Welcome to the personal website of

Dr. Michael A. Zapf, DPM, MPH, FACFAS, FACFAOM

Thank you for visiting the web site of Dr. Michael Zapf. He is a member of the Agoura-Los Robles Podiatry Centers

The "real" practice web site, the one that contains registration forms, doctor information for all the office and directions to the office is located at:

www.conejofeet.com   ç Click here

I am Dr. Michael Zapf. I have been offering a full range of podiatric medical services, from ingrown nails to heel pain and foot surgery, to my friends and neighbors in the Las Virgenes, Conejo and Simi Valleys since 1985. This is my personal web site. It has been up since 1990 and has received more than 2 million visits. The entire site is my responsibility only and nearly everything on the site was written by me. You are welcome to peruse this site and learn what you can about me, your feet and the problems your feet can develop. Things happen fast in medicine so whatever you read could well be outdated, especially if it was written many years ago. On this site you will read historic articles that I wrote for a lay audience as long as 25 years ago, so please do not take anything on this site as definitive or as applying directly to your condition. You may wonder why I have my own site even though there is also an official practice site. Well, my partners are of a younger generation raised on tweets, e-mails and iPhones. They want a professional site that they believe better represents the professional nature of our practice. They also believe that people no longer take the time to read anything of length. I, on the other foot, think there is still a world out there full of people who still read lengthy descriptions of problems and solutions. if you are one of those old fashioned readers, then this site if for you. Let me know what you think. Let me know you are out there.

Please note that all information and photographs on this site are copyrighted by me, Michael Zapf, DPM, and cannot be used for any private or commercial purposes. I work with two other podiatrists in my practice who may or may not share any of my ideas and philosophy. Do not expect them to practice the way I do or even believe in any of the speculation I present here. If you appreciate what I have written and want me to be your treating doctor, you will have to ask for me specifically. Even if my office says at first, " He is booked until next month",  I still want to see you as long as you are a little flexible with your schedule. If your visit is an emergency, I know that  you will be happy with either of my associates, Dr. Darren Payne or Dr. Steve Benson. They are exceedingly well trained and capable in any foot emergency.

 

Michael Zapf, DPM, MPH, FACFAS, FACFAOM     (If you want to know what all those initials mean, click here   è  

Our office phone number is (818) 707-3668 and my e-mail address is zfootdoc [at] doctor [dot] com

Agoura Hills Office: 28240 Agoura Road, Suite 101, Agoura Hills, CA 91301

Thousand Oaks Office: 555 Marin Street, Suite 290, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360

For the address, hours and registration forms please see the practice web site: www.conejofeet.com


07/24/2010HomeNews+FAQShock Wave

 

To Order Foot Supplies è ç click

For Information about Laser Treatment for Fungal Nails Click hereè
 

For information about Shockwave Therapy for heel pain          click here è

Exciting news!!! New Thousand Oaks Location  è

 

 

Dear Dr. Zapf,
     I recently underwent a calcaneus/cuboid fusion after 4 years of taping, orthotics, steroid injections (8 shots to be exact). I had the surgery done by a podiatrist. A friend of mine asked me why a podiatrist rather then an orthopedic surgeon. I could come up with no really good reason except the podiatrist works on just feet and ankles etc.. She actually got me thinking and seeing your website made me want to ask. Is there a good reason to choose a podiatrist over an orthopedic surgeon for foot surgery?
    Thank you for your time
             Claudia M

Sometimes the podiatrist is the best choice and sometimes it is the orthopedist. Orthopedists are fantastic doctors. They spend 4 years after medical school learning their craft and they can do amazing things to (and with) the body. GBDs (general bone doctors) can repair fractures, including the ankle, inject most kinds of nerve entrapments and help with many other foot difficulties. For more sophisticated problems with the feet, some orthopedists have extra training. These "foot and ankle" orthopedists are very capable of doing the most complex of foot surgeries. Podiatrists have from one to three years of surgical training in the foot and ankle after graduating from 4 years of podiatry school. Most podiatrists who have completed a two or three year residency are also very talented around the foot and can do most any foot surgery with finesse. For your foot surgery, pick a surgeon who does a lot of whatever it is you are going to have done. In general, a busy podiatric surgeon and a busy foot and ankle orthopedist are the ones who do enough foot and ankle surgery to keep sharp. The GBD generally (but not always) does not do more than a few foot surgeries a year, instead concentrating on knee arthroscopies, joint replacements, injuries, fractures and lumps and bumps.

There are some problems where podiatry is probably the preferred surgeon. A possibly infected corn on a toe is probably best treated by a podiatrist. We can clean and flush the wound in the office, prescribe the antibiotic, provide the healing shoe, provide special shoes afterwards and plan the eventual surgical procedure for the toe to prevent the problem from coming back. Dermatologists can clean the wound and prescribe the antibiotic but are not the ones to manage the bone infection.  An orthopedist can clean the wound (but rarely in the office) and do the toe surgery but are not the experts at the daily management of the wound and not likely to be involved in shoe modifications and padding of the corns.

Good podiatrists, like all good doctors, will do only those procedures they are comfortable with and will refer you to an expert for problems beyond their scope of practice.  

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

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Copyright © 2000 Michael A. Zapf, D.P.M., F.A.C.F.A.S., F.A.C.F.AOA.M.
Last modified: July 24, 2010