Blog Archive
AZ Choice Foot and Ankle is proud to announce that we are an official Lapiplasty Centurion Center! Dr. Suykerbuyk has now performed over 100 Lapiplasty 3D bunonectomy cases. He is also certified for the Lapiplasty Minimal Inciscion Bunion procedure. Dr. Suykerbuyk has been to advanced courses and training for correction...
When Should I have Surgery? I have been asked this question several times recently. There are a few fctors that should be looked at when deciding when to have surgery for the foot and ankle. The procedure, time of year and the dreaseded decuctable can all be factors in the...
Heel Pain Heel pain is the most common diagnosis seen in our office. Although there are severeal different problems that can cause heel pain, the one we see most often is plantar fasciitis. This is often seen along with heel spurs, flat or high arches and in patients who wear...
Hammer Toes Hammer toes are a contracture of the toe causing them to curl. This can be painful in shoe gear or when walking. Tight shoes can cause rubbing on the toes and the contractures may become painful over time. This can be caused by having a high arch, a...
When Do You Fix A Bunion? Bunions are seen as a bump on the inside of the big to joint, but it is more than just a growth. Bunions are caused by an unstable joint at the base of the toe, causing the bone to move outward and rotate. This...
What Are Hammer Toes? Hammer Toes are a deformity caused by abnormal tendon pull. This can cuase the toes to bend down or "hammer". Over time, this can become rigid and painful. There are many non-surgical and surgical options available to treat this common toe problem. How Do I know...
What Are Warts? Warts are a type of skin lesion caused by a virus known as the Human Papiloma Virus (HPV). They are very common and it is estimated that 75% of the human population has a form of the virus. Infections occur through tiny cuts or weak spots in...
Watch Dr. Suykerbuyk's interview with Sonoran Living What Are Bunions? Bunions are a common problem that frequently gets neglected by sufferers of this painful condition. They affect about 25% of people in the United States alone and while they are most commonly seen in older women, men, teenagers and even...
Bunionectomy Bunionectomy procedures have been around for decades with little change over the last 50 years. Newer technology like the Lapiplasty 3D bunionectomy has allowed for powerful corrective technique and stability. Now with the Lapiplasty MIS system, bunionectomies can be performed through an incision less than 3.5cm long. Minimal Incision...
Bunion Surgery There are many different options when it comes to bunion surgery. Depending on the degree of the bunion, a surgeon may choose to make a cut towards the head of the bone, the shaft of the first metatarsal or even a procedure at the base of the bone. ...
Pediatric Flat Foot Pediatric flat foot is a common condition and is diagnosed most often in children between the ages of 2-12. Most flat foot conditions are congenital, meaning it was inherited from a family member. Flat foot can be either rigid or flexible and the treatment options vary based...
Why is Your Toe Hurting by the Nail? If your toe is hurting on the inside or outside border, it could be an ingrown toenail. Ingrown nails occur when the toenail begins to grow into the surrounding skin. Your body treats an ingrown like a foreign body. It does not...
What Are Bunions? Bunions are a painful deformity caused by an unstable joint in the foot. This causes the big toe to move towards the second toe and a large "bump" to form on the inside of the foot. Bunions can be an inherited condition or be the result of...
What Are Bunions? Bunions are a condition causing the big toe to move towards the second toe. Often, there is an increase "bump" on the side of the toe. This is caused by instabily in the foot and causes imbalance in the tendons. Bunions can cause pain in the great...
As spring starts to warm up many people are hitting the gym and increasing their outdoor fitness. It is important that you not neglect your feet as you start or progress in your fitness journey. Here are a few items that can help to prevent your feet from harm. -Don't...
As we continue into the fall season of sports, a frequent injury we see in our clinic is "turf toe". Turf toe is a sprain of the first metatarsalphalangeal joint (MPJ) (big toe joint) resulting from the toe hyper-extending while planted. This injury results in disruption of the plantar structures...
Can your knee pain be connected to your feet? The short answers is yes! The long answer is it depends on the bio mechanics of your foot, structure of your body and the functions you are placing across them. Our bodies are subject to the kinetic chain. This means anything...
