The Foot Care Center

Welcome Dr. Brower!
Dr. Brower will start seeing patients in our heights and west end office in September.

Dr. Brower was raised in Spokane Valley, Washington, until his family relocated to Idaho Falls, Idaho, where he attended high school. Dr. Brower has a love for music and actively participated in orchestra, choir, and school musicals. He completed his undergraduate degree in Human Biology at Utah State University where he also met his wife. After graduating in 2017, he attended Des Moines University College of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery in Iowa to complete his Doctorate of Podiatric Medicine (DPM). During his time there, he was selected to act as a surgical teaching assistant and received several awards for his work. After completing his medical degree, he moved to Binghamton, NY, to complete a three year foot and ankle surgical residency at Guthrie Lourdes Hospital. The residency experience focused on a wide spectrum of pathology ranging from infection management, hammertoes and bunions, Charcot reconstruction, and the management of other lower extremity deformities. During his final year of residency, he served as chief resident under Dr. Guido LaPorta.
Dr. Brower and his wife now have three young sons and are busy with their various school and sporting activities. In his free time, Dr. Brower enjoys spending his time with his family playing outside, swimming, exploring, baking, doing science experiments, and playing video games. They are all excited to become part of the Billings community and work with the lovely people here.

Happy Easter!🐣

Happy St. Patricks Day!🍀If you're coming to our office, make sure you are wearing green!

Help welcome Dr. Stephen Wilkinson to our team!

Dr. Wilkinson recently came from Omaha where he helped start a podiatry practice with Platte River Foot and Ankle Surgeons. He grew up in Maryland before spending 10 years in the military. Dr. Wilkinson was a staff podiatrist and residency director in the military before starting a private practice in Maryland after leaving the military. He Is one of 4 children. He has been married to his wife, Robin, for 37 years and they have 1 daughter, Sarah, who is 31 years old and lives in Broomfield Colorado. His hobbies include camping, hiking, hunting, and fishing. His wife is an excellent wildlife photographer and hikes along with him.

Happy Valentines Day!❤️

The Foot Care Center updated their business hours.

Please help us welcome Dr. Rath!

Hello, my name is Dr. Marina Rath. I am a Family Nurse Practitioner and I am very excited to be joining the team here at the Foot Care Center! Growing up in Russia, I moved to Billings 20 years ago. I completed my undergraduate degree at MSU Bozeman. I received my graduate degree from the University of Mary (Bismarck, ND). I am a member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. My experience includes working in a primary care clinic and emergency department. My husband and I enjoy being outdoors, traveling, watching movies, and spending time with our niece. I am learning to love the field of podiatry and I really enjoy getting to know our patients and their families.

Happy New Year!🥳

Achilles Tendonitis is often caused by either acute or chronic injury, which takes time to improve. Symptoms include pain and stiffness along the tendon's path, often appearing in the morning or after periods of rest. If the condition has progressed, the tendon may become enlarged and/or develop nodules.

Patients often benefit from:
- Resting the tendon, possibly through bracing or casting if needed
- Icing, using an ice pack wrapped in a towel, applied to the area for 15-20 minutes 2-3 times per day
- Wearing a "walking boot" for 6 weeks while weight bearing
- Using a "night splint" at night for up to 6 weeks while sleeping
- Gentle stretching and range-of-motion exercises
- Oral medications, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) like ibuprofen
- Physical Therapy

The Achilles tendon can develop a degenerative process where the overall organization of the tendon changes, causing pain. The degeneration that develops within the Achilles tendon is reversible, unlike degeneration that can occur within joints. In most cases, performing a specific training program on a consistent basis can reverse the changes within your tendon. Eccentric loading of a muscle/tendon involves a contraction where your muscle is lengthening.

Using a theraband, give these exercises a try! Performing an eccentric loading program like this over 8-12 weeks can reduce or eliminate your tendon pain. Remember, consistency is key!

