Alpharetta Foot & Ankle Specialists If Your 10,000 Steps a Day Are Painful, Alpharetta Foot & Ankle Can Help The American Heart Association recommends 10,000 steps a day, and fitness trackers encourage us to make that our goal. But if youre suffering from a sports injury, arthritis, diabetes or any other condition that affects your feet, each step may be painful. Alpharetta Foot & Ankle Specialists treats patients with a variety of foot problems using conservative treatments and minimally-invasive surgery. The practice is committed to using the latest technology while approaching patients with an old-fashioned bedside manner. I really emphasize effective communication with my patients. I never want a patient to leave my office more confused than when he or she walked in. If we have a complicated case, its not uncommon for me to spend 30 to 45 minutes with that one patient. I want to be sure patients understand what they have, why they have it, and how I can help them, said Dr. Brian Harley, DPM. A Georgia native, Dr. Harley attended the University of North Georgia on a military scholarship; he then served as a combat medic and medical officer with the Army National Guard. He went to medical school in New York and completed his residency in Los Angeles. Dr. Harley is board-certified by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery in forefoot surgery and reconstructive rearfoot and ankle surgery. Conditions and Treatments With offices in Alpharetta and Cumming, the practice specializes in conservative and surgical management of injuries and conditions of the foot and ankle. Services include - Reconstructive foot and ankle surgery Ankle replacement Ankle arthroscopy Bunion correction Hammertoe correction Torn ligaments and tendons Tendon transfers Ankle fusions Internal and external fixation techniques Diabetic ulcerations General foot and ankle care Sprained ankle care Fracture care Ankle Replacements Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, infection or a bone fracture can all cause damage to the ankle, leading to pain and loss of movement. When the patient has reached the point where surgery is necessary, Dr. Harley offers a plan tailored to that specific patient. Total ankle replacements entail replacing damaged bones in the ankle joint with artificial joints, which provide more ankle mobility and eliminate pain. The ankle joint replacement is anatomically correct and keeps the patients body functioning the way it was designed to function. With 28 different bones and 53 different joints, the dynamics of the foot and ankle can make ankle replacements a challenging procedure. However, with advances in implants, imaging and surgical procedures, we are now able to customize the implant for each patient and precisely position it, resulting in better, more natural movement, said Dr. Harley. Many of our patients are able to go home the same day as their surgery, he added. Foot and Ankle Trauma In addition to joint replacements, Dr. Harley specializes in sports injuries and trauma to the foot, ankle and lower leg. For severe fractures or birth defects in which a bone didnt grow properly, Dr. Harley is trained to perform the Ilizarov method of external fixation. After his residency, Dr. Harley completed an advanced fellowship in external fixation techniques held at the Russian Ilizarov Scientific Centre in Siberia, the center that developed the procedure in the 1950s. The Ilizarov method uses external hardware to hold bones and soft-tissues to allow correction of a deformity or stabilization for healing. Instead of requiring plates and screws on the inside, the technique enables a surgeon to treat an injury or birth defect from the outside of the bone. External fixations are used in cases such as significant traumas, where severe compound fractures need to be stabilized and held in place, said Dr. Harley. The procedure is done on the outside, decreasing incisions and chances of infection. It is stable enough to walk on right away, so its a better way to treat a lot of significant traumas that will allow patients to return to their activities faster. Managing Pain and Promoting Healing During surgery, Dr. Harley adds regenerative tissue on top of the artificial joint or around the tendons and nerves to stimulate healing and shorten recovery times. We utilize regenerative tissue during surgery to facilitate healing with less pain, less inflammation and less scar tissue. It stimulates the body to heal, and I believe it is one of the reasons our success rates are so good, said Dr. Harley. Foot surgery is life-altering. The average patient takes about 10,000 steps in one day, so what we do is evaluated 10,000 times a day. Office LocationsAlpharetta3400 Old Milton Parkway, Building A, Suite 500Alpharetta, GA 30005Phone: 770-667-4410Office hours: Monday & WednesdayCumming1100 Northside Forsyth Drive, Suite 360Cumming, GA 30041Phone: 770-667-4410Office hours: Tuesday & ThursdayAlpharettaFootAndAnkle.com
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