, or an accident, may also cause pain.

Entrapment: There are areas along the nerves pathway that may become entrapped, causing more pressure on the nerve. This is much like carpal tunnel syndrome in the hand.

Trauma From Surgery: This is a common cause of chronic pain CRPS (Complex regional pain syndrome). Chronic pain is in the news because of the opiate crisis in America. It is sad to face the truth that many are using, abusing, and dying because of overdose. Sadly, some of these patients’ pain could be related to this painful nerve branch. Various surgeries in the ankle and leg can injure the sural nerve, resulting in sural nerve pain. Here are some examples:

Heel Fractures: When the heel is fractured, surgery is performed on the outer side of the heel bone which is adjacent to the pathway of the nerve. Most surgeons know to avoid the nerve, however, even when good technique is used, a scar can occur which irritates the nerve. The nerve can become entrapped, and tangled in the scar.
Achilles Tendon Repair or Lengthening: Any surgery that is performed on the achilles tendon to repair or lengthen the tendon, places the nerve at a risk for injury.
Ankle Surgery: Any surgery of the ankle, especially for an ankle fracture, may also cause injury to the nerve.

Treatments

Avoid pain medications and anti-inflammatories! Why? Because these do nothing to identify or rid the main issue. In fact, if you suspect you have a sural nerve injury, and medication is your treatment, you may want to consider another professional opinion.

Physical Therapy: A deep massage or other techniques may be useful to break up scar tissue from around the nerve, especially if scar tissue is a part of the problem. In some cases, stretching may also be useful.

Cortisone Injections: Cortisone injections serve two purposes. They are used to identify the exact location of the injury to the nerve, and in cases where the pain is not severe, they may solve the problem

Surgery

Nerve Decompression Surgery: If the nerve is entrapped, surgery may be performed to release pressure on the nerve.

Nerve Resection: If the nerve is severely damaged from previous surgery or trauma, the nerve may be removed. These procedures are done in the lower leg, and the nerve ending that remains is buried into muscle to inhibit regrowth.

With a surgical approach, patients may ambulate within days. Again, this is because the nerve does not supply any muscle, therefore no functional impairment.
So, if you’re having a challenge with nerve pain in your leg that cannot be resolved either by misdiagnosis or the common; “it’s your back”, you may want to consider the sural nerve as the source. Don’t go down the path of many patients who are medicated, or going through back procedures. The root of the problem may be the small but very painful sural nerve!

Effective Treatments for Drop Foot: Options and Solutions

Posted on August 5, 2022July 12, 2025 by admin

Is the common peroneal nerve the solution for you?

In all diagnoses of drop foot, we must first define the signs, symptoms and causes. Drop foot is a disorder that most commonly creates problems while walking. A correlated symptom is difficulty pulling your foot up towards you off the ground while walking. Along with this, you may notice difficulty moving your foot sideways, away from the opposite foot. Everything combined creates the perfect storm for a nasty fall. When you can’t lift your foot off the ground, you are at high risk for injury since your foot is not able to clear uneven surfaces. The root cause? Simply put, your leg muscles that lift and raise your foot are weaker than normal.

Causes of Drop Foot

Brain and Spinal Cord – This may include stroke, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Trauma – Any form of trauma to the leg that may damage the common peroneal nerve. This nerve is the primary nerve needed to stimulate the muscles that move your foot upwards.
Surgery – Knee and hip surgery may cause drop foot as a complication of the surgery.
Neuropathy – Diabetic and non-diabetic neuropathy may also cause drop foot.

Diagnosing Drop Foot

Physical Examination – Clinically, a physician may test your muscle strength by visually observing you walk with what is referred to as a “steppage gait”. This describes a gait pattern where you lift your knee up more on the side with drop foot symptoms, so that the foot clears the ground to avoid tripping on the foot. An EMG may also be ordered to test the common peroneal nerve that supplies the muscles used to lift your foot up.

Ultrasound and MRI – These forms of imaging may be useful to see if there is compression on the nerve.

Treatment

Drop foot, or foot drop, is a condition that can significantly impact mobility and quality of life. Since it results from nerve injuries, muscle disorders, or neurological conditions, it makes it challenging for individuals to walk normally. Addressing this condition involves a multifaceted approach tailored to the underlying cause and the severity of the symptoms.

