When is the best surgery the one you never perform? In this episode of the Podiatry Today Podcast, host Dr. Jennifer Spector continues her conversation with Priya Parthasarathy, DPM, focusing on conservative treatment strategies that can help patients improve function, reduce pain, and potentially avoid surgery.

Dr. Parthasarathy discusses underutilized nonsurgical therapies, practical approaches to improving patient adherence, and how podiatrists can set realistic expectations while managing chronic foot and ankle conditions. From plantar fasciitis and tendinopathies to everyday patient communication, this episode highlights why thoughtful conservative care remains a cornerstone of successful podiatric practice.

Whether you're managing patients in a busy clinic or looking to optimize treatment plans before considering surgical intervention, this discussion offers practical pearls you can apply immediately.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Which conservative treatments deserve more attention in podiatric practice

Strategies to improve patient adherence and long-term outcomes

How to manage expectations for chronic foot and ankle conditions

When conservative care should continue—and when it may be time to consider surgery

Practical clinical pearls for evidence-informed, patient-centered treatment

Guest: Priya Parthasarathy, DPM

Topics: conservative treatment, podiatry, plantar fasciitis, tendinopathy, foot and ankle care, patient adherence, non-surgical management, rehabilitation, orthotics, physical therapy, evidence-based podiatry

How should podiatrists approach regenerative medicine in everyday foot and ankle practice? In this episode of the Podiatry Today Podcast, host Dr. Jennifer Spector speaks with Priya Parthasarathy, DPM, about the evolving role of regenerative medicine, including patient selection, evidence-based decision-making, and where biologic therapies may fit into modern podiatric care.

Dr. Parthasarathy explains why regenerative medicine should be viewed as another tool—not a replacement for sound clinical judgment—and discusses which patients may benefit most, why timing matters, and how podiatrists can thoughtfully incorporate emerging therapies into practice while maintaining realistic expectations.

Whether you're exploring regenerative medicine for plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, ligament injuries, or other chronic foot and ankle conditions, this episode offers practical insights grounded in current evidence and clinical experience.

In this episode, you'll learn:

What regenerative medicine means in podiatry today

Which patients and conditions may benefit most from biologic therapies

Why patient selection and diagnosis are critical

When regenerative treatments may be appropriate within the care pathway

How to balance innovation with evidence-based practice

Guest: Priya Parthasarathy, DPM

In this episode of the Podiatry Today Podcast, host Dr. Jennifer Spector sits down with Dr. Savannah Santiago to discuss Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S)—a condition that extends far beyond the traditional concept of the female athlete triad and has important implications for athletes of all genders.

Drawing on insights from her presentation at the APMA Annual Scientific Meeting, Dr. Santiago explains how low energy availability can contribute to stress fractures, delayed healing, recurrent overuse injuries, and declining athletic performance. She also shares practical strategies to help podiatrists recognize the subtle clinical and behavioral signs that may point to RED-S and discusses the critical role foot and ankle specialists play in identifying at-risk athletes and coordinating multidisciplinary care.

In this episode, you'll learn:

How RED-S differs from the female athlete triad

Why male athletes and athletes across many sports are also at risk

Foot and ankle findings that may signal underlying energy deficiency

Behavioral and clinical red flags podiatrists should recognize

When and how to involve nutrition, mental health, and other specialists

Whether you treat competitive athletes, weekend warriors, or adolescent sports participants, this conversation offers practical insights to help improve both musculoskeletal outcomes and long-term patient health.

Guest: Dr. Savannah Santiago

Host: Dr. Jennifer Spector

In this episode of the Podiatry Today Podcast, host Dr. Jennifer Spector welcomes Dr. Savannah Santiago for a timely discussion on responsible opioid prescribing in podiatric medicine. Building on her upcoming presentation at the APMA Annual Scientific Meeting, Dr. Santiago shares practical, evidence-informed strategies for balancing effective postoperative pain control with safe prescribing practices and regulatory compliance.

The conversation explores how opioid prescribing has evolved over the past decade, common misconceptions that still influence clinical practice, and why individualized pain management is essential. Dr. Santiago discusses multimodal analgesia, patient-specific risk assessment, preoperative counseling, documentation, and the importance of setting realistic expectations to improve outcomes while minimizing opioid-related risks.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Why multimodal pain management should be the foundation of postoperative care

Common opioid prescribing pitfalls and how to avoid them

How to tailor pain management plans to individual patients and procedures

The value of preoperative counseling, patient education, and family involvement

Documentation strategies that support both quality patient care and regulatory compliance

Whether you're in private practice, residency, or hospital-based care, this episode offers practical guidance for improving postoperative pain management while promoting responsible opioid stewardship.

Guest: Dr. Savannah Santiago

Host: Dr. Jennifer Spector

Complications are an inevitable part of clinical practice—but how clinicians respond can significantly impact patient trust, outcomes, and malpractice exposure. In this episode of the Podiatry Today Podcast, Dr. Jennifer Spector welcomes back Dr. David Schweibish to discuss the critical moments that follow an adverse outcome in podiatric medicine and surgery.

Dr. Schweibish shares practical guidance on how physicians can navigate postoperative complications and difficult patient conversations while minimizing medicolegal risk. Topics include the dangers of avoidance and poor communication, balancing transparency with legal protection, and the importance of structured response protocols within both private practices and larger healthcare systems.

Whether you work in private practice, hospital systems, or surgical centers, this episode offers actionable insights into managing complications professionally, ethically, and strategically.

Presented in partnership with the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA).

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Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has transformed foot and ankle practice, but the biology of bone healing remains unchanged. In this sponsored episode of the Podiatry Today Podcast, host Dr. Jennifer Spector is joined by Bradley Abicht, DPM, FACFAS, to discuss how regenerative bone technologies are evolving alongside MIS techniques and what surgeons should consider when selecting products for modern foot and ankle procedures.