The Foot Care Center is proud to be able to provide constantly updating technology for the needs of our patients. When diabetic patients need shoes and inserts, we utilize Sensor Medica to perform a well rounded gait analysis. This allows us to provide an insert that accounts for the position their feet are in while standing stationary, as well as the dynamic movements they make while on the move.

Sensor Medica is a software developed for the study of baropodometry, stabilometry, posture and biomechanics in motion. It is the highest innovation for flexibility, functionality and reliability.

The wrong shoes can rub you the wrong way, LITERALLY! Patients with neuropathy don't have the best sensation in their feet, often losing all feeling in them. When this happens, they cannot tell when their shoes are rubbing against their feet and toes. This creates a very real risk of causing ulcers, or open wounds, that can become infected quickly if left untreated.

Getting sized and scanned for shoes at our office can help ensure a patient has the right fit and style for their needs. This can be sent to insurance. Our footwear team works with both insurance companies and primary care provider offices to ensure our patients get what they need without surprises.

DID YOU KNOW... Medicare will usually help get 1 pair of shoes a year for diabetic patients? We work together with our patients' primary physician's office to make sure everything is in order. Diabetic shoes, when done through insurance, also include 3 pairs of custom diabetic inserts, minimizing the impact on high pressure areas of the foot.

Give us a call to schedule an appointment or stop in and look at the available catalogs before deciding on an appointment. We look forward to helping you care for your feet!

Dr. Kane, in our Sheridan office, had a Birthday yesterday! Help us wish him a Happy Birthday if you see him in the office today!

At our Billings West End office, we are able to treat pain and inflammation in ways like never before - without drugs or side effects!

Using the Multiwave Locked System (MLS) Therapy Laser, we can help treat a variety of conditions, such as Plantar Fasciitis, nerve pain, tendonitis, wounds/ulcers, neuropathy and more. The MLS Laser helps to facilitate rapid healing and improve blood circulation, with a 90% average success rate.

Learn more and hear from real people that have benefited from this therapy treatment:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMHnUEQZKjc

DPM and Podiatry Patient Overview See why 3500 of your peers and 750,000 patients worldwide are turning to laser therapy!

Help us wish two of our team members a Happy Birthday: Alix, Tammy and Kim (All from our Billings office)! If you see them while you're in one of our offices during the month of October, make sure to tell them Happy Birthday! 🥳

A lot of our patients with neuropathy present with one or more of the following symptoms, often in the fingers, toes, etc.:

- Decreased sensation (numbness) in affected areas. This may radiate up through the corresponding limbs as the condition worsens.
- A tingling sensation, or the feeling of "pins and needles" in affected areas
- Periods of hypersensitivity, often resulting in increased pain in the affected extremities. This may be described as burning, stabbing or shooting pain and is often worse at night.
- Difficulty with coordination and balance
- Decreased in strength of affected areas
- Loss of ability to distinguish changes in temperature in extremities

If these symptoms sound familiar, it is important to contact a doctor early on to avoid a worsening situation. Patients with diabetes are especially at risk.

Read more about Neuropathy here: https://www.apma.org/Patients/FootHealth.cfm?ItemNumber=1864

Microvas is a treatment for nerve related pain, using High Voltage Pulsed Current (HVPC) to stimulate the development of new blood vessels and lay the groundwork for tissue growth & repair. It is used to treat neuropathy, arthritis, ulcers, and vascular issues. It can also help with general pain and facilitate wound healing.

The secret is that it tricks the body into healing itself, helping patients to recover quickly and with little to no side effects. Many patients have been able to undergo this treatment without affecting their supplements, medications, etc.

Interested in learning more? Schedule an appointment to discuss Microvas today!

Experiencing Neuropathy? It may feel like pins and needles in the toes, feet or legs. It can progress to the loss of feeling in the extremities altogether. EBM Medical has a "medical food" to help! It is a supplement that has had many of our patients seeing a reduction in their symptoms. Give us a call, schedule a consult and see if EB-N6 is the right treatment plan.