Treatment options for drop foot vary based on the underlying cause and severity of the condition. Common treatments include:

- 1. Bracing and Orthotics: Ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) are commonly used to support the foot and ankle, improving walking ability and preventing the foot from dragging.
  2. Physical Therapy: Physical therapy can help strengthen the muscles in the foot and lower leg, improve range of motion, and enhance overall gait. Exercises often focus on improving flexibility, strength, and coordination.
  3. Electrical Stimulation: Functional electrical stimulation (FES) devices can be used to stimulate the nerves and muscles in the lower leg, promoting muscle contraction and aiding in lifting the foot.
  4. Medications: If the drop foot is caused by an underlying condition such as multiple sclerosis or nerve inflammation, medications to treat these conditions might be prescribed. Anti-inflammatory drugs and pain relievers may also be used to manage symptoms.
  5. Surgery: In severe cases, surgical intervention may be necessary. Procedures can include nerve decompression, tendon transfer, or fusion surgeries to improve foot positioning and function.
  6. Lifestyle Modifications: Adapting the environment, using assistive devices, and making changes to footwear can help manage symptoms and improve mobility.

Early diagnosis and a tailored treatment plan are crucial for managing drop foot effectively and improving quality of life.

Surgery

Bone and Tendon Surgery – There are surgical procedures that transfer fully functioning tendons and muscles to areas where the tendons and muscles are weakened from the drop foot condition. Another option is to fuse specific joints of the foot or ankle so the foot and ankle maintain a better position for walking.

Nerve Surgery – This is surgery on the common peroneal nerve, the source of the problem. Now, it’s important I emphasize the importance of the common peroneal nerve because the question truly is; “Is The Common Peroneal Nerve The Solution For You?” So often I see patients who go through trial and error, itching for a solution that seems impossible to find. If you have a drop foot, it’s important that you learn about the common peroneal nerve. For most patients, this is the source of the problem and therefore the solution to improving, or reversing drop foot. The common peroneal nerve is a branch of the sciatic nerve. It goes around the outside of the leg just below the knee joint. As it goes from behind the knee to the front of the leg, it goes through a nerve tunnel. If this nerve tunnel is tight or the nerve has been stretched, we remove the pressure in this area so the symptoms can be improved. Here are some examples:

Neuropathy

People who suffer from neuropathy will have burning, tingling, and numbness in their feet, toes and legs. For some, weakness may also occur resulting in drop foot. This situation can occur in patients with diabetic and non-diabetic neuropathy. Conventional medicine has not done a good job of training medical professionals about the peripheral nervous system in the lower extremity. Doctors have been slow to understand that neuropathy may be caused by nerve tunnels (like carpal tunnel in the hand) that become too tight. As a peripheral nerve surgeon, we have been trained to open nerve tunnels to relieve the pressure on the nerve, therefore reversing neuropathy symptoms. Weakness in patients with neuropathy can be from compression on the common personal nerve.

Hip and Knee Surgery

Patients who have undergone knee and hip replacement surgery are at risk of getting drop foot after surgery. This may occur from the sciatic nerve and the common peroneal nerve getting stretched. By surgically opening the common peroneal nerve tunnel to release pressure on the nerve, the drop foot can be reversed. The common recommendation to those who have this complication is to wait and see if it gets better over time, some waiting a whole year. The suggestion of a peripheral nerve surgeon would be to consider surgical decompression within the first 90 days if there is no improvement of the drop foot. Why? Because if there is no trending towards improvement, waiting longer will limit how much improvement of the drop foot can be achieved with surgery.

Trauma

There are situations where direct trauma to the common peroneal nerve can occur. Examples would be an impact to the nerve tunnel region, or severe knee joint trauma such as a knee dislocation. The same rule applies in these situations, as with patients with drop foot after knee and hip surgery. If no improvement in the first 90 days, surgical decompression must be considered.

So, if you are experiencing a drop foot, it’s important that you consider a peripheral nerve surgeon as part of the improvement process in your situation. Sitting back and waiting to see if it “gets better” can be one of the worst choices.

References

Drop foot from hip replacement surgery
Ng J, Marson BA, Broodryk A. Foot drop following closed reduction of a total hip replacement. BMJ Case Rep. 2016 Mar 22;2016:bcr2016215010. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2016-215010. PMID: 27005799; PMCID: PMC4823537.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4823537/

Drop foot from knee replacement surgery
Carender CN, Bedard NA, An Q, Brown TS. Common Peroneal Nerve Injury and Recovery after Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review. Arthroplast Today. 2020 Aug 22;6(4):662-667. doi: 10.1016/j.artd.2020.07.017. PMID: 32875016; PMCID: PMC7451888.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7451888/

Jennifer’s drop foot eliminated in one day!

