Orthopedic foot and ankle surgeons are doctors – MDs or DOs who have completed four years of medical school, five to six years of surgical residency and an additional year of fellowship training in foot and ankle care. By comparison, a podiatrist (or DPM) is required to complete four years of podiatry school, followed by two years of residency training.

As a result of this rigorous training, orthopedic foot and ankle surgeons are not only well qualified to care for both common and complex foot and ankle issues, but possess extensive knowledge of the entire human body and its relationship to lower extremity issues. While pain may present in your foot, it’s not uncommon for the root cause of this pain to originate in your hips or back.  A comprehensive understanding of the body’s entire musculoskeletal system allows an orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon to take the context of your entire health into account when diagnosing and treating problems.

Click here for a complete list of Orthopedic ONE fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeons.

Consider seeing an orthopedic specialist when pain persists, limits your movement or interferes with daily activities. A specialist can identify the cause and discuss surgical and nonsurgical treatment options. Traumatic bone or joint injuries caused by an accident or fall may require immediate orthopedic trauma and fracture care.

An orthopedic surgeon treats conditions affecting the bones, joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons and can perform surgery when necessary. Sports medicine focuses on preventing and rehabilitating activity-related injuries.

Orthopedic ONE’s sports medicine program includes primary care sports medicine physicians, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons, athletic trainers and physical therapists. The right provider depends on the condition and whether surgical expertise may be needed.

Hip replacement may be considered when advanced arthritis or significant joint deterioration causes ongoing pain and reduced function. Younger or active patients with early-stage arthritis, labral tears or structural hip conditions may be candidates for treatments designed to preserve the natural joint.

An orthopedic hip specialist can assess the condition and determine whether joint preservation or hip replacement should be considered.

Yes. Physical therapy is often a first-line treatment for musculoskeletal pain and injuries. A treatment plan may include therapeutic exercise, manual treatment, pain-relief techniques, activity changes and injury-prevention education.

For some patients with osteoarthritis, physical therapy and other conservative treatments may help delay or avoid joint-replacement surgery. Learn more about Orthopedic ONE’s approach to joint preservation.

Traumatic bone or joint injuries caused by accidents or falls typically require immediate attention from a trained orthopedic trauma specialist. Orthopedic ONE provides specialized trauma and fracture care for complex injuries. If you’re unsure whether your injury requires immediate care, our “Can It Wait?” resource can help you understand when to seek urgent orthopedic treatment.

Urgent appointment requests should be made by phone rather than through the online appointment form.  If you have a life or limb-threatening condition or injury, you should immediately call 911 or head to your nearest Emergency Department.