Your feet are the foundation of your entire body, supporting you when you stand, walk and run. But when your feet are functioning poorly, signs and symptoms of altered biomechanics usually result in pain, instability, and poor performance.

The good news is that a custom-made orthotic from Precision Foot and Ankle Centers can relieve your chronic foot pain by supporting the bone structures of your feet, allowing these structures to work together properly. Orthotics help correct structural problems and conditions such as heel pain and plantar fasciitis; arch pain; pain related to diabetes or age; and many other foot pains related to bunions, sprains and other conditions.

State-of-the-Art Foot Scanners from Precision Foot and Ankle Centers

Now when patients come into our Torrance office, we can use our state-of-the-art foot scanner to provide a dynamic, biomechanic assessment of the foot. Our new foot scanning technology offers precise mapping of the contours of the feet, resulting in a more accurate orthotic fitting for each patient. The process is extremely fast and accurate, and using this advanced technology, we can create the most comfortable and suitable solution for the correction of your feet.

If you are experiencing foot pain or instability, visit Precision Foot and Ankle Centers for a thorough biomechanical assessment. After an evaluation of your foot, we can use our advanced foot scanning system to manufacture the best orthotic specifically for you and your feet.

If your feet hurt, your entire body hurts. At Precision Foot and Ankle Centers our goal is to design and fabricate the most effective custom orthotic devices to help relieve your pain and get you on the road to recovery!

When your feet hurt, your entire body hurts, especially when you're suffering from painful neuromas or heel pain caused by plantar fasciitis. Generally, rest, anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy or orthotics can effectively treat the pain. But when these conservative treatments aren't enough, chronic heel pain may require surgical treatment.

At Precision Foot and Ankle Centers we can treat irritating heel pain and get you back to your active lifestyle quickly with a new, fast-acting procedure known as Cryosurgery. For decades, this technique has been used for various areas of the body and is now proving to be very successful at helping treat and manage foot and ankle conditions.

The Procedure

Also known as Cryotherapy, Cryosurgery is a minimally invasive procedure performed comfortably in our Torrance office in just one appointment to alleviate pain and nerve problems of the foot.

Using localized freezing temperatures to deaden the irritated nerve, the treatment involves inserting a probe into the tissue of the foot. The extreme freezing temperatures produce an anesthetic effect, reducing inflammation to the site and causing a mild "numbing" effect for as long as it is applied. The freezing inactivates the nerve and, as a result, painful nerve irritation is relieved.

Benefits of Cryosurgery from Precision Foot and Ankle Centers include:

• Painless procedure
• Use of local anesthetic
• In-office performed procedure
• Minimal to no down time from walking, work and other activities
• Decreased use of pain medications that can cause complications
• No stitches, hospitalization or sedation are required

Cryosurgery has proven to be an effective and popular alternative for treating many chronic and painful foot ailments that involve irritation of an isolated nerve of the foot. If you're looking to get rid of your heel pain, but haven't had much success with conservative treatments, visit our Torrance office and find out if you are a good candidate for Cryosurgery.

If you are one of the millions of Americans that suffer from chronic heel pain caused by plantar fasciitis, then you know just how unpleasant this very common foot condition can be. Plantar fasciitis is the most common form of heel pain, and it occurs when the long, flat ligament on the bottom of the foot stretches irregularly, developing small tears. As a result, the stretched tissue becomes tender and inflamed, making every day tasks and activities difficult and painful.

At Precision Foot and Ankle Centers, we've helped numerous patients overcome their chronic heel pain with conservative treatments, including anti-inflammatory medications, stretching exercises and orthotics. For some patients, however, these treatment options are ineffective or provide only temporary relief. So now we offer a new and advanced treatment for chronic heel pain caused by plantar fasciitis -- Shockwave Therapy-a fast and gentle alternative to other invasive and risky surgical procedures.

The Procedure

Shockwave Therapy from our Torrance office is a non-invasive surgical procedure that involves directing strong sounds waves to the affected area, penetrating the heel and stimulating a healing response by the body in the affected non-healing tissue. The sound waves break up the tissue, creating small tunnels through which new blood vessels can grow, and the increased blood supply allows the tissue to heal. The result is a reduction in inflammation and pain from the affected ligament.

