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Angryorthopod Blog

Instructions for use: read, learn, question, comment, make me angry, repeat.

I am a board certified orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeon with 30 years of experience and I am a bit cynical about medicine today. Actually I am a lot cynical. My mission is to challenge the status quo and in the process help as many people as possible.
You will see no advertising on the AO site. I do this for free and if you like what you find here all I ask is that you tell as many friends, strangers and family as you can, any way you can.

Of note, many of my blog comment responses are very detailed and in essence a blog themselves. So, please use the search function if you can’t find what you are looking for in a blog.

This is why you should pay attention to equinus

This is why you should pay attention to equinus

A recent AO comment got me thinking, and that is always a dangerous thing. (Found in comments section Calf Stretching: Its the AO Way or the Highway, Kapil, 2022/03/10 at 9:30 pm)  The block to the right is most of my response. In summary, the comment/question was...

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Do Something Different. Do Something That Works.

Do Something Different. Do Something That Works.

Some questions and answers just beg to reach out! "Hello, I’ve been struggling with [Plantar Fasciitis] in both feet for at least 6 years, have done foot and calf massages, cortisone, tennis balls, laser, tens unit and have a Chiro running a vibrating ball over the...

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What If?

What If?

Comment: I have been to several orthopaedic surgeons and they only recommend surgery. They never mention stretches, physical therapy, pain medication, lifestyle changes, etc. It’s very frustrating. Surgery is scary and the...

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Albert Pujols, Looking in All the Wrong Places

Albert Pujols, Looking in All the Wrong Places

Al, Al, Al…it is time to stop listening to your trainers, your team doc, and aunt Bessie and do the right thing. Here is a call to action to everyone in AngryLand. Somebody please get the word to Big Al and many more big leaguers who have plantar fasciitis, that calf...

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Hammer Toe and Your Pain

Hammer Toe and Your Pain

I received a question on Twitter that I've heard before: Question: "Once the 2nd toe has 'crossed over,' can the stretches help to avoid surgery? Would love to walk barefoot again without pain." The short answer is yes, but it...

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Why I Don’t Promote Plantar Fascia Stretching- (Part 2)

Why I Don’t Promote Plantar Fascia Stretching- (Part 2)

Click here to see what we discussed in Part 1. The science backing plantar fascial stretching (PFS) is not convincing to say the least. So, how about a little common sense if you're not convinced yet. Let’s make the isolated gastrocnemius contracture and calf...

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Why I Don’t Promote Plantar Fascial Stretching

Why I Don’t Promote Plantar Fascial Stretching

Plantar fascial stretching for plantar fasciitis is the rage, but it’s not effective. Here is why! (Part 1 of 2) Plantar fascial stretching (PFS) is definitely hot right now. It is all over the internet. In fact, it has attained sexy status. People want to talk about...

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The 56 Year Old Female

The 56 Year Old Female

A couple of years ago in our clinic a rotating 29 year old female orthopaedic resident started to present a new patient to me out in the hall and before she could get much out I interrupted her and said "let me guess, a 56 year old female?". She reacted a bit like I...

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The Bad Rap on Inflammation- Part 1

The Bad Rap on Inflammation- Part 1

 Somewhere along the way the term inflammation got a bad name. Inflammation can’t be good, right? At least this is what most people think.Inflammation is actually an essential part of every reparative process. It is how our bodies heal and fight back. It is how we...

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Anecdotal evidence is alive and well

Anecdotal evidence is alive and well

Anecdotal evidence is alive and well! As a disclaimer, I am all for refereed medical research striving to reach the correct answers so that we can all live healthier and more fulfilling lives. As to qualifications, I am constantly in an academic environment where I am...

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Morton’s Neuroma Revisited

Morton’s Neuroma Revisited

Morton’s Neuroma-Revised Rewound Rebuffed Revisited Thank you all so much for your comments and support. I have received a lot of feedback and fantastic questions about Morton’s neuromas (MN) and your problems with diagnosis and treatment of such. This area of the...

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Podiatrists and Foot & Ankle Orthopedic Surgeons

This blog addresses a question by one of AO’s readers: Based on surgical outcomes, when should a person see a podiatrist, and when should that person see a foot and ankle orthopedic surgeon? This question is difficult to answer. Of course I would be biased towards an...

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On Sever’s Disease

On Sever’s Disease

This topic--Sever's disease--was suggested by a reader on Facebook. “Like” me on Facebook here. To be perfectly blunt, Sever’s disease is basically the pediatric form of plantar fasciitis. Both are caused by calves that are too tight, and usually the calf contracture...

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The Rescue Patient: Part Two

The Rescue Patient: Part Two

In my last blog, I coined the term “The Rescue Patient.” While I am not always successful, this experience has given me the insight to make some useful recommendations to the rescue patient who is contemplating “coming in.” Keep...

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The Rescue Patient: Part One

The Rescue Patient: Part One

First and foremost I am declaring that I am the first to use this term: “The Rescue Patient.” I have now made my mark. My fifteen minutes of fame may be over. If you can't stomach tough love, stop reading here. If you are a rescue patient and you want to get better,...