Domonique’s drop foot and weakness are gone after surgery.

Mike post drop foot surgery. How the surgery has helped his drop foot!

Suffering from Nerve Pain In Your Legs at Night? Find Out Why!

Posted on July 21, 2022June 30, 2025 by admin

Unfortunately, most people reading this may experience poor sleep due to nerve pain. Difficulty falling asleep, poor sleep quality, exhaustion; these can all be factors of nerve pain at night. Not to mention the anxiousness of thinking what you’ll do the next night. Many individuals experience the pain all the way from their hips, to their feet. For some, it is an isolated feeling solely in the upper legs, ankles, or feet. But the real question is: why does this happen and what can you do about it to get a more restful night?

Why Is The Nerve Pain In My Legs Worse At Night?

Distractions
It is thought that for some, the reason could be that during your waking hours, your mind is distracted by all the things you’re doing during the day. At night these distractions go away, so now your attention is focused on the nerve pain in your legs.
Sleep Position
You may have noticed that certain sleep positions will aggravate your pain. Certain positions may aggravate pain if it is coming from your back. Certain positions may also put more pressure on locations where the nerves are damaged in the legs.
Sheets and Blankets
The pressure of sheets or blankets on the skin may also cause discomfort so reducing this pressure on the legs may help.
Temperature
Most people prefer a cool room to sleep in, but it is thought that this may contribute to nerve pain. There may be less blood flow to the nerves in the legs because of the decreased body temperature, and the coolness may make the nerves more excitable.*What Conventional Medicine Will Tell You

What Conventional Medicine Is Telling You

Sciatica
This is pain that originates from the spinal cord where the nerves that go to your legs originate. Symptoms tend to be more above the knee then below.
Nerve pain from peripheral Neuropathy
It may be burning, tingling, numbness, or pins and needles sensations that you’ll experience. Neuropathy can be associated with medical conditions such as diabetes.

Here is what 95% of you are not being told! Read further

As a peripheral nerve surgeon, I will often mention to my patients that conventional medicine is 30 years behind regarding the evaluation and treatment of the peripheral nervous system in the lower extremity. Few doctors have thorough training in this speciality, and many people are not properly diagnosed because of this. It is common to hear; “It’s irreversible, so take anti-inflammatory medications or prescription drugs.” Or, you’re told the problem comes from the back, and treatments are focused on the back only leading to physical therapy or chiropractor appointments. These often fail to address the source.

Three Nerve Tunnels In The Legs You Need To Become Familiar With To Understand The Source Of Your Leg Pain

Common Peroneal Nerve Tunnel
This tunnel is just below the knee on the outside of the leg. This nerve supplies the muscles and provides sensation to the top of the foot.
Superficial Peroneal Nerve
This nerve is a branch of the common peroneal nerve and its tunnel is on the front of the leg in the lower one third. It also supplies nerves to the top of the foot.
Soleal Sling Tunnel
This nerve lies in the upper calf just below the knee. It supplies the skin and muscles on the bottom of the foot.

So Why Could The Pain Be From These Tunnels?

Mechanical
It may be that you are born with tight nerve tunnels, just like some patients are more likely to have carpal tunnel. Patients suffering from Restless legs have a fifty percent chance of someone else in the family also having Restless legs. So tight nerve tunnels could be inherited.
Trauma
For others, something as simple as an ankle sprain could put traction on these nerves and cause chronic nerve pain.
Metabolic
If you’re diabetic because your sugars are higher, your nerves will swell causing more pressure on the nerves as they travel through nerve tunnels. So, the nerve damage is more from compression rather than the medical condition.

So, if you’re frustrated with nerve pain in your legs and you’re being told it’s your back, neuropathy, irreversible, or maybe medication is the only fix; now you know there is another solution. The source of the pain may be from one of the three nerve tunnels we have described. So if you want to improve the quality of your sleep, this blog may have opened the door to a new solution. We are here to help.

Watch Julianne explain how she finally found relief from nerve pain.

Are diabetes and Restless Legs connected?

Posted on June 14, 2022June 30, 2025 by admin

What do Restless Legs Syndrome and Diabetes have in common? Other than that they both affect hundreds of millions of people, Restless Legs Syndrome and Diabetes are commonly linked together. In this blog, we will cite excerpts from our peer-reviewed research, and dive into how these two diagnoses are connected, and reversed.

