Foot and Ankle Specialists
Bellingham
Getting You Back on Your Feet
Foot and ankle injuries and pain can impact your quality of life, preventing your pursuit of hobbies and physical activity. Whether a torn ligament or joint injury from a sports accident. Our foot and ankle specialists in Bellingham are committed to providing our patients with the highest quality care. By using the best orthopedic techniques and orthopedic surgery technologies in a comfortable, caring, private practice setting, we are better able to focus on improving and restoring patients’ quality of life.
Discover how our foot and ankle specialists can help you recover.
Conditions of the Foot and Ankle
There are a range of conditions, injuries, and diseases that can lead to foot and ankle pain.
Click on the toggles below to learn more about each condition:
Foot and Ankle Arthritis is the loss of cartilage within a joint, the symptoms include swelling, tenderness, sharp pain, and stiffness.
An Ankle Sprain is an injury that occurs when you roll, twist, or turn your ankle, causing a stretch or tear of the ligaments that hold your ankle bones together.
An Achilles Tendon, Injury or Rupture occurs when the tendon connecting the calf muscle to the heel bone becomes overstretched, torn, or completely ruptures. Symptoms include pain above the heel and along the back of the foot, tenderness, swelling, bruising, and stiffness. Some patients report a pop feeling.
Bone Spurs, also known as osteophytes, are bony projections that develop on the surface of the bone and are often caused by osteoarthritis. It is often asymptomatic.
Bunions are abnormal enlargements of the joint at the base of the big toe and manifests as a bony painful bump
Bursitis is a painful inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs that reduce friction between bones, tendons, and muscles called the bursae. This is usually caused by injury or infection and the symptoms include swelling, tenderness, and loss of movement.
Having ‘Flat Feet’ is a condition where the arch of the foot collapses, having the sole of the foot contact the ground.
Foot and Ankle Fractures are breaks in the bone where symptoms include pain, swelling, bruising, and loss of function.
Hammertoe, also known as a claw toe or mallet toe, is considered a deformity condition that causes the shape of the toes to curve and are often the result of improper footwear.
Heel Spurs are small, bond growths on the heel bone that cause pain. Typically, these are the result of overuse or trauma.
Metatarsalgia is an inflammation in the ball of the foot. Symptoms include sharp, burning, or aching pain in the ball of the foot and in the toes.
Morton’s Neuroma is the thickening of the tissue around the nerve between the base of the toes. Symptoms include the feeling of a rock in your shoe, numbness, and burning pain.
Osteochondral Lesions are tears or fractures in the cartilage that cover the bones in a joint. Symptoms include sharp pain when the ankle is in a weighted position.
Plantar Fasciitis is a common condition caused by an inflammation of the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot.
Sesamoiditis, also known as turf toe, is an inflammation of the tendons around the big toe. Symptoms include swelling, bruising, and difficulty bending or straightening the big toe.
Tendonitis is an inflammation of the tendons, often caused by overuse or sudden injury. Symptoms include swelling, loss of motion and pain in the immediate area.
Surgery Treatments
While not all foot and ankle conditions demand surgery, there are several where, if severe enough, surgery is recommended or if other treatments, such as physical therapy, haven’t been successful:
- Total Ankle Arthroplasty: a joint replacement surgery used for arthritis in the ankle where implants are placed.
- Bunion Correction: a surgery where the bone is cut and ligaments released to allow the big toe to straighten properly.
- Ankle Arthroscopy: Using two small incisions, foot and ankle surgeons will stimulate new cartilage growth for those with cartilage lesions in the ankle joint.
- Foot and Ankle Fusion Surgery: a pain-relieving procedure for arthritic joints. By removing the cartilage from a joint, the bones grow into one which stops pain from them rubbing against each other.
Make an Appointment with the Foot and Ankle Specialists
If you’ve suffered an ankle sprain or have any of the symptoms listed above, we encourage you to make an appointment with our foot and ankle specialists.
We at Proliance Pacific Rim Orthopedic Surgeons strive to help our patients achieve a return to normal activity through compassionate and exceptional care using evidence-based medicine in a patient-friendly environment. We are committed to bringing you a high standard of care that is patient-focused, with the goal of improving your quality of life.