The most common site for degenerative arthritis on the body is the thumbs. The second most common site is the big toe. It makes sense, doesn't it? The big toe is just the thumb of the foot! They are the two joints that we use more than any other in...
Pain in the back of the ankle can be a major problem to both the athletic and non-athletic populations. Although more commonly seen in athletes, achilles tendinitis can be seen in patients of all ages and athletic involvement. Most patients present with pain in the back of the heel or...
Vascular disease is becoming more common in America as the number of patients with diabetes continues to increase. In a previous blog, I spoke of the dangers of diabetes in relation to vascular disease Diabetes and Your Feet (Part 1). Today, we will look at a case study of a diabetic...
Many ankle injuries can result in damage to ligaments, swelling in the joint or even damage to cartilage. Over time, this can lead to significant ankle pain. Thankfully, we can treat several of these problems with arthroscopic surgery. Arthroscopic surgery in a form of minimally invasive surgery done by placing...
Custom orthotics are shoes inserts molded to fit a patients unique foot type. There are several benefits of custom orthotics over products that can be purchased off the shelf. -Custom Fit: Custom orthotics are made just for you! We obtain molds of the foot in a neutral alignment and make...
Fungal toenails are a condition caused by a dermatophyte infecting under the nail bed causing the nail to become thickened, yellow, brittle and painful. There are many nail treatments on the market, but not all of them work. So what do you do when you have a fungal nail? The...
Talking to people out in the community, I often hear "I broke my toe a while back, but there's nothing you can do for it, so I didn't get it checked out." The same people go on to tell me how the toe has never felt right, or rubs on...
You are going to injure yourself if you run. Sorry for the bad news, but it will happen sooner or later. That isn’t to say running is bad for you or bad for your feet necessarily, but as in any sport, injuries occur. The most common injuries we see in...
Ankle sprains can happen all of the time, but what is an ankle “sprain”? A traditional ankle sprain occurs along the outside of the ankle at the lateral ankle ligaments during an inversion injury. The foot rolls inwards and causes a stress across these ligaments that can stretch them or...
Why do diabetics need to see the foot doctor? Regularly scheduled appointments for diabetic foot checks are essential to the health and wellbeing of our patients. Much like seeing your Dentist for routine teeth cleaning, seeing the Podiatrist can help to prevent problems from occurring in the future. Diabetic can...
Gout has been a problem for patients for thousands of years. It was referred to as “The King’s Disease” due to the prevalence in the monarchy and upper class. In this blog, we will go over what gout is, how to avoid it and how to treat it. Gout occurs...
What are amniotic injections? Amniotic injections are a type of human amniotic membrane allograft. This means they are harvested from the amniotic sack or "afterbirth". All of the tissue is donated by consenting mothers after C-section. The tissue contains several growth factors that can help rebuild tissue after damage. This can...
Why is your toe hurting by the nail? It could be from ingrown toenails. Ingrown nails occur when the toenail begins to grow into the surrounding skin. There are several causes, including congenital (from birth) nail shape, injury, tight shoes, pregnancy and gait. Your body treats an ingrown like a...
When does a bunion require surgery? Bunions are an outgrowth of bone at the big toe joint caused by the joint moving out of alignment. The big toe can cross over or under the second toe and can cause pain while walking, in shoe gear and durring athletics. Bunions can...
What are the right shoes to wear? Finding in the right shoe can be hard, but here are some helpful tips: -Make sure you are wearing the right size. Shoe brand varry in sizes, but it is importatnt to have a baseline to know where to start. The shoe should...
September 13,2018 Nail Fungus: What is it and How did I get it? Nail fungus is an infection of the nail caused by a dermatophyte, a type of fungus that lives off of skin cells. It is often the same kind of fungus that causes "athletes foot" and other fungal...
Heel pain is a common complaint in patients of all ages. There are many factors that can cause heel pain including injury, foot type, tight tissues, shoe gear and growing pains. In this post, i will explore some common causes in different groups and how they can be treated. Children:...
A frequent question I hear this time of year is, "What kind of shoes should I be buying for my kids?". There is no easy, one size fits all answer to this question, but here's some tips for finding the right shoe for your kiddos. The first thing to look...