The outpatient procedure performed in our Torrance office is quick and safe. Patients experience a short recovery period, often with few or no side effects. Most patients notice pain relief instantly, but for others, the full results from a single treatment may be experienced within one to three months.

Benefits of Shockwave Therapy from Precision Foot and Ankle Centers:

- Reduces inflammation and stimulates a healing response in the injured tissue
- Fewer side effects compared to surgery
- Quick recovery time
- Risks associated with surgery and general anesthesia are eliminated

Contact our Torrance office today to receive more information about Shockwave Therapy. Once we've assessed your condition, we can help you determine the most appropriate treatment for your plantar fasciitis- and this mean putting an end to your heel pain once and for all.

With age, it’s not uncommon to experience pain and stiffness in your feet and ankles.  Carefully monitoring your pain is important, however, as this noticeable discomfort could be an early indication of a more serious condition known as arthritis. Arthritis is a group of conditions that typically involves pain and inflammation in the joints.  There are many types of arthritis, with osteoarthritis being the most common form.  Left untreated, pain caused by arthritis will get worse, eventually leading to joint weakness that can interfere with the most basic daily activities.  

Arthritis can have a serious impact on the structure and function of your feet and ankles. See a podiatrist if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Swelling
• Chronic pain or tenderness
• Limited mobility or motion
• Stiffness early in the day
• Changes in skin, including growths and rashes                                              

Whenever you notice a change in your lower extremities, contact our podiatrists at Precision Foot and Ankle Centers for a thorough evaluation. When detected early, proper treatment can slow the development of arthritis and get you back to your active lifestyle.

Treating Arthritis of the Foot and Ankle

Precision Foot and Ankle Centers can help you determine the best treatment option depending on the type and severity of your arthritis.  

Treatment options include:

• Anti-inflammatory medications or steroid injections for the joint
• Shoe insets, pads, braces or arch supports
• Physical therapy and exercise
• Custom-designed shoes
• Weight management

When arthritis doesn’t respond to conservative treatment, surgical intervention may be considered as the last resort.

A thorough evaluation of your health and type of arthritis will allow our podiatrists to recommend the best treatment plan for you. Arthritis is a disabling disease, but with early detection, you can help manage the pain associated with arthritis of the foot and ankle and maintain a healthy, fulfilling life.  Allow our Torrance podiatrists to assess your foot and ankle pain and get you back on your feet.

An ankle sprain is one of the most common injuries to the ankle, resulting from a fall or a sudden twist that forces the ligaments out of their normal position. It’s no wonder so many athletes suffer from ankle sprains every year.

The severity of an ankle sprain depends on whether the ligament is stretched, partially torn or completely torn. Look for the following symptoms if you think you have sprained your ankle:

• Immediate pain at the site of the tear
• Immediate swelling
• Hearing or feeling something tear, pop or snap during the twist
• Bruising
• Pain and difficulty moving the ankle
• Inability to walk or bear weight on the ankle

Treating your ankle sprain

Early treatment of a sprained ankle can improve the recovery time and minimize symptoms. The following steps will reduce swelling and help alleviate pain until you can get into our Torrance office.

• Rest: Stay off your ankle as much as possible. This will ease pain as well as reduce the swelling.
• Ice: It’s critical to ice your injured ankle throughout the day for the first 24 hours or until the swelling goes down.
• Compression: Elastic wraps, such as an ACE bandage, will help reduce swelling.
• Elevation: Rest with your ankle above the level of your heart to keep swelling to a minimum.  

Preventing injuries to the ankle

With extra care, you can help avoid ankle injuries.

• Wear appropriate shoes for each activity
• Throw out old, worn out shoes
• Be cautious of wet, slippery floors at work or at home
• Wear ankle braces or have your ankle taped during sport activities for increased stability

If you’ve injured your ankle and are experiencing pain or difficulty walking, come into our Torrance office for an examination and proper diagnosis. If an ankle sprain is not treated promptly with the necessary attention and care, chronic problems of pain and instability may result. Precision Foot and Ankle Centers can recommend a treatment plan based on the severity of the sprain to ensure proper healing and a fast recovery.