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Six Weeks: Part Two

Six Weeks: Part Two

In the last AO entry, I shared how as much as docs council our patients prior to an elective surgery, patients continue to only hear what they want to hear. Ultimately, I see these misguided -- and unrealistic – expectations time and time again. In this entry, I want...

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Six Weeks: Part One

Six Weeks: Part One

Most of us have heard of two weeks; a fortnight, 9 1/2 weeks; a racy movie, and even 26 weeks, the age of the first born child who is actually 6 months old. These "weekly" designations don't bother me, except for the kid thing. My oldest son is 1,547 weeks old by the...

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The Medical Field Gets its Act Together: Part Two

In my last post, I praise the Choosing Wisely® list, which is aimed at cutting down on unnecessary testing by docs. I got into medicine because it is FUN, and, of course, to help people. I think most of my colleagues did so as well. I get up every day and I get to go...

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The Medical Field Gets its Act Together: Part One

Finally, the medical field, in general, is getting its act together. Simply put, Choosing Wisely®, the brainchild of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM), is an initiative to help cut down on unnecessary medical testing. The goal behind the campaign: improve...

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Morton’s Neuroma: Controversial to Say the Least

Morton’s Neuroma: Controversial to Say the Least

What really pushed me over the edge when it came to Morton’s Neuroma (MN) was watching Steven Tyler on OWN. During his interview with Oprah (okay, I saw it with my wife – her idea!), I realized one, that he’s an awesome dude, but two, he is mislead in thinking his...

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Your Foot’s Asleep While Exercising? Then STRETCH!

Ever had numbness in your toes when exercising? Patients of mine who use the Stairmaster (probably the worst offender), elliptical, bicycle (including spinning), and even those involved in outdoor sports come to me concerned about their “sleepy foot.” Before I get to...

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The Big Day

The Big Day

Over the past few years I have become increasingly aware that when a patient visits the doctor it is a BIG DEAL. Even the simple visits. I should not have realized this, but I did and I am glad I did. If you have had an illness of any note you will surely identify...

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Shockwave? For Foot Pain?!

Many of you have asked me about potential treatments you’ve heard about about for chronic plantar fasciitis and other foot ailments. Two that continue to come up in conversation: GS surgery and ESWT. In short, here is what my experience shows: Gastrocnemius Slide (GS)...

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My Pet Peeve: NOT Sticking To Stretching

(…Or just about anything else we tell ‘em.) Patients are predictable I'm sorry to say. Non-compliance is a very large problem with patients. I give approximately 85% of my patients explicit, written directions to do calf stretching and – even with the most compelling...

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MYTHS ABOUT THE DIABETIC FOOT: PART ONE

First, a disclaimer: I want you to know I love my diabetic patients. If I sound demeaning at any point discussing this, it’s not the diabetic patient making me angry. My anger stems from the medical profession's poor treatment of the diabetic foot, especially the lack...

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Medical Merchandising: The Same Old Crap, Repackaged

“Evidence based medicine.” Just think about it for a second. This means now we actually practice medicine based on bona fide evidence? What the hell have I been doing for the past 25 years? Making it all up? And who wrote those thousands of articles I’ve read? Dr....

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PRP: Pure Rubbish, People!

I get angry when I see people falling for flashy procedures that fool them into thinking they’re fixing their problems. One of the most searched for heel pain treatments online over the last two years is one often featured in the sports section. Recent stories on...

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More Of The Same Old News…

As mentioned before, 20% of my patients come to me seeking relief from plantar fasciitis. After I came across this TV news piece on the subject, I knew I had to address it because it’s filled with the kind of flawed,  “easy fix” information I’m fighting. (Thanks to...

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The Good, the Maybe, and the Ugly: Shoes

This is a new segment I’ll be writing every so often. The idea is simple and the majority of you need no further explanation, but for my fellow surgeons who over-analyze, here are the details… I will review and categorize three different products that I’ll classify as...

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DVT Epiphany: The Battle Over Blood Clots

The practice of medicine vs. the business of medicine So, a medical malpractice attorney and an orthopaedic surgeon are on a golf trip… This sounds like the worst joke of all time, but it’s actually the story of my brother and I 20 years ago. Amidst the rough, he laid...

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Insurance Gets a Slap on the Wrist

Does anyone understand the Affordable Care Act? If you’re among the few who do, then you’ll agree with how KevinMD sees things… “Health insurance companies seem to be pretty happy with the Affordable Care Act. Health reform has left the private insurance industry in...

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MRI Abuse

MRI overuse and misuse really makes me angry. Did you know that a growing number of doctors don’t even read the tests themselves? Another shocking aspect of this industry is that some doctors will order an MRI because it’s quicker than doing an in-depth history or a...

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The Most Expensive Pair of Heels

There are nearly 2 million cases of plantar fasciitis in the United States every year. As an orthopaedic surgeon, I’m quite familiar with this issue since nearly 20 percent of my patients come to me about plantar fasciitis. Although there is a surefire way to fix the...

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Welcome!

I’ve been an orthopaedic surgeon for over 25 years. I specialize in foot and ankle, but I'm interested in other areas of medicine as well. In short, I’m passionate about medicine, as well as the truth... That’s why I’ve taken to the web. I’m going to use this as a...

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