podiatry Conditions We treat

---

Advanced Tissue Skin Grafts - When a patient has a non-healing, chronic wound, which does not respond to standard wound care therapies, sometimes advanced treatments are indicated, such as application of a skin-substitute allograft.  There are several different types of allografts, which are made of porcine tissue, bovine tissue, and amniotic membrane tissue which is harvested from a newborn baby's amniotic sac.  These grafts are enriched with beneficial growth factors, which help to stimulate and promote new healing in an otherwise chronically stalled wound.

Athlete's Foot - Athlete's foot is a fungal infection that can cause scaly, dry, itchy skin.  In order to help prevent athlete's foot, be sure to wash and fully dry between the toes each day, use an anti-fungal powder on the feet daily, apply a clean pair of socks daily, and use an anti-fungal spray in your shoes weekly.  There are both over-the-counter and prescription medications that can be used to treat the infection.  Even with proper treatment, athlete's foot can take up to 12 weeks to fully clear.  

Arthritic Foot Conditions - Arthritis can be found throughout your body and comes in several different forms including gout, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, post-traumatic arthritis, and psoriatic arthritis.  Arthritis is a condition where the cartilage of joints wears away causing inflammation of one or more of your joints.  There are various treatments and supports we offer in order to help decrease your inflammation and pain in the foot and leg.  

Bunions - Bunions are a common deformity of the foot and are hereditary.  They are often painful, develop over time, and make it uncomfortable to wear certain types of shoes.  There are both surgical and non-surgical treatments that can be used to lessen the pain and/or appearance of bunions.  

Corns/Calluses - Corns and/or callouses are formed on skin, usually in areas of increased pressure or stress.  They can be painful and cause irritation when walking.  Soaking the foot sometimes helps to alleviate the pain, but often corns/calluses must be removed by a professional to alleviate the discomfort.  Specific pads and splints can help reduce pressure on the specific areas of pain.

Custom Orthotics -  Custom orthotics are considered “prescription” arch supports and replace your current shoe inserts.  They are custom-made to fit into YOUR shoes and support YOUR individual arch.  Quite often, the left arch and right arch of your feet are different, so a custom molded orthotic fits your specific foot structure.  In addition, special modifications such as offloading pads can be added to your device in order to treat your specific ailments.

Diabetic Foot Care - Diabetes, a disorder where there is too much sugar in one's blood, is a medical condition that often comes with many complications of the feet/toes.  Since many diabetics do not feel their feet normally (called diabetic neuropathy), it is important to check the bottom of your feet and shoes daily and inspect the feet for any ulcers, blisters, redness, bruises, pain, or discomfort.  Inspect your shoes daily for any hidden debris or socks prior to placing them on your feet. Dr. Selbst is specifically trained to work with diabetic patients to ensure their feet are in tip-top shape.

Foot Pain - Foot pain comes in various presentations and conditions.  It is one of the top reasons why someone will visit a podiatrist.  There is a plethora of conditions which cause foot pain and this would lead to your physician creating a list of differential diagnoses to find the underlying cause.  Foot pain is most often causes by a broken bone, inflammation, a corn/callous, and nerve injury (although there are an infinite number of causes of generalized foot pain).  

Fungal Toenails/Nail Fungus - Fungal toenails, also known as onychomycosis, usually presents itself as a discolored, thickened, yellow or white nail which can sometimes be painful.  Fungus can be found on one toe, or sometimes all ten.  Fungus lives and breathes in warm humid temperatures, so be sure to clean and dry your feet daily to decrease the spread of fungus.

Gout - Gout is a painful, inflammatory type of arthritis which forms when excessive amounts of uric acid builds up in one's system.  It presents itself as a red, painful, swollen joint, most commonly of the great toe of the foot.  Certain prescription anti-inflammatory medications in combination with heat can help ease the pain.  Sometimes a cortisone injection into the joint is required as well.  A diet low in purines can help reduce your risk of a gout attack.  