September we have a very special birthday! You may recognize Madison's smiling face from our Billings West End office. If you see her at the office this month, be sure to wish her a Happy Birthday!

Does anyone have a foot that resembles one of the stages of bunions? Are there questions about this condition that haven't been covered? Let us know in the comments, and we'll respond with answers from our doctors!

And don't forget, we can always schedule an appointment to get a kind, compassionate, and - of course - CONFIDENTIAL evaluation.

We know bunions can be both painful and terribly inconvenient. Finding shoes to wear becomes more difficult, and many afflicted are embarrassed to show off their feet. Because the bunion deformity is a structural problem, surgery is often considered.

During a bunion correction, the doctor surgically re-aligns the 1st metatarsal bone and, if necessary, removes a small piece of bone in order to straighten the toe. This type of surgery can be performed as an outpatient procedure with a local anesthetic without hospitalization. For those who prefer to do so, we can also partner with local surgical facilities to perform the procedure under general anesthesia. Most patients have been able to return to work within 2-6 weeks, depending on the severity of the condition and type of procedure.

Call us today to schedule your appointment with one of our doctors to discuss whether bunion surgery is right option.

We want to wish two of our team members a happy birthday: Kendria (Sheridan) and Dr. Cady (Billings)! If you see them while you're in one of our offices this month, make sure to tell them Happy Birthday!

Self Treatment in the early stages.

The unknown can be scary, and "bunion" is one of those "scary" words. The good news is, once you know the information, it doesn't seem so scary anymore. At The Foot Care Center, we want to ease your mind and make sure you have all the information you need to make educated decisions about your health.

Bunions present in different stages. If you are not experiencing pain, and are in one of the early stages, then there's a lot you can do at home to try to manage it and prevent the later stages from manifesting.
Wearing shoes with a wide toe box and low/no heels
Padding on the affected area to minimize irritation
Applying ice or cold packs for pain when it begins
Over the counter medications like Tylenol, Ibuprofen or aspirin
Orthotic inserts
If you have tried these to no avail, or have progressed to the later stages, give us a call today. We want to help you find relief. Your wellness is our first priority.

This month, we're discussing BUNIONS! A bunion is a bump on the base joint of either the 1st (Hallux Valgus) or 5th (Tailor's Bunion or Bunionette) toe. The enlargement of the joint causes the affected toe to bend sideways toward the other toes on the same foot. This leads to overlapping and underriding, causing disfigurement and pain.

There are many ways a bunion can form. Sometimes, it is hereditary, but it can also result from poor shoe fit or medical conditions like arthritis.

If you think you may have a bunion, we want to help you manage your condition. If treated early, lifestyle changes, medication, or custom orthotics can help mediate your symptoms and keep it from getting worse. If your condition is severe, our capable podiatric surgeons can get your feet straightened out, quite literally!

Send us a message or give us a call. We want to help you get back to loving your feet!

Going to a doctor can be scary, especially when you're young. Maybe their feet hurt or their nails are digging into their toes. Whatever the problem, pain can make them worry that seeing a doctor is going to make it hurt worse. Early detection and treatment is key to providing great care with the least amount of pain possible.

At The Foot Care Center, we are a family, and we want to treat your family like ours. Give us a call to schedule an appointment for your kiddo today!

Warts on your feet, or Plantar Warts, are no fun! People of all ages are susceptible, but especially children. You can identify them by their rough, grainy texture and occasional black pinpoints. A wart can appear by itself or in a cluster. While they can and often do go away on their own, you may want to call a Podiatrist if:

1. You are experiencing pain
2. Bleeding is occurring on or around the site
3. The site changes color or shape
4. If over-the-counter treatment has not relieved the issue
5. If you are diabetic or have a weak immune system

We have multiple treatment options to help get rid of warts. Give us a call today and let us help get your kids back to living their life, free from foot pain and warts!

July is a very special month with a very special birthday! You may recognize Kaitlyn's smiling face from our Heights office. If you see her at the office this month, be sure to wish her a Happy Birthday!