Very few are aware that Restless Legs Syndrome is reversible. It’s important to understand that the treatment of both Restless Legs and Neuropathy is dominated by the pharmaceutical industry. Typically, doctors look to prescribe various medications as soon as you present symptoms. However, this blog will provide you with a non-medication approach. It all starts with doctors and patients having a better understanding of the peripheral nervous system, and its role in creating Neuropathy and Restless Legs symptoms.

The source of both Restless Legs Syndrome and Diabetic Neuropathy can both be the same.

Restless Legs Can Impact the Quality of Your Sleep and Life

Symptoms of Restless legs tend to present at night, and therefore, many suffer from lack of sleep. This can lead to exhaustion, depression, and other issues such as weight gain and high blood pressure. Most common symptoms include the urge to move the leg, which in turn means waking up. Additional symptoms could be “creepy crawly” sensations, cramping, and uncontrollable jerking (often referred to as periodic limb movement disorders). These symptoms either interrupt sleep, or make it difficult to fall asleep leading many to develop sleeping disorders.

Neuropathy Presents in 50 to 70 Percent of Patients With Diabetes

Symptoms of these patients include burning, tingling, numbness, and weakness. Conditions occur throughout the day and night, creating unhealthy sleeping patterns. There are two factors that make diabetics more likely to have neuropathy:

Polyol Pathway and Sorbitol

Sorbitol is a sugar that tends to reside in the nerve tissue of diabetics. Metabolically, when glucose levels are increased, glucose breaks down differently by the polyol pathway; and the by-product is sorbitol. When sorbitol gets into the nerve, more water is attracted to the nerve and the nerve enlarges. Studies have shown that diabetics may have a 40 percent increase in size. Since the nerves in the legs and feet travel through nerve tunnels (similar to carpal tunnel in the hands), the nerves become compressed and squeezed. This then causes nerve damage when blood sugars are high.

Malliard Effect

A French doctor by the name of Louis Malliard, first described this phenomenon. When you combine proteins that comprise our soft tissue structures, and glucose, you get advanced glycation end products (AGP). This causes the soft tissues to become more rigid, scarred, and less elastic. It leads to more damage to the diabetic nerve because the nerve tunnels that our nerves travel through, are now more rigid and can create high levels of compression on the nerves.

In summary, both the Polyol Pathway and the Malliard Effect increase the possibility of compression of nerve tunnels in the legs and feet. If this is new to you, do not fear. There is abbundant research to explain what the Maillard Effect and Polyol Pathway do to your body metabolically. In other words, it is crucial to look at biochemistry to see if medications may be helpful. Dr. James Anderson’s original research on Restless Legs, and a large volume of research on diabetic neuropathy, are leading down a different pathway. He likes to refer to it as the MECHANICAL PATHWAY. As you are beginning to understand these two processes, you can identify the negative effects on your nerves and body tissue. The net result of both is increased nerve compression in the nerve tunnels.

What Does the Research Say About the Connection Between Restless legs and Diabetic Neuropathy?

There are studies to support that if you have diabetes, the likelihood of you having Restless Legs increases. One study showed an increased chance of Restless Legs in patients with diabetes of 18-29 percent, compared to 6-7 percent in the control group. ⁽¹⁾ Another study reports similar findings. ⁽²⁾ So as you can see, the odds of getting neuropathy as a diabetic are increased. Unfortunately, the same is true that if you have diabetes, you are more likely to have Restless Legs Syndrome, which is secondary to diabetes.

What Our Research Shows to Support a Non-Drug Solution!

So, if we’re saying compression plays a role in diabetes being linked to neuropathy and Restless Legs Syndrome, what evidence can we present to support this?

In relation to diabetic neuropathy, for almost two decades, Dr. Anderson has been decompressing nerve tunnels that become tight to reverse diabetic and non-diabetic neuropathy. Two of his peer-reviewed papers will show you that when we tested nerves intraoperatively using EMG testing, we could objectively demonstrate the improvement of nerve function in diabetics. For many, the improvement was well over 100 percent, and approaching 300 percent for some.⁽³⁾
In relation to Restless Legs, for the last 9 years, Dr. Anderson has taken charge to prove that for a majority of patients with severe Restless Legs, surgical decompression of nerve tunnels can provide a solution. You can also review the first peer-reviewed research paper on this concept.⁽⁴⁾

Conclusion: There Are More Pathways to Explore

So, from Dr. Anderson’s own personal experience as a peripheral nerve surgeon, he affirms that if you have diabetes, there is a greater chance that you will have neuropathy and Restless Legs. Research clearly shows there is a relationship between the two. The commonality is that both can be from compression, and diabetes increases the chances of having both.

