General Practitioners

• Warts
• Arthritis
  Rheumatoid arthritis and other similar medical conditions can contribute to hammertoe development by causing progressive deterioration in the joints of the feet.
• Plantar Fasciitis
  Post-static dyskinesia describes severe pain when standing after long periods of rest that slowly subsides after walking and is a tell-tale sign of Plantar Fasciitis.
• Medical Weight Loss
  Plantar fasciitis is the most common foot condition treated in New York City. Typical symptoms include pain at the bottom and inside of the heel, most commonly experienced only on weight bearing. This can come on suddenly and there are many different predisposing factors: weight loss, weight gain, new activities, standing for prolonged periods on hard surfaces, high heels, and anything that can cause tightness and contracture of the calf muscles and/or the Achilles tendon.
• Pediatric Care
  Our doctors are active members of the American College of Foot and Ankle Pediatrics with noted accomplishments and professional interests in both pediatric podiatry and surgery.
• Primary Care
  No referrals are necessary to see a Third-Party-Free physician. Many third parties require complex referral forms and “permission†to see specialists. Patients are often subjected to unnecessary hassles and delays in getting to see the doctors and specialists they want due to the unnecessarily complex “gatekeeper†system imposed by many third-party plans. Often this requires you to go back and have unnecessary appointments with your family medical doctor just to get a referral to see the specialist you need. While a referral from your primary care physician is always welcome, we believe patients are smart enough to choose the specialists and other healthcare providers they want to treat them.
• Diabetic Foot Care
  We treat the entire spectrum of foot and ankle medicine and surgery, from common skin and nail disorders to trauma, sports injuries, diabetic foot care, and reconstructive foot and ankle surgery.
• Infectious Diseases
  Poor arterial blood circulation can be another potential cause of burning in the feet, particularly when the feet are elevated. Other causes of burning feet include thyroid dysfunction and gastric restriction in obesity. Some infectious diseases, such as Leishmaniasis, a rarely reported neurologic change secondary to a bacterial infection, also may cause burning feet.

Internists

• Internal Medicine
• Kidney Stones
  Extracorporeal shock wave therapy is used to treat chronic heel pain (plantar fasciitis/heel spur syndrome). During this non-invasive surgical procedure, sonic waves are directed at the area of pain using a device similar to that currently used in non-surgical treatment of kidney stones.

Psychiatrists

• Mental Health
  Chelsea Foot & Ankle, P.C. understands that your medical information is private and confidential. Further, we are required by law to maintain the privacy of “protected health information.†“Protected health information†includes any individually identifiable information that we obtain from you or others that relates to your past, present or future physical or mental health, the health care you have received, or payment for your health care.

Endocrinologist

• Diabetes Care
• Hypothyroidism
• Thyroid

Radiologist

• Ultrasound
  Physical therapy, including exercises and stretching techniques designed to strengthen the weakened muscle group, as well as massage and ultrasound treatments
• MRI
  Immobilization, ice, and oral medications to relieve pain and reduce swelling, as well as other non-surgical techniques, like physical therapy and orthotics, can be used early on. Imaging with X-rays, ultrasound, or MRI can determine the extent of the injury to your Achilles tendon and whether surgery is needed to restore it to health.
• X-Rays
• Chemotherapy