Dr. Abicht explores the role of osteoinductive and osteoconductive materials, why delivery method matters in minimally invasive surgery, and how injectable regenerative technologies may help address bone voids and support predictable healing while maintaining procedural efficiency. Drawing on his clinical experience with MIS bunion surgery and other foot and ankle procedures, he shares practical insights into integrating bone regenerative implants into today's surgical workflows.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Why MIS has changed surgical technique—but not the biologic requirements for bone healing

Key characteristics to consider when evaluating bone regenerative technologies

The importance of precise delivery in minimally invasive procedures

Clinical considerations for managing bone voids during MIS bunion surgery

How regenerative technologies may fit into the future of foot and ankle surgery

This episode is supported by TheraMicro. Dr. Bradley Abicht discloses that he serves as a consultant to TheraMicro.

Subscribe to the Podiatry Today Podcast for expert interviews, practical surgical insights, and the latest developments in foot and ankle medicine. Visit PodiatryToday.com for additional podcasts, clinical articles, and educational resources.

What does successful limb salvage really look like outside of major academic medical centers?

In this episode of the Podiatry Today Podcast, host Dr. Jennifer Spector welcomes back Dr. Timothy Miller for a candid discussion on the realities of limb preservation in community-based podiatric practice. While limb salvage is often associated with large hospital systems and multidisciplinary academic programs, Dr. Miller explains how community podiatrists frequently serve as the true first line of defense for patients facing diabetic foot complications, ulcerations, infections, and risk of amputation.

Drawing from his experience as a fellowship-trained podiatrist and co-owner of Sunshine Foot and Ankle Experts in Orlando, Florida, Dr. Miller shares practical insights into coordinating multidisciplinary care with vascular surgery, infectious disease, endocrinology, primary care, wound care, orthotics, and social services — all while navigating the real-world barriers patients face outside of large institutions.

The conversation explores where limb salvage systems succeed, where they commonly break down, and why patient engagement, compliance, transportation, nutrition, family support, and longitudinal follow-up are just as critical as surgical or wound care expertise. Dr. Miller also discusses the podiatrist’s role as the “quarterback” of the care team and emphasizes that limb salvage is often a lifelong process of prevention, monitoring, and ongoing management.

How does your practice setting influence malpractice risk in podiatry? In this episode of the Podiatry Today Podcast, Dr. Jennifer Spector speaks with Dr. David Schweibish about how liability exposure can vary across private practice, hospital-employed roles, multispecialty groups, and outpatient or ASC environments.

Dr. Schweibish shares practical insights into the real drivers of malpractice claims, including documentation gaps, informed consent, communication breakdowns, patient non-compliance, and system-level risk management challenges. He also discusses how institutional protocols, peer review systems, and interdisciplinary communication can help mitigate liability while still preserving independent clinical judgment.

Regardless of practice setting, this conversation offers actionable guidance for reducing risk and strengthening patient care documentation.

Presented in partnership with the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA).

🎧 Subscribe to the Podiatry Today Podcast for more expert insights from leaders across the field of podiatric medicine.

Has surgery become the default approach for fifth metatarsal stress fractures—and should it be?

In this episode of the Podiatry Today Podcasts, Dr. Jennifer Spector welcomes back Dr. Patrick DeHeer, President of the American Podiatric Medical Association, to revisit the ongoing debate surrounding operative versus non-operative management of fifth metatarsal stress fractures.

The conversation takes a fresh turn with discussion of a 2023 randomized controlled trial comparing intramedullary screw fixation to high-energy shockwave therapy in competitive athletes. With similar healing rates, functional outcomes, and complication profiles—and even a faster return to play in the shockwave group—the findings challenge long-standing assumptions about surgical necessity.

Dr. DeHeer also provides critical context around study limitations, patient selection, and real-world barriers such as insurance coverage and access to advanced therapies. He shares practical insights on when surgery may still be appropriate, particularly in elite or highly active patients, and emphasizes the importance of long-term strategies like lateral column offloading to reduce refracture risk.

Key topics include:

Surgery vs non-surgical management of fifth metatarsal stress fractures

Shockwave therapy as an emerging alternative to fixation

Evidence from RCT data in athletic populations

Patient selection and real-world treatment considerations

Preventing recurrence through biomechanical offloading

This episode is essential listening for clinicians navigating evolving evidence in stress fracture management.

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Heel pain is one of the most common complaints in podiatric practice—but are clinicians sometimes oversimplifying the diagnosis?

In this episode of the Podiatry Today Podcasts, Dr. Jennifer Spector speaks with Dr. Patrick DeHeer, President of the American Podiatric Medical Association, about the complexities behind heel pain and why plantar fasciitis shouldn’t always be the default diagnosis.

Dr. DeHeer explores the critical role of equinus, noting its presence in the majority of plantar fasciitis cases, and emphasizes the importance of comprehensive treatment strategies. He also shares insights on when to reconsider your diagnosis, how to monitor patient progress effectively, and which “zebra” conditions—such as Baxter’s neuritis, calcaneal stress fractures, and referred pain—clinicians should keep on their radar.

Key topics include:

Why heel pain is a symptom—not a diagnosis

The overlooked importance of equinus in plantar fasciitis

Practical diagnostic tips, including tuning fork testing and nerve palpation

When to escalate care with imaging or advanced evaluation

Evidence-based treatment approaches, including steroid protocols and gastroc recession

If you treat heel pain, this episode will challenge your assumptions and sharpen your clinical approach.

👉 Follow Podiatry Today Podcasts on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify for more expert insights in foot and ankle medicine.