3 Questions to Ask Your Foot Doctor

Foot doctors have seen and heard it all. Let’s get that squared away early.

Beyond that, we want to ensure that your trip to a foot specialist – like our foot doctors in Nashville, TN and Franklin, TN – goes as smooth as possible. If you’re experiencing unrelenting foot pain, this article will act as a guide, offering three questions to ask your orthopedic surgeon.

When you meet with your foot doctor, they should walk you through the initial steps of diagnosing your condition, including gathering medical history information, observing the injured area, and requesting imaging from an xray or MRI machine if necessary.

Before wrapping up your appointment, you should take some time to ask questions about your diagnosis and treatment plan. Below are three questions we think will help you along the way.

Question #1 – Is There Anything I Can Do to Limit My Foot Pain?

Your foot specialist may or may not be able to diagnose your injury or condition right away. Even if they are unable to provide an immediate diagnosis, they may be able to provide general tips to avoid further foot pain. Be sure to ask what measures you can take moving forward.

     

Question #2 – What Are My Options?

This one may sound obvious. Your foot doctor will likely cover potential treatment options following your diagnosis. However, some people avoid digging into the details about what each treatment path looks like. Be sure to ask questions like “What does the typical recovery period look like” or “What happens if my foot pain comes back”.

Question #3 – How Can I Maximize Your Treatment Plan to Avoid Future Foot Pain?

Your orthopedic surgeon will love if you ask how to maximize returns on their treatment efforts. Unfortunately, some patients expect they will receive surgery and the hard work ends there. Rarely that is the case.

Ask your doctor what measures you can take to ensure a speedy and safe recovery. Here are some responses you may receive:

• Attend your physical therapy appointments – too many people skip out on physical therapy
• Follow instructions from your physical therapist – this may include at-home exercises
• Do not overdo it – trying to do too much can add unnecessary stress to your foot
• Use the timeline your foot doctor provides – they gave you a timeline for a reason

Question #4 – What Orthopedic Shoes Can You Recommend? 

Wearing orthopedic shoes is a great way to relieve your foot pain and prevent future foot pain! Ask your foot specialist what shoes are best to invest in and best to avoid. They should be able to give you some great recommendations based on your lifestyle and activity level.

Question #5 – What Activity Modification Do I Need to Make?

If you are an athlete or someone who moves around a lot, it can be extrmelely frustrating to deal with foot pain. Unfortunately using your feet too much when you are experiencing pain, can make matters worse. Ask your foot doctor what options you have when it comes to day-to-day activities.

Asking your orthopedic foot doctor these three questions will help guide your appointment. If you are suffering from foot pain, you can schedule an appointment with one of our orthopedic surgeons that specializes in surgery of the foot and ankle.

Who Are Our Foot and Ankle Surgeons?

We truly believe that we have two of the best foot doctors in Nashville, TN and Franklin, TN here at Elite.

• Dr. Jeffrey Willers is a multiple-time Castle Connolly Top Doctor award winning foot and ankle specialist
• Dr. Brian Thomson is another highly skilled foot and ankle specialist that has extensive experience with collegiate athletes