Surgeons

• General Surgery
  Dr. Ciment and Dr. Shastri are actively involved in continuing medical educational programs. This keeps them current on the newest cutting-edge procedures and technology, allowing them to provide our patients with the highest quality and state of the art podiatric medical and surgical services.
• Sciatica
  Very often there are conditions that affect the lower back and spine (like sciatica) that can cause pain to be referred to the bottoms of the feet, often feeling like a stabbing or burning sensation. This can be particularly difficult to diagnose as very often patients with this kind of referred back pain to the feet will not have any active symptoms of lower-back pain. When someone is worked up for all of the above potential causes of burning feet and nothing is discovered, a presumptive diagnosis of referred lower back pain should be made and a referral to a chiropractor, physical therapist, or a spinal orthopedist should be made.
• Arthroscopy
  Surgery for ganglion cyst removal is typically performed on an outpatient basis and may involve traditional surgical methods or arthroscopy.‌
• Wound Care
  From common skin and nail disorders to sports-related injuries, elective surgery to more advanced diabetic foot care and reconstructive / limb-salvage procedures, Dr. Ciment treats all conditions that affect the foot and the ankle. He has extensive experience in lower-extremity wound care, as he trained for two years at The Wound Healing Center at Cabrini Medical Center. Not only does Dr. Ciment have extensive training and expertise in diabetic foot care, but he is also an expert in podopediatrics (podiatry for children). An avid runner and athlete himself, Dr. Ciment is passionate about podiatric sports medicine. Dr. Ciment believes that strong patient education and involvement are the keys to providing superior podiatric medical and surgical care.
• Ankle Surgery
• Bunion Surgery
  Contrary to popular belief, there isn’t just one kind of bunion surgery. Every bunion is different and there are literally dozens of different surgical procedures your podiatric surgeon might employ in surgical management of your painful bunion. Choosing the correct procedure for each individual bunion is key in getting the optimal outcome.
• Cyst Removal
  Following ganglion cyst removal, your doctor will prescribe any medication needed for pain or may recommend over-the-counter pain medications. Using ice packs and keeping your foot elevated can also help with discomfort.
• Bunions
  A bunion is the lay term for a misalignment of the joint at the base of the big toe that connects the big toe to the foot. This joint is called the first metatarsal-phalangeal joint, or the 1st MTP joint. Bunions are extremely common and the overwhelming majority of people who have them, don’t even realize that what they have is a bunion. Some bunions do eventually become swollen and tender, causing an increased amount of angulation at the 1st MTP joint, resulting in a big toe that slants outward toward the other toes.
• Arthroscopy
• Ingrown Toenails
  Ingrown toenails often are the result of trimming your toenails too short, particularly on the sides of your big toes.

Plastic Surgeons

• Botox
  Botulinum toxin injections. Treatment with botulinum toxin (Botox, Myobloc, others) temporarily blocks the nerves that cause sweating. Your skin will be iced or anesthetized first. Each affected area of your body will need several injections. The effects last 6 – 12 months, and then the treatment needs to be repeated. This treatment can be painful, and some people experience temporary muscle weakness in the treated area.
• Plastic Surgery
• Hammertoe Surgery
  Hammertoe surgery is designed to correct a defect in the second, third, fourth, or fifth toe. There are multiple types of hammertoe deformities, termed “mallet toe,†“claw toe,†and “Hammertoe,†depending on which of the toe joints are involved.

Dermatologists

• Dermatology
  She specializes in sports medicine, reconstructive foot surgery, and is a leading expert in podiatric dermatology. Dr. Shastri was a surgeon at The Neuroma Treatment Center of NYC where she masterfully performed radio frequency ablations to treat recalcitrant neuromas.
• Corns
  Corns ordinarily form on the toes whereas calluses form on the soles of the feet. The friction and pressure can burn or otherwise be painful and may be relieved by a number of interventions, such as moleskin or padding on the affected areas.
• Cyst
• Calluses
  The material from which a shoe is made can affect fit and comfort. Softer materials decrease the amount of pressure the shoe places on the foot. Stiff materials can cause blisters and calluses.
• Fungus
  It’s also very important to regularly trim your toenails as the debris that can collect underneath them often is loaded with odor producing bacteria and fungus.
• Lesions
  More serious foot lesions such as malignant lesions can sometimes be mistaken for a wart. Children, especially teenagers, tend to be more susceptible to warts than adults; some people seem to be immune to them. At The Chelsea Foot & Ankle Center, we see a LOT of warts in the HIV population.

Physical Therapists

• Sports Medicine
  In addition to ankle sprain treatment, we also treat a variety of conditions, from common foot and ankle issues to sports medicine and surgery.
• Physical Therapy
  Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), ice, physical therapy, supportive taping and bracing, or orthotic devices are the first line of treatment in managing the painful progressive flatfoot. Contact your physician before taking any medication. In some cases, a surgical procedure may need to be performed to repair the torn or damaged tendon and restore normal function. To prevent recurrence of this injury, orthotics may be recommended. In severe cases, surgery on the midfoot bones may be necessary to treat the associated flatfoot condition.
• Flatfoot Correction
• Heel Pain
• Ankle Sprain
  Grade 2 Ankle Sprains are the next level of ankle sprain. One of the distinguishing factors is the bruising associated with more significant swelling. This bruising (black and blue marks often appearing on the heel’s inner or outer sides) is a tell-tale sign that a ligament was partially torn. These injuries should not be self-treated and require medical supervision and intervention. Often, doctors will use some sort of brace or boot to help stabilize the ankle after a Grade 2 ankle sprain to minimize movement around the partially torn ligament(s), allowing them to heal better and faster.
• Back Pain
• Manual Therapy
  Surgery is the only option for rigid hammertoe (when the toe can not be manually straightened); however, in some cases, the toe can be manipulated (flexible hammertoe), and manual therapy can help this condition.
• Orthotics and Prosthetic Therapy