Hammertoes - Hammertoes are a deformity of the foot when the lesser toes become contracted.  Causes of hammertoes include significant pronation of the foot, significant supination (cavus foot), as well as some neurological causes.  In some cases, hammertoes can become painful from the prominent joints rubbing on the shoe toe box.  Some people can develop pain at the tip of the toe, secondary to a hammertoe contractures, which can also lead to nail thickening and nail fungus.  Treatments include toe pads, surgery, open-toed shoes, shoes with a wider and taller toe box, hammertoe splints, and if necessary, surgical correction.

Heel Pain - Heel pain is a common podiatric condition that can have various causes.  The most common cause is a condition called plantar fasciitis, a condition which is caused by an inflamed ligament from the bottom of the heel, which helps support the arch.  This condition is commonly associated with heel spurs.  Treatment for heel pain consists of calf muscle stretching exercises, orthotic inserts, appropriate shoe gear choices, avoidance of walking barefoot, anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, and in certain cases a cortisone shot is recommended.  Another cause of heel pain can be an entrapped nerve.  This condition presents itself as a burning, tingling, and/or electrical sensation in the bottom of the heel.  

Ingrown Toenails - Ingrown toenails are a common podiatry condition that affects people of all ages.  They are caused by trauma to the nail unit, but some ingrown nails are caused from a person's natural and significant curvature of the nail plate.  The nail can become entrapped in the skin as it grows out, leading to a break in the skin and subsequent infection.  If an infection is present, a minor, in-office procedure can be performed.  This entails anesthetizing the toe and removing the infected nail margin.  A permanent procedure can also be performed, called a Matrixectomy, in which the nail root is destroyed permanently with application of a medical-grade chemical.   

In-Office X-Rays - At Florida Foot & Ankle Care in Delray Beach, we offer in-office X-Rays so your painful foot or ankle condition can be promptly diagnosed and treatment can begin immediately.  There is no longer any need to wait at a diagnostic center for your appointment or wait for your x-ray results to come through!    

Limb Salvage - A vital part of podiatric medicine and surgery is to preserve the function of limbs and loss of limbs in people who have underlying, chronic conditions such as diabetes mellitus, peripheral neuropathy, and/or peripheral arterial disease.

Lymphedema (swelling in legs) - Lymphedema is a condition in which the lymphatic vessels or venous vessels of the leg are impaired.  These vessels' primary function is to return lymph drainage and blood up the leg, against gravity, back towards the heart.  In this condition, these vessels have valves which failed to act appropriately, causing leakage of the fluid into the surrounding tissue, causing swelling of the legs, varicose veins, pain, heaviness sensations, tingling, and/or in some cases brown, skin discoloration.  If left untreated, lymphedema can lead to venous ulcerations, infection, chronic, non-healing wounds, and chronic lymphedema.  Florida Foot & Ankle Care offers testing to determine your severity of venous insufficiency. 

Neuromas - The foot and ankle is comprised of many small structures, including very small bones, tendons, ligaments, arteries, veins, and nerves.  The spaces for which these structures are situated have very limited space in which they function.  A Morton's neuroma  is cause when a nerve of the forefoot, which anatomically travels between the heads of two bones that make up the ball of the boot, becomes compressed.  Over time the nerve becomes swollen and inflamed,  sending sensations of numbness, tingling, and/or burning into the third and fourth toes.  Treatment includes appropriate shoe gear with a wide toe box, avoidance of tight shoes (especially high heels), utilization of a metatarsal pad, anti-inflammatory medication, and in some cases a cortisone injection.  

Neuropathy - Neuropathy is a disorder of the nerves which presents itself in the lower extremities as sensations of numbness, tingling, and/or burning in both the feet and/or legs.  There are numerous causes of neuropathy such as diabetes, spinal stenosis, vitamin deficiencies, alcoholism, kidney failure, and chemotherapy.  Neuropathy can be dangerous if a person cannot feel their feet, which can cause them to have a wound/infection without them knowing of it.  It is particularly important that a person with neuropathy be seen by a foot specialist on a regular basis.  Certain medications and remedies can help with symptoms.  

