Conditions of the foot & ankle
A foot and ankle specialist sees roughly 200 distinct conditions in active practice. Below are the most common — grouped by anatomy. If you don't see what you're looking for, call the office; chances are it falls inside the practice.
Forefoot
The bony bump at the base of the big toe. More than a cosmetic problem — bunions progress over time and can cause pain in regular shoes. Treatment ranges from shoe modification and orthotics to several distinct surgical correction techniques chosen based on severity.
Arthritis of the big toe joint that limits motion and creates pain with push-off. Common in runners and patients over fifty. Joint-preserving surgery is often possible if caught early; fusion or joint replacement when the cartilage is too far gone.
The smaller toes bend abnormally — at one or two joints — creating prominence on top, pain in shoes, and sometimes corns or sores. Flexible deformities can sometimes be managed nonsurgically; rigid deformities are corrected surgically.
A thickening of nerve tissue between the toes, classically between the third and fourth, causing burning pain, numbness, or the sensation of a pebble in the shoe. Often responds to footwear changes, orthotics, and injections; surgery when conservative care fails.
A sprain of the ligaments at the base of the big toe, common in athletes who push off forcefully. Severity ranges from minor to season-ending. Most cases recover with rest and structured rehab; severe injuries may need surgical repair.
Inflammation, fracture, or stress injury to the two small bones beneath the big toe joint. Common in runners and dancers. Conservative care first — offloading, immobilization, sometimes injections — surgery reserved for cases that don't resolve.
The same problem as a bunion, but on the outside of the foot at the small toe. Less common, but the surgical principles are similar.
Pain in the ball of the foot, often from overload, fat-pad atrophy, alignment problems, or transfer pain after another condition. Diagnosis matters — “forefoot pain” is a symptom, not a diagnosis.
Midfoot & Hindfoot
The most common cause of heel pain — sharp, worse with first steps in the morning. The vast majority resolve nonsurgically with stretching, orthotics, and time. Recalcitrant cases may benefit from injections or surgical release.
Includes Achilles tendinitis (inflammation), tendinosis (chronic degeneration), insertional tendinopathy (where the tendon meets the heel bone), and acute Achilles ruptures. Treatment is condition-specific and ranges from physical therapy to surgical reconstruction.
The arch collapses progressively, usually from posterior tibial tendon failure. Untreated, it advances through stages — flexible deformity becomes rigid, and rigid deformity creates arthritis. Early treatment changes the trajectory; late treatment is harder.
The most common cause of adult flatfoot — the tendon that supports the arch fails over time. Early stages respond to bracing, orthotics, and physical therapy. Later stages typically need reconstructive surgery.
Sprain, dislocation, or fracture-dislocation of the joints at the top of the midfoot. Often missed on initial evaluation and easily mistaken for a routine ankle sprain. Accurate diagnosis is critical — these injuries are unforgiving when undertreated.
An abnormally high arch with associated heel and forefoot deformity. Causes ankle instability, overload pain, and stress fractures. Treatment depends on cause and severity — bracing, orthotics, or reconstructive surgery.
Compression of the tibial nerve along the inside of the ankle, causing burning, tingling, or numbness in the foot. The foot equivalent of carpal tunnel. Diagnosis often requires nerve studies; treatment ranges from conservative to surgical release.
Wear of the midfoot joints, often from prior injury, deformity, or simple aging. Causes activity-related pain and stiffness across the top of the foot. Treatment ranges from supportive bracing and orthotics to selective fusion of the affected joints.
Ankle
Most ankle sprains heal with rest and rehab. A meaningful minority don't — leaving the ligaments lax, the ankle “giving way,” and recurrent injury. Chronic instability is a treatable condition; bracing, structured rehabilitation, or ligament reconstruction.
Fractures of the ankle range from stable, single-bone breaks treated in a boot to displaced, multi-bone fractures that require surgical fixation. The right answer depends on the pattern of injury and the patient's activity level.
Wear of the ankle joint, usually post-traumatic — from a prior fracture or recurrent sprains. Treatment is staged: bracing and injections first, then joint-preserving surgery if anatomy allows, then total ankle replacement or fusion in advanced disease.
For end-stage ankle arthritis in appropriate candidates, modern total ankle replacement preserves motion in a way fusion does not. Patient selection is critical — not every arthritic ankle is the right ankle for replacement.
Damage to the cartilage and underlying bone of the ankle joint, often after a sprain or fracture. Causes deep aching pain, swelling, and clicking. Treatment ranges from arthroscopic cleanup to cartilage restoration procedures.
Tears, dislocations, and chronic tendinopathy of the peroneal tendons along the outside of the ankle. Often misdiagnosed as a chronic ankle sprain. Surgical repair when conservative care doesn't resolve the pain.
Pinching pain at the front or back of the ankle, often from bone spurs, scar tissue, or accessory bones (os trigonum). Common in athletes and dancers. Arthroscopic surgery has become the standard for cases that don't respond to conservative care.
A sprain of the ligaments connecting the tibia and fibula above the ankle joint. Heals more slowly than a routine ankle sprain and requires distinct treatment. Severe cases often need surgical stabilization.
Sports & Complex
Surgery is rarely the first decision in a complex case. Where the situation calls for it, Dr. Patel coordinates with other specialists — vascular surgery, pain management, neurology, primary care, rheumatology — before the surgical recommendation is made. The training that comes from academic institutions like Stanford makes that judgment second nature.