The next question to answer is: Why do some patients with compression in their nerve tunnels get neuropathy symptoms, and others get Restless Legs symptoms? Although research on this is fairly limited, our team plans to share theories in some of our future blogs. For many of you, it is possible that you will persist in opting for conventional medicine. This has become a monetization approach for doctors which include Ropinirole, Mirapex, Neurontin, and other narcotics.

For many with minimal symptoms in early stages, the medications may be appropriate. However, for those with severe symptoms, the lack of quality of life and the possibility of severe mental and physical health issues might be compelling to consider other options. This “other option” suggests Restless Legs can be related to a mechanical compression issue. We always encourage our patients to be continuously engaged and educated on the subject. Dr. Anderson’s book, A Perfect Night’s Sleep, might help you make a connection between your diabetes and restlessness. Always remember, there is hope for you to have them reversed.

Dr. James Anderson

References:

Mehdi Zobeiri, Azita Shokoohi, “Restless Leg Syndrome in Diabetics Compared with Normal Controls”, Sleep Disorders, vol. 2014, Article ID 871751, 4 pages, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/871751
Giovanni Merlino, MD, Lara Fratticci, MD, Mariarosaria Valente, MD, Angela Del Giudice, MD, Claudio Noacco, MD, Pierluigi Dolso, MD, Iacopo Cancelli, MD, Anna Scalise, MD, PhD, Gian Luigi Gigli, MD, Association of Restless Legs Syndrome in Type 2 Diabetes: A Case-Control Study, Sleep, Volume 30, Issue 7, July 2007, Pages 866–871, https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/30.7.866
https://websitetest8.striveenterprisetest.com/dr-anderson-sharing-his-research-and-expertise-internationally/
James C. Anderson, Megan L. Fritz, John-Michael Benson, Brian L. Tracy, Nerve Decompression and Restless Legs Syndrome: A Retrospective Analysis, Front. Neurol., 06 July 2017, https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fneur.2017.00287
https://websitetest8.striveenterprisetest.com/dr-anderson-sharing-his-research-and-expertise-internationally/

Five things to do before you visit the podiatrist for bunion pain!

Posted on May 19, 2022June 30, 2025 by admin

Bunions are one of the most common foot deformities that cause terrible inconvenience to daily life. In this blog, we will share with you some conservative at-home treatments for bunion pain relief, before having to opt for surgery. Did you know bunions tend to be more common for women than men? Many people suffer because of wearing shoes that place pressure on the bunion bump. Although tight-fitting dress shoes have been thought to be a cause it is thought the be from other factors. Pregnancy because of increased ligamentous laxity and women may inherit the foot mechanics that lead to the problem. At our Fort Collins clinical location we have seen a number of patients with bunion issues and helped relieve their pain.

What is a bunion?

A bunion, also known as hallux abducto valgus, is the misalignment of the great toe. As part of the deformity, the great toe begins to deviate towards the second two, and this is followed by an increased enlargement of the first metatarsal at the base of the joint. The first metatarsal bone then starts to shift away from the second metatarsal bone, causing serious misalignment. This is responsible for most of the swelling in the big toe knuckle.

What causes bunions?

It is a popular notion that shoe gear is the primary reason one develops a bunion. However, most foot specialists agree that improper foot mechanics from inherited foot type plays a larger role. In fact, it has been noted in some cultures such as tribes in Africa and New Guinea, that shoes are rarely worn, yet bunions are still present within the populations. You may hear, “My mom had bunions and now I do too!”, as a pretty common phrase that goes around.

Why do bunions hurt?

Misalignments will create a large prominence by the great toe joint, thus making the foot wider and more difficult to fit into shoes. The great toe may also rub against the second toe, causing severe and continuous pain.

Treatments for bunion pain: At-home remedies to try

Wider shoes – You may consider getting wider shoes. Women may need to limit their styles and duration of time in dressy shoes. It is best to avoid pointed, narrow shoes, or high heels for long periods of time.
Padding – Various pads can also be used inside the shoes to protect the bunion bump from rubbing the shoe.
Toe splints – You may also try toe splints that straighten the toe when they are worn.
Over-the-counter arch supports – These may support the great toe joint area and give some relief.
Ibuprofen and icing –Using an ice pack or an anti-inflammatory medicine such as Ibuprofen may offer temporary relief from bunion discomfort. They assist in immediately reducing pain and inflammation.