Non-Healing Wounds - These types of wounds can have various causes such as arterial insufficiency (poor circulation), venous insufficiency (swelling of the legs), neuropathy, surgical wounds, and/or traumatic wounds.  

Pediatrics - At Florida Foot & Ankle Care, we see patients of all ages starting from age one.  Pediatric patients come to us with various problems including heel pain, ingrown toenails, toe walking, warts, and other various conditions.  Dr. Selbst takes time to ensure the child is comfortable with him before moving ahead with any specific type of procedure.  We also prescribe foot orthotics/arch supports for our younger patients when necessary.

Peripheral Arterial Disease/Peripheral Vascular Disease - This is a disease in which plaque in the arteries (from high cholesterol levels) build up and cause a narrowing of the arteries, further causing decreased blood flow to the legs and feet.  The majority of people with this condition do not have any symptoms.  A non-invasive vascular study can be performed at Florida Foot & Ankle Care to determine the severity of a person's peripheral arterial disease. The exam detects the quality of your blood flow and possible blockage in your arteries using the most state-of-the art, diagnostic technology. 

Plantar Fasciitis - Plantar Fasciitis is an inflammatory condition which has a primary symptom of heel pain.  It can also have associated heel spurs, which are evaluated with x-rays.  A common misconception is that the heel spur causes the pain, when in fact it is the soft tissue ligament, which attaches to the heel spur, that is inflamed and painful.  Plantar Fasciitis is caused from the foot arch collapsing, putting strain on the plantar fascial ligament and causing micro-tears in the ligament.  These micro-tears heal themselves when a person is off of their foot for an extended period of time, which is why there is a classic symptom of significant pain of the affected heel, with the first steps out of bed in the morning and after periods of rest.  Treatments include calf-muscle stretching exercises, custom orthotics/foot inserts, appropriate shoe gear, arch supports, avoidance of barefoot walking, cortisone injections, and/or anti-inflammatory medications.

Skin and Nail Pathology - There are several different types of skin and nail conditions that present themselves in the lower extremities.  A clinical exam can provide crucial evidence into the most likely cause of a skin or nail condition; however, in order to make an accurate diagnosis, a biopsy of tissue is usually required.  Most skin and nail conditions can be treated with topical creams, ointments, and/or prescription medications. 

Sports Injuries - There are countless types of sports injuries which can occur in the foot/ankle.  These injuries range from foot and ankle fractures, dislocations, stress fractures, Achilles tendon rupture, ankle sprains, turf toe, bone contusions, tendinitis, partial tendon tears, ligament tears, and many more.  A customized treatment plan will depend on the injury that has occurred and the severity of it.  Treatment often includes immobilization, anti-inflammatory medication, physical therapy, and surgery when indicated.

Warts - A foot wart, also called a plantar wart or verrucae, can come in various sizes, shapes, and colors.  They are small growths that can appear individually or in clusters.  Warts are often painful and hurt even with gentle touch.  There are various treatments for warts depending on the size, location, and severity of the pain.  

Wound Care - Wound Care services vary by frequency and treatment based on the wound type and location of it.  Dr. Selbst treats any type of wound on the lower leg and/or foot with both non-aggressive and aggressive (when medically necessary) treatments.  He takes careful consideration when coming up with a customized treatment plan for each patient, and collects and analyses data to ensure the wound is improving with each visit.  Dr. Selbst is currently an attending physician at a local wound care center, in addition to performing wound care services at his office located in Delray Beach, Florida.

At Florida Foot & Ankle Care, we provide a customized treatment plan geared toward meeting each individual patient’s needs from wound care, fracture care, at-risk foot care, surgery when indicated, and limb salvage.