The full range of athletic injuries — sprains, fractures, tendon ruptures, cartilage injuries, stress reactions. Treatment is structured around the question that actually matters to athletes: when can I get back, and to what level.
Hairline fractures from repetitive overload, common in runners, dancers, and military patients. Some heal predictably with rest; others — particularly the navicular and the fifth metatarsal — are notorious for poor healing and may need surgical fixation.
A destructive, often painless collapse of the foot or ankle in patients with diabetes and neuropathy. Early diagnosis is critical — the deformity is preventable in early stages and devastating once advanced. A condition that requires both medical and surgical expertise.
Wounds in patients with diabetes, often complicated by neuropathy, vascular disease, and deformity. Comprehensive care — offloading, infection control, addressing underlying deformity — is the difference between healing and progression to amputation.
Beyond the diabetic patient, the practice manages chronic non-healing wounds of the foot and ankle from a range of causes — venous insufficiency, pressure injuries, post-surgical wound complications, and trauma. Wound care often runs alongside the surgical work it supports, not separately from it.
Reconstructive surgery for the foot or ankle in patients who would otherwise face amputation. Often involves complex deformity correction, infection management, and staged procedures. Not every limb is salvageable, and not every salvageable limb should be salvaged — the judgment matters as much as the surgery.
Surgical realignment of complex deformities — congenital, post-traumatic, or progressive. Includes osteotomies, fusions, and external fixation techniques for cases that can't be addressed with standard procedures.
Reconstruction after a foot or ankle injury that didn't heal properly — malunions, nonunions, post-traumatic arthritis, residual deformity. Often complex, often staged, often the patient's last realistic option before living with the original injury.
When a previous foot or ankle surgery didn't deliver the expected outcome — persistent pain, hardware failure, recurrent deformity, nonunion. Revision surgery is technically harder than the original; patient selection and surgical planning carry more weight.
Beyond the foot & ankle
Foot and ankle is the focus, but it isn't the only thing the practice does. Dr. Patel maintains a working general orthopedic practice — knees, hands, and acute fractures of the upper and lower extremity — particularly where a single point of contact matters more than splitting care across multiple specialists.
Most knee arthritis can be managed without surgery for years. Activity modification, weight management, physical therapy, bracing, injections, and biologic options each have a place. The right plan depends on the stage of disease and what the patient actually wants to be able to do.
Minimally invasive surgery for meniscus tears, loose bodies, cartilage injuries, and selected ligament issues. Patient selection matters — not every painful knee is a knee that benefits from arthroscopy, and the literature on this is more nuanced than it used to be.
Cortisone for inflammation, viscosupplementation (hyaluronic acid) for arthritis, and biologic injections — including platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and other regenerative agents — for select tendon and joint conditions. Image-guided where appropriate. Honest counseling on what each agent does and doesn't do is part of the visit.
The most common upper-extremity fracture, often from a fall on an outstretched hand. Treatment ranges from closed reduction and casting to operative fixation depending on displacement, joint involvement, and patient activity level.
Fractures of the upper arm at the shoulder, common in older patients after falls. Many heal nonsurgically; displaced and complex patterns may require surgical fixation. Decision-making weighs fracture pattern, bone quality, and functional demands.
Fractures at the tip of the elbow, usually from a direct blow or fall. Displaced fractures typically require surgical fixation to restore the extensor mechanism; nondisplaced fractures often heal in a sling.
Fractures and dislocations of the fingers from sports, work, and falls. Most are managed in the office with reduction and protective splinting; some require operative fixation when alignment can't be maintained.
Tendon injuries at the fingertip (mallet) and middle finger joint (boutonnière) that, untreated, leave permanent deformity. Most respond to extended splinting if started promptly; surgical repair for cases that don't.
Compression of the median nerve at the wrist — the most common cause of hand numbness, tingling, and night pain. Managed with bracing, activity modification, and injections; carpal tunnel release for cases that don't respond.
Compression of the ulnar nerve at the elbow, causing numbness in the ring and small fingers and weakness of grip. Treated with splinting and activity modification first; surgical release for cases that progress.
The thumb or finger catches and releases painfully through a constricted tendon sheath. Often resolves with one or two cortisone injections; surgical release reliably solves the cases that don't.
Inflammation of the thumb-side tendons at the wrist, common in new parents and patients with repetitive thumb use. Splinting and injection are the mainstays; surgical release for refractory cases.
Benign fluid-filled cysts of the wrist and hand. Many require nothing more than reassurance and observation; symptomatic cysts can be aspirated or surgically removed.
Acute dislocations managed in the office or after ED reduction — including post-reduction follow-up, immobilization, structured rehabilitation, and decisions about long-term stabilization for recurrent cases.
Sprains, strains, contusions, and tendon injuries across the extremities. Diagnosis, imaging when warranted, and a structured return-to-activity plan — usually conservative, occasionally surgical.
Don't see it?
The conditions above are the most common — but a fellowship-trained foot and ankle specialist sees substantially more. If your problem isn't listed, the practice still likely manages it. Call the office or request an appointment online; we'll tell you whether the case is a fit before you make the trip.
Schedule
Most appointments scheduled within one week. Same-week availability for urgent cases and physician referrals.