About 20% of Americans face at least one foot problem each year, according to the American Podiatric Medical Association. During National Foot Health Awareness Month, Austin Diagnostic Clinic podiatrists are encouraging those with foot or ankle issues to seek a pain-free life by scheduling an appointment.
Seeing patients at three locations across the greater Austin area, ADC podiatrists Dr. Derek Ley and Dr. Danny Romman specialize in diagnosing, treating and preventing foot and ankle problems for patients of all ages.
Several underlying health conditions can contribute to foot and ankle concerns, including peripheral neuropathy, type II diabetes and obesity. ADC podiatrist Dr. Derek Ley said people oftentimes take their feet, ankles and lower extremities for granted until something goes wrong—but once it does, they realize the importance of them.
“It's absolutely worth investing into good shoes and good inserts,” Dr. Ley said. “The sooner you catch something, the much easier it is to treat and I think that goes along with anything in medicine.”
Dr. Ley says that both he and Dr. Romman, ADC podiatrists, prioritize preventative medicine, and evidence suggests that this approach can actually result in long-term cost savings.
“We all get aches and pains after any significant activity no matter how healthy or perfect your feet are. It's mainly when, persistently, the pain has not gotten significantly better. When it's still bothering you when you're doing your everyday activities,” Dr. Ley said.
According to Dr. Ley, the most commonly seen podiatric issue by both physicians at ADC is plantar fasciitis, an overuse injury that inflames the ligament on the bottom of the foot.
"This type of injury typically happens with overuse and can occur at any age and affect any type of person. Ultimately, it comes down to a lack of flexibility and supportive shoe gear, which can significantly impact daily activities. The prognosis is always very good and plantar fasciitis is the most common issue we see,” Dr. Ley said. “However, many people feel hesitant to discuss issues they believe are uncommon or rare, due to nerves or anxiety. In reality, we see these problems more often than people realize, and it's important for patients to feel comfortable having their concerns evaluated because it is likely happening to a large portion of the population."
ADC emphasizes the significance of creating a comfortable environment for patients to share all of their concerns. This approach enables the staff to deliver the best care to each patient, leading to favorable outcomes and a positive experience overall.
"You're going to see a variety of people during your visit, starting with your check-in and then with one of our medical assistants. During the clinic visit, we will conduct a general health check and review all your medications. After that, we'll have a one-on-one conversation about your health status, goals and what you want to achieve,” Dr. Ley said. “Next, we'll develop a plan together, but before we do that, we'll perform a full exam. We will check all the major systems related to your foot health. Once we have all that information, we will discuss the outlook and prognosis, and have a direct and clear conversation about what to expect and what is possible."
At ADC, personalized care is at the core of every patient's experience. From the moment a patient walks in, they are treated as an individual with unique needs and concerns.
“Every patient has to be customized with regard to their plan. So, we kind of go through that same structure with everyone, but everyone's a little bit different,” Dr. Ley said.
Dr. Ley acknowledged that individuals typically avoid seeking medical care unless necessary.
"What we're trying to do in our clinic is create a comfortable environment where patients feel at ease sharing all of their concerns and expressing the extent to which their pain or discomfort affects them,” Ley said. “Our job is to provide comfort and reassurance that, more often than not, we have a solution to their problems."
Dr. Levy said patients frequently tell him that the treatment was easier than they expected and are relieved to find out that the condition is not as serious as they originally thought."
“Our philosophy here in our clinic is patients really need to feel comfortable and I don't want patients to feel that they have to wait,” Dr. Ley said. “Nothing is easier than having a quick appointment where we are able to see something quite minor and then take care of it right away and not only do we treat the problem, but we also try to prevent a problem going forward.”
Drs. Ley and Romman see patients at ADC North inside North Austin Medical Center, and have just added two new locations at ADC Circle C and ADC Georgetown for patients’ convenience. To learn more about Austin Diagnostic Clinic, visit their website at adclinic.com. Here, you can browse through their physician profiles, schedule appointments and find clinic locations.
The above story was produced by Holly Galvan with Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team. Our integrity promise to our readers is to clearly identify all CI Storytelling posts so they are separate from the content decided upon, researched and written by our journalism department.