What your podiatrist may do for bunion pain relief

Orthotics

Many podiatrists will use orthotics on a conservative basis, especially if the bunion is in its early stage – as patients are more likely to get bunion pain relief this way. The orthotics can help stabilize and support the great toe joint and redistribute weight more evenly. They may also biomechanically slow down the progression of the deformity.

Podiatrists have training in biomechanics and believe in placing the foot in what is called its “neutral point non-weight bearing” position. This means we place the foot where it should be, not where it is when bearing weight. A digital scan is used to capture this foot position. The patient will get a very precisely made orthotic that will have the potential to provide maximum benefit.

Scanning of the foot to get a digital 3-D model of a patient’s foot at our Fort Collins and Broomfield clinic to address common foot problems like bunions.

Surgery

Failure after trying conservative treatments may need surgery for bunion pain relief. Surgery does have a high success rate and the recovery time can vary depending on the type of correction that is needed. One advantage of not waiting too long to have bunion correction surgery is that more severe bunions can require techniques that leave you non-weight bearing for a longer period of time. Most bunion surgeries, however, will allow you to be back in lace-up shoes in three to four weeks.

In most promising scenarios, patients are able to bear weight on the foot in the first week. Several surgical techniques we follow involve removal of the bony prominence and then shifting the first metatarsal bone that is out of alignment so that it is back in its original position. This corrects the deformity and narrows the foot making shoe selection easier.

Patient Testimonial Video of how Susan’s Bunions were fixed!

How to know if surgery is right for you?

The decision for surgery is a very personal one. Each patient may have different goals in their mind. You may want to discuss your options with our team of specialists before you pick your treatment plan. Our staff and podiatrists will be available should you need any assistance regarding your foot and ankle health.
Suffering from bunion pain is definitely not worth it and it is important to consider a consultation with our podiatrists to see what’s right for you.

by Dr. Anderson

Why you need to know about Charcot foot if you’re a diabetic!

Posted on April 6, 2022 by admin

Diabetes is a common problem that is affecting more people worldwide and Charcot foot is associated with the diabetic foot. It may be one of the most overlooked problems for not only the patients but healthcare providers in the diabetic population. Charcot foot can result in foot deformities which can be debilitating from a functional standpoint but also put you more at risk of amputation. It has been estimated that two percent of diabetics have a Charcot foot. The percentage is low but the risk of not knowing about it can put you at risk as early diagnosis and intervention are important. So, what is a Charcot foot, and what causes it?

Description

A Charcot foot can result in the breakdown of the foot. There may be multiple fractures that occur primarily in the midfoot region. The result can be a foot that becomes very flat. So flat that it may be referred to as a rocker-bottom foot. This means there is no arch but instead where the arch used to be there can be boney prominences associated with the deformity. This causes excessive pressure on the soft tissues and skin and eventual risk of callouses which can then ulcerate and lead to infection. So how did this come about? What can increase your risk? It can be from poor control of your diabetes, a broken bone, or an injury to the foot and ankle To understand how you get a Charcot foot and why this puts you at risk we need to discuss diabetes and its effect on the nervous system and the arterial system.

Nervous system

It is common for people with diabetes to have neuropathy. Approximately 50-70 percent of diabetics have this condition. This will cause burning tingling and numbness in the foot. The numbness is what puts the diabetic foot at risk because of what we refer to as a protective sensation. If you have numbness, you may not feel what normally would have been a painful callous for instance. The callous then breaks the skin down and this leads to an infection. What is happening in the Charcot foot is the damage to the nerve’s effects blood flow to the foot. The damage to the nerves may occur in the autonomic nervous system which regulates blood flow. When the nerves are damaged the small nerve branches that regulate blood flow by constricting blood flow no longer work and the arteries dilate. This causes an increased amount of blood in the foot. This then results in the diminishment of calcium in the bone and the bones of the foot become weaker and fractures occur. The bones and joints that support the foot collapse causing various deformities which are referred to as a Charcot foot. Circulatory system

Circulatory system

The arterial blood flow that takes blood from the heart down to the foot is affected in the diabetic state. When it occurs, it’s referred to as arteriosclerosis and tends to involve the smaller arteries in the lower legs and into the foot.

What are the symptoms of a Charcot foot?

The primary symptoms can be a hot red swollen foot. A Charcot foot is commonly misdiagnosed as being infected or a gouty attack. Both of these can also cause redness and warmth in the foot. Because of neuropathy being present the patient may experience little to no pain and that’s what makes this dangerous.

How is Diabetic Charcot Foot diagnosed?

