Foot & Ankle

Achilles’ Tendinopathy

Tendons connect muscles to bones, and the largest tendon in the foot and ankle area is the Achilles tendon, which connects your calf muscle to your foot bones. Over time, tendons can wear down or degenerate. At Mount Sinai, our orthopedic specialists treat Achilles’ tendinopathy using several approaches, from physical therapy to minimally invasive surgery.

Athlete’s Foot

Most people have athlete’s foot at some time in their lives. It happens when bacteria infects the skin on the foot and in between toes. It’s usually the result of walking barefoot in public spaces. Topical ointments can help cure the disease.

Charcot Foot

This severe condition is most common among people with diabetes, but it can occur in people who don’t have diabetes, as well. Charcot foot leads to collapse and crumbling of the foot and sometimes the ankle. In its early stages, we can often treat it effectively by putting on a cast and making sure the patient does not put weight on the foot. However, in later stages, patients can develop pressure sores that don’t heal. These open wounds can sometimes require amputation.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease

The most commonly inherited neurological disorder, Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease causes muscles to weaken, also known as atrophy. This atrophy particularly affects the muscles of the foot and ankle. Patients often develop foot drop, where their foot drags; foot deformities, including very high arches; and hammer toes. Using a combination of minimally invasive procedures, tendon transfers, and realignment procedures, our orthopedic specialists can improve patients’ foot and ankle function along with their quality of life.

Diabetic Foot Ulcer

When pressure sores don’t heal, they become open wounds, also known as a diabetic foot ulcer, because they’re most common in people with diabetes. At Mount Sinai we use advanced wound healing approaches, including debridement and pressurized oxygen. We also offer a revolutionary surgical technique called distraction osteoplasty to improve blood flow to the foot, which can increase the healing rate of the ulcer.

Foot and Ankle Tendonitis

Tendonitis is the term to describe inflamed or injured tendons, the fibrous cords that connect your muscles to bones. Tendonitis in the foot and ankle area can be caused by many things, including an injury, overuse, inflammation from a disease like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or psoriasis. Even certain medications can cause foot and ankle tendonitis. Mount Sinai’s foot and ankle specialists can help patients with all kinds of tendonitis using a range of treatments, from the use of braces and custom shoe insoles, to anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen, to physical therapy, and surgery. At Mount Sinai, we treat all forms of tendonitis, including:

• Achilles tendonitis
• Ankle tendonitis
• Foot tendonitis
• Peroneal tendonitis

Morton’s Neuroma

Morton’s Neuroma causes enlargement of the nerve between two bones in your forefoot. At Mount Sinai, our fellowship-trained orthopedic foot and ankle surgeons can perform a minimally invasive procedure to open up the space where the enlarged nerve is trapped.

Osteochondral Defect

Loss of cartilage, the firm but flexible tissue that cushions bones from grinding against each other, is known as an osteochondral defect. These defects are usually in the ankle and are mostly caused by a sports injury. At Mount Sinai, our fellowship trained foot and ankle specialists can perform arthroscopic surgery to treat the defect by replacing the lost cartilage.

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of foot pain at the bottom part of the heel. It can be caused by either inflammation or degeneration of the ligament that connects the heel bone to the toe bones. Fortunately, most patients at Mount Sinai with plantar fasciitis do not require surgery. Instead, we use a range of treatments, including pain relief medication, physical therapy, custom shoe inserts called orthotics, and steroid injections.

Posterior Tibial Tendon Insufficiency

The posterior tibial tendon is the main supporter of the foot’s arch. When this tendon wears down or degenerates, you may experience foot or ankle pain and may also notice the arch of your foot flattens. At Mount Sinai, we can treat this tendon degeneration using custom shoe insoles called orthotics. For severe cases, we operate to surgically repair the tendon and rebuild the arch.

Sesamoiditis

The sesamoids are two small bones under the big toe. A trauma, arthritis, wearing high heels for many years, and having high arches can cause these bones to become inflamed. In severe cases, one or both bones can even die. At Mount Sinai we use physical therapy, custom shoe inserts called orthotics, medication, and injections to manage pain. For some patients, we surgically remove the affected bone or bones.

Tumors

Most tumors of the foot and ankle are benign and pose no threat to the life of a patient. Mount Sinai’s fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons use advanced diagnostic techniques, including MRI, to evaluate foot and ankle tumors. Based on the findings, we recommend an appropriate treatment that may include minimally invasive surgery to remove the tumor.

Walking Problems

Difficulty walking, including imbalance, is often caused by lower back, hip, or knee problems. Foot and ankle issues, including arthritis, flat feet, and high arches, can also cause walking problems. At Mount Sinai, we provide patients with a thorough clinical and radiographic examination to identify the underlying cause. Based on the results, we recommend the most appropriate treatment.