Podiatrists

• General Podiatry
  Chelsea Foot and Ankle provides high-quality treatment for injured tendons in New York City along with their many other podiatry services.
• Achilles Tendonitis
  Non-insertional Achilles tendonitis tends to affect active young adults. When small tears develop in the middle of the tendon, it begins to break down, causing calf pain and swelling.
• Ankle Instability
  Ankle sprains are common, with more than 25,000 people spraining their ankles in the U.S. every day. Because of this, many people consider ankle sprains insignificant and often ignore them, only seeking treatment when the injury is quite far along. The fact remains that each ankle sprain is different and based on the mechanics of the sprain — how it happened, which direction things twisted, etc. Due to these various aspects, the treatment, recovery time, and prognosis are different. If not properly evaluated early and treated, ankle sprains often develop into more serious, painful, longer-term problems like chronic ankle instability and/or arthritis at the ankle joint.
• Ankle Sprain
  Common causes of a sprained ankle include falling or tripping, walking over uneven terrain, or participating in sports activities that involve jumping or running, such as trail running, soccer, football, or basketball. While each sprained ankle is different, you may experience some of these common symptoms...
• Bunions Problems
  Bunions refer to a misalignment of the first metatarsal-phalangeal or first MTP joint, located at the base of the big toe. This bony lump can present both physical pain and aesthetic discomfort, so addressing it is paramount for many bunion sufferers.
• Calluses
• Diabetic Foot Care
  We treat the entire spectrum of foot and ankle medicine and surgery, from common skin and nail disorders, to trauma, sports injuries, diabetic foot care, and reconstructive foot and ankle surgery.
• Flat Feet
• Fungus Toenails
  Toenail fungus (Onychomycosis) is uncommon in children but the incidence increases with age. Nearly half of Americans age 70 and older are infected. Fungal infections occur when the organism finds it’s way into the nail through small cracks in the nail. Once in, the fungus spread through the nail and to adjacent nails in the dark, warm, moist environment that is the inside of our shoes.
• Hammertoes
  Hammer toes result from a muscle imbalance in the foot wherein the ligaments and tendons become unnaturally tight. A hammer toe is a toe that is contracted at the PIP joint (the first “knuckle” joint in the toe). Most hammer toes start off painlessly and most people don’t even necessarily recognize that they have one. Eventually, many hammer toes can become extremely painful. Over time, the ligaments and tendons in the toe tighten, causing the toe’s joints to curl downwards. Most commonly, pain is felt at the top of the knuckle due to rubbing inside a shoe, though sometimes there is pain on the sides of the joints in the toes, from adjacent pressure and rubbing between toes.
• Heel Spurs
  Extracorporeal shock wave therapy is a non-invasive surgical procedure using powerful sound waves directed at the heel to relieve chronic pain like plantar fasciitis or heel spur syndrome. Learn more about shockwave therapy.
• Heel Pain
• Ingrown Toenails
  Antibiotics are sometimes prescribed if an infection is present at the site of the ingrown nail. Part of your ingrown toenail may need to be surgically removed (partial nail plate avulsion) if an acute infection occurs. The procedure involves numbing the toe with an anesthetic and cutting out the ingrown part of the toenail.
• Foot Warts
  Over-the-counter foot wart treatments are usually ineffective and their use can inadvertently destroy surrounding healthy tissue. Our practice can treat warts a variety of ways, including topical prescription medications, freezing/cryosurgery and laser removal.
• Plantar Fasciitis
  One thing about plantar fasciitis is for sure: it requires quick, consistent, and aggressive intervention as early as possible to have a full resolution of symptoms. Sadly, many patients put off addressing their heel pain for many months, and by the time they come to see us, they are already very far into the process of developing scar tissue and this prolongs their recovery time.
• Podiatric Deformities
  More than half the women in America have bunions, making it one of the most common foot deformities. Most bunions are the result of a muscle imbalance within the foot, causing the foot to flatten too much and the 1st MTP joint to start to angulate into a misaligned position. This causes that joint to enlarge and protrude over time. The skin over it may become red and tender, particularly in certain types of shoes. For some people, wearing any type of closed shoe may suddenly become painful. That is because the 1st MTP joint flexes with every step we take and so the bigger a bunion gets, the more it hurts to walk.
• Podiatric Surgery
  The cost of foot surgery to correct foot problems from tight-fitting shoes is $2 billion a year, according to the AAOS. If time off from work for the surgery and recovery is included, the cost is $3.5 billion.