Often a diagnosis is arrived at by exclusion of other problems such as infection or gout. X-rays are also important as fractures may be seen and evidence of flattening of the arch. The foot that is affected may begin to have a flatter appearance compared to the opposite foot.

What are the treatments options for someone with Diabetic Charcot Foot?

When diagnosed early it’s important to have the patient immobilized and be non-weight bearing to reduce the breakdown of the foot. Because the foot may have small fractures and the stability has been compromised casting the foot and remaining non-weight bearing is the standard treatment. This will lessen the amount of deformity that occurs and protect the fractures from getting worse. With proper treatment, the number of foot deformities that occur can be greatly reduced. The amount of time for casting may vary but can be a minimum of two months or more in many cases.

Special shoes and orthotics. Conservative treatment may include orthotics or custom shoes to reduce pressure on soft tissues from the boney pressure points

Surgery – If the Charcot foot is not diagnosed and no treatment is done or it is treated but not early enough then surgery may be necessary to reconstruct the foot. These surgeries are among the most challenging foot procedures and require immobilization and non-weight bearing.

What you need to know – If you are diabetic and your foot feels warm or looks red, think Charcot foot as it may not be an infection! Both can appear the same.

So even though the chances of you getting a Charcot foot are very rare, it’s important that you remember the points covered in this blog. If you or someone you know is diabetic please seek medical attention if you suspect these symptoms as it can help to lessen the chance of amputation.

The three things you need to know about diabetic foot amputation

Posted on March 17, 2022July 12, 2025 by admin

What you can learn and do to prevent diabetic foot amputation

Whenever you hear the word diabetes, you may have heard of someone you know of who has lost a foot or limb because of their diabetic state. In this blog, I will break down what you need to know into three basic categories. You will also learn about what you can do on a regular basis if you are diabetic to reduce the risk. The good news is even though the risk is still present, the overall risk of amputations has gone down in recent years because of medical advancements especially in wound care.

The three conditions that can cause an amputation in a diabetic person are:

Foot deformities
Arterial disease
Neuropathy

Foot deformities are a major cause for concern

Any foot deformity that can lead to pressure on the skin, when shoe gear is worn, can put you at risk. Problems such as a bunion (also known as a deformity by the big toe joint) can create a prominence that can rub against a shoe. Another example would be a hammertoe, which could cause excessive rubbing against a shoe. When this happens, the skin may break down or a callus/corn may form which eventually leads to an opening in the skin.

If you also have diabetic neuropathy, you could lose your ability to sense or feel; this allows the problem to become more severe before you’re aware of it. So, what can be done?

Wear shoes that fit well and don’t cause irritations on the skin
Check your feet daily
Be evaluated by a podiatrist for conservative, or, some situations surgical options

Arterial disease is riskier than you think

Peripheral artery disease or PAD can also make it riskier for an amputation. Diabetics tend to be more at risk of having peripheral artery disease and it tends to present lower in the leg and into the foot and ankle area rather than higher up the leg. It can become challenging for doctors to conduct procedures that can improve circulation in these smaller blood vessels when they become blocked. Obviously, without adequate blood flow to the foot, the potential for healing may be limited.

What can you do to help yourself in this situation

Avoid smoking as this will increase the risk many fold.
Have your circulation evaluated as it is important to be educated about the potential risk you may have.
Regular exercise can help maintain good circulation.
Avoid sugars and carbohydrates: Good diabetic control is the need of the hour, as this helps with the risk. Avoid anything that comes in a package (such as processed foods). These foods often are high in sugar and carbohydrates. Finally avoid all soft drinks or juice as many contain fructose.

Neuropathy is in fact, reversible

Diabetic neuropathy occurs in 50-70 percent of diabetics. For many, neuropathy is the most important consideration to take when risks such as diabetic ulcers and limb loss are attached. The symptoms that you will experience with neuropathy are: burning, tingling and numbness in the feet. It is the numbness and inability to feel that becomes quite problematic to daily life. The good news is that for many, the lack of sensation can be restored.

If you have heard that diabetic neuropathy is irreversible, it is simply not true!

Our award-winning research refutes this statement. More studies are also supporting the concept of nerve decompression surgery. In the diabetic state, a sugar molecule called Sorbitol is absorbed into your nerves and attracts water to the nerves, making them swell. This increase in size creates compression in areas where nerves pass through nerve tunnels. This then damages the nerves and creates neuropathy symptoms. Reducing compression can restore more normal nerve function.

