Welcome to the Website of

Dr. Michael Zapf, DPM, MPH, FACFAS

 Thank you for visiting my website. I have been placing information and articles on this site for many years and have received millions of  hits during that time (and not that many of them were mine). I have designed it for people who like to read about their foot and ankle problems. Since I started the web site, I have added two associates to my practice, Dr. Darren Payne and Dr. Stephen Benson.  Since my site is filled with just my thoughts and opinions they are not, necessarily, shared by my colleagues. To see our less controversial (and less windy) practice web site, I offer you: www.ConejoFeet.com, the practice site for The Agoura Los Robles Podiatry Centers (ALRPC). The ALRPC practice site has a lot of material about our office, many of our policies and the registration forms to be filled out before your visit. I suggest all prospective patients visit www.ConejoFeet.com.

 I made the web site to give my patients the extra depth information that I don’t always have time to cover in the office visit. Visitors who are not my patients are welcome to browse the information found here. My younger colleagues are both under 50 and they, like many their age, do not favor in depth reading. They prefer their information presented to them in a few short, crisp bullet points. I, being of the, ahem, older generation, like to read about my ailments in greater depth. Here, I present the greater depth. If you ask a question about heel pain or bunions that I have not answered in my two monographs, I will quickly add it so that it is as complete as I can make it. If you agree with this philosophy, welcome to my page. If you correspond with me please let me know if you like the in depth reporting.

 Remember, this site is in no way intended to tell you how your own ailment or problem should be treated, only the approach I use when confronted with certain situations. Your problem may well be different from what you think it is and should always be evaluated by the appropriate professional, whether podiatrist, orthopedist or other authority. Please understand that I, nor anyone else, can offer you a proper diagnosis or treatment plan without seeing and feeling the problem at hand (foot?).  Happy reading.

 Sincerely, Michael Zapf, DPM, MPH, FACFAS, FACFAOM

 P.S. All the information in this web site is © by me and it is mine alone. No picture or any of the articles cannot be used by anyone without permission from me, personally.

01/08/2012

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The Letter To Minh To

Minh To is a high school student at Central Gwinnett High School. (Does anybody know where Central Gwinnett is located?)

Minh To send me the a series of questions about podiatry care.

Below is a list of the questions she gave to me and the answers I gave to her

Dear Dr. Zapf,

I'm a student from Central Gwinnett High School.  I'm doing an interview.
I was hoping that you answer my questions in an e-mail form.
You will be one of my resources.  IF you can please sent be what I ask in your
next letter. The questions are below. Thank You.

1.What do you do in general and what a typical day is like??

I work in an office most days from 9 am to 6 pm and I see from 25 to 35 patients. They range from adolescents with ingrown nails to adults with bunions and heel pain to senior citizens with thick nails, ulcerations and diabetic foot infections. Occasionally I see a kid younger than 6 for intoed gait and tripping and falling when walking.

2.Can you describe what you do in general or your main responsibilities?

I take care of the various ailments of my patients with heel pain, ingrown nails, wart removal and the like. On Thursday morning I do surgery at the local hospital where I will do two bunion surgeries and one other surgery, perhaps removal of a bunion or a hammertoe deformity.

3. What educational background or experience is required?

To be a podiatrist in California, like most states, you need to finish college and complete a 4-year program in podiatric medicine and surgery. There are 7 Podiatric Medical Colleges in the US (from San Francisco to Florida) and several in Canada. Following podiatry college you need to complete a podiatric postgraduate residence: either in straight surgery or rotating in all aspects of the hospital from the anesthesia department to radiology, internal medicine, emergency medicine and the like. During the training years there are no limitations on the kinds of medicine you can learn and experience. I even helped to deliver babies during a rotation in Seattle.

4.Are there advantages and disadvantages and what the future holds for someone?

The advantages are that after six or seven years of education you can hang out your shingle and practice in a surgical sub specialty. Equivalent MD and DO students need 4 years of school and 4 years of residency to do what we do in just 6 oftentimes. The disadvantages are the struggle that comes with being the "new kid on the block". Some MD and Do practitioner regard you as "not a doctor' but many, many more appreciate and applaud your talents. I get referrals from all medical specialties, even orthopedists. Your income is not in the same ballpark as your orthopedic surgeon colleagues (whose is?) but it is more than many pediatricians and family practitioners.

5. If you can please tell me if you had any interesting things happened.

Three cases;

First I saw a 25-year-old supermarket cashier with heel pain. She has seen two family practice doctors, one internist, one orthopedic surgeon, one acupuncturist, received physical therapy three times a week for three months and consulted an eastern medicine specialist. She still had heel pain. In just one visit to my office I saw the problem and suggested we try applying just a few pieces of tape in a manner to keep her feet from flattening. Would you believe it worked and she called the taping a "Miracle” Later she received orthotics and is doing spectacularly well. No pain when she walks and she is working full time without problems. She is delighted,

Case 2: Carol is a 70-year-old lady with a huge callus on the bottom of her right foot behind her second toe. It has been present for several years now and has caused an ulceration, sometimes called a break in the skin,  several times. On one of those past occasions a very talented orthopedist at the hospital recommended she get a below the knee amputation. Her infectious doctor suggested she see me instead. Using tricks and talents readily available she has now kept her foot for almost three years. She is delighted to keep her feet as are her children and grand children. She and I say "Thanks, Dr. S., for this referral."

Case 3. Ashley is an 11-year-old girl with a bunion deformity. It is unusual, of course, to see a girl this young with a bunion, but it happens. It is called a Juvenile Bunion. She was treated with a surgical procedure designed to "staple" one side of the growth plate in her foot. This stapling procedure, called epiphysiodesis, will cause her bunion to, in essence, melt away over the next few years. In a one hour surgery her bunion was stapled and now, over the last 3 years, I have watched it get smaller and smaller. With this success she will never need the big "bone cutting" procedures adults often require to get rid of their bunions.

Minh To, I hope this helps. If you want more information, please let me know.  

Send mail to (zfootdoc at doctor dot com) with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2000 Michael A. Zapf, D.P.M., F.A.C.F.A.S., F.A.C.F.AOA.M.
Last modified: January 08, 2012