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Everyone – men, women, and children – should visit a board-certified podiatrist like Dr. Stavros O. Alexopoulos once a year for preventative care. This is especially important for people with diabetes. What Is Diabetes? In your body, there is a small gland called the pancreas. It is responsible for producing the hormone insulin, which is necessary for…

In short, yes! But understanding why you should see a podiatrist begins with understanding what a podiatrist is and what a podiatrist can do for you. When you see the letters DPM after your doctor’s name, it means that he or she is a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine. Podiatrists are experienced specialists and the best-qualified…

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you already know that it’s a dangerous whole-body illness.  Steady blood sugar (glucose) levels are critical to maintaining good health. A small gland called the pancreas helps accomplish that by producing the hormone insulin, which is critical to successfully managing the job. In people who have diabetes, the…

It’s common for foot pain to be localized in the ball of the foot, the area between the arches, and the toes on the bottom of the foot. This is metatarsalgia. It usually centers on the metatarsals, the five bones under the toes. Anyone can develop metatarsalgia, but it is more common in men and…

Healthy feet and ankles are the very foundation of daily life. They enable you to stand and walk through your days with ease. Regular readers of this blog know that there are many steps you can take to promote foot and ankle health and reduce your risk of pain and discomfort. These include: See a…

How would you estimate your risk of a fall? High, medium, or low? Interestingly, a majority of adults do not know that they are at risk of falling, and of the foot and ankle injuries that can result.  In fact, nearly one third of Americans over the age of 65 will fall each year, and…

Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI) is a chronic condition affecting circulation to the feet and lower legs. In order to understand this problem, you must first understand the process of circulation. With every beat, your heart sends bright red, oxygen-rich blood throughout your body via a system of arteries. The cells throughout the body use this…

Your feet are among nature’s most complex structures. There are 206 bones in your body. Over one quarter of them is located in your feet and ankles, arranged in delicate joints and arches. They are supported by over 100 muscles, miles of nerves and blood vessels, and a wide variety of soft tissues and are…

Many patients come to My Chicago Foot Expert: Stavros Alexopoulos, DPM to be treated for a foot or ankle injury. Happily, many of these are relatively minor and don’t require surgery or other invasive treatment to heal. A boot or cast and a pair of crutches often do the job. However, patients are often confused to learn…

What’s your favorite athletic activity? Whether it’s tennis, yoga, running, or something else, you probably have a favorite piece of equipment. It might be a preferred racquet, mat, or pair of sneakers. But, no matter which sport you like best, there’s one piece of equipment you can’t do without: healthy feet and ankles. When injury…