To be more informed on this topic, you can refer to two research papers on our website, that show objectively that nerve function can be improved, and that this can ultimately lead to decreased amputation risk. Here are some more measures that you can take:

Make sure you have good control of your diabetes.
Be evaluated by a peripheral nerve surgeon – Potentially you could have your neuropathy reversed by surgical means.
Visual inspection- Make it a habit to visually inspect your feet daily for problematic issues. Things you should be looking for include:
- Blisters
- Cracks
- Sores
- Redness
- Thick calluses
- Ingrown Nails
- Plantar warts
- Warm spots

Along with controlling your blood sugars, remember the three potential problem areas – foot deformities, arterial disease and neuropathy. If you would like to know more about what we can do to help with your foot and ankle concerns, or your neuropathy please reach out to us.

Listen to Mary’s testimonial where she talks about her recovery from surgery that involved reversing diabetic neuropathy.

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Surgery Center

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Suite B, Fort Collins, CO 80524
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Can Flat Feet Cause Ankle Pain and Swelling?

Posted on March 3, 2022July 12, 2025 by admin

Flatfeet, commonly referred to as Pes Valgus or Pes Planus, is a condition with varying degrees of physical issues. If the condition is severe, there may be a minimal arch, and the arch may be touching the walking surface. The term pronation is often used to describe the motion of the foot rolling inward as the arch flattens with weight bearing. A flatfoot can be a congenitally acquired flatfoot from birth, or it can be an adult-acquired flatfoot. In children, it’s important to understand that a flatfoot is not normal, and assuming the child will grow out of it can lead to complications. In many situations, treatment may be needed to reduce the progression or correct the deformity. A foot specialist will be able to evaluate the child to see if, for their age group, the foot is normal. Ankle pain and swelling, as well as flat feet ankle pain, may also be associated with a flatfoot. In the adult population, hypertension may also be a cause of ankle swelling unrelated to flatfeet.

Causes of a Flat Foot

Inherited
Laxity of ligament
Overweight
Tight Achilles tendon
Rheumatoid arthritis

Symptoms of Flat Feet Ankle Pain

Some may not have any symptoms associated with their flatfeet. This can be an issue in children and young adults because over time the condition may progress and cause symptoms at a later age. When symptoms are present, they can include pain in the arch or heel area. There may also be pain in the achilles tendon. In later years patients may have symptoms caused by overuse of a tendon called the posterior tibial tendon. This tendon is on the inside of the ankle joint area. Swelling around the ankle may also be present with this condition. If left untreated it can result in chronic tendonitis with the potential for the tendon to eventually rupture. This is commonly referred to as posterior tibial dysfunction. Over a lifetime the possibility of pain and swelling in the ankle can occur because of arthritis from the additional stress placed on the joint by the flat foot. Anti-inflammatories may help with this condition on a temporary basis. Because the foot is the foundation of the body the improper biomechanics of a flatfoot can have significant impact throughout the body. This can result in pain at the knees, hips and back and shin splints in the leg.

Treatments- What you can do

Stretching – If the flatfoot is related to a tight Achilles tendon stretching exercises that focus on this may be helpful.
Shoegear -Be sure to wear more supportive shoes. If you’re a runner or walker make sure to ask for a shoe that has more motion control.
Foot exercises – There is some resent evidence that foot exercises may be useful. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31590069/
Lose weight – Losing weight is obviously helpful but for most it is not the primary cause of the flatfoot.
Medication – treatment may include medication for hypertension or anti-inflammatories for arthritis.

What the foot specialist can do?

Orthotics’ For many the use of custom-made orthotics is a vital part of the treatment. In children they are used to slow down the progression of the flatfoot and in adults when symptoms related to flatfeet occur, they are a common recommendation.
Physical therapy – may be helpful if symptoms arise from the flatfoot
Surgery – This could include surgery to correct the flatfoot in the adult or pediatric foot. Also surgery to repair tendons that have been damaged from many years of overuse because of the additional stress from the flatfoot.
Ankle scope surgery – Small incision may be made to then perform a minimally invasive procedure to clean out the inflamed and damaged ankle joint resulting from the trauma brought on by the flatfoot.
Restorative medicine – in recent years this has been a common minimally invasive procedure to avoid surgery on damaged joints such as the ankle joint or to repair tendons that normally would have required surgery.

If you think you have flatfeet or your child, does early intervention is important. It’s very important for children and young people to get the opinion of a foot specialist. Avoiding treatment in the formative years may result in more severe issues with your knee, hip, back, or foot problems in the adult. And don’t forget if your ankles are painful and swollen, it may be from your flatfeet.

Listen to what Orin has to say about restorative medicine!

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