Charcot Foot & Diabetes — The Condition Every Diabetic Should Know About

Charcot Foot — The Most Misunderstood Diabetic Foot Emergency

Charcot neuroarthropathy (Charcot foot) is one of the most destructive and misdiagnosed conditions in diabetic foot medicine. At Balance Foot & Ankle in Howell and Bloomfield Hills, we see Charcot foot patients who were initially told they had a sprain or soft tissue injury — delays that allowed progressive bone destruction to occur. Understanding Charcot foot could save your arch, your foot, and your limb. Call (810) 206-1402. Our Bloomfield Hills office shares a building with the Grunberger Diabetes Institute for coordinated diabetic care.

What Is Charcot Foot?

Charcot neuroarthropathy is acute inflammatory destruction of bones, joints, and soft tissue in a neuropathic foot. It occurs exclusively in patients with significant peripheral neuropathy — almost always diabetic. The mechanism: an injury (often so minor it’s not noticed due to neuropathy) triggers an uncontrolled inflammatory response that causes bone resorption, fractures, and joint dislocation. Because the patient can’t feel the damage, they continue walking — catastrophically accelerating the destruction.

Warning Signs of Charcot Foot

Sudden warmth, redness, and swelling in ONE foot — often dramatically different from the other. Usually occurs without significant pain (due to neuropathy). The foot may feel unusually hot. The patient often has no memory of injury. This is a medical emergency — contact us immediately.

Treatment

Immediate total non-weight-bearing (critical — continued weight-bearing converts acute Charcot to chronic deformity). Immobilization in a total contact cast. Duration: typically 3-6 months of casting. Prevention of the rocker-bottom deformity that leads to chronic ulceration. Custom Charcot restraint orthotic walker (CROW) for long-term management.

Call Immediately if You Suspect Charcot

(810) 206-1402 — same day assessment. Howell and Bloomfield Hills.

Professional Podiatric Care in Michigan: Balance Foot & Ankle’s Comprehensive Services

At Balance Foot & Ankle, Michigan patients receive comprehensive podiatric care across the full spectrum of foot and ankle conditions. Our fellowship-trained podiatrists provide conservative and surgical treatment for all foot and ankle pathology — from plantar fasciitis, bunions, and nail disorders to complex reconstructive surgery, diabetic foot care, and sports injuries. Our clinical approach prioritizes accurate diagnosis, evidence-based treatment selection, and honest communication with patients about realistic outcomes.

We serve patients in Livingston and Oakland counties from two convenient Michigan locations: our Howell office at 4330 E Grand River (serving Brighton, Hartland, Pinckney, Howell, and all of Livingston County) and our Bloomfield Hills office at 43494 Woodward Ave #208 (serving Troy, Birmingham, West Bloomfield, Farmington Hills, and all of Oakland County). Both offices offer in-office X-ray, same-week new patient appointments, and a full range of diagnostic and treatment services. We accept Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, Medicare, and most Michigan insurance plans. Call Balance Foot & Ankle at (810) 206-1402 to schedule your appointment.

Michigan patients from throughout the region — Livingston County communities including Howell, Brighton, Hartland, Pinckney, and Fowlerville, and Oakland County communities including Bloomfield Hills, Troy, Birmingham, West Bloomfield, Farmington Hills, Pontiac, and Rochester — can access expert podiatric care at Balance Foot & Ankle. Our clinical team is committed to providing the highest standard of foot and ankle care available in Southeast Michigan, from routine preventive care to complex surgical intervention. Call (810) 206-1402 to schedule — we look forward to serving you at our Howell or Bloomfield Hills location.

Scheduling with Balance Foot & Ankle is straightforward — call (810) 206-1402 during business hours and our front desk team will find an appointment time that works for your schedule, verify your insurance coverage before the visit, and answer any preliminary questions you have about what to expect. Our Howell office at 4330 E Grand River has convenient parking and is easily accessible from I-96, M-59, and Grand River Avenue. Our Bloomfield Hills office at 43494 Woodward Ave #208 is located on Woodward Avenue with parking adjacent to the building. Both locations are accessible by patients throughout Southeast Michigan, and our team looks forward to providing you with the professional, evidence-based podiatric care that you and your feet deserve.

Related Treatment Guides

• Diabetic Foot Care
• Charcot Foot Treatment
• Plantar Fasciitis & Heel Pain Treatment
• Custom 3D Orthotics

Michigan patients are welcome to call Balance Foot & Ankle at (810) 206-1402 to learn more about the specific services available at our practice, confirm insurance coverage, or schedule a new patient appointment. Our Howell office serves Livingston County patients with convenient access from the Howell, Brighton, Hartland, and Pinckney communities. Our Bloomfield Hills office serves Oakland County patients with convenient access from the Birmingham, Troy, West Bloomfield, and Farmington Hills communities. Both offices welcome new patients and provide the same high standard of podiatric care that Livingston and Oakland county residents have come to expect from Balance Foot & Ankle.

Medical References & Sources

• American Diabetes Association — Foot Complications
• PubMed Research — Diabetic Foot Care
• American Podiatric Medical Association — Diabetic Foot

Your Board-Certified Podiatrists

Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM

Board-Certified · FACFAS

Dr. Carl Jay, DPM

Board-Certified Podiatrist

Dr. Daria Gutkin, DPM

Podiatrist

Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM

Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM is a double board-certified podiatrist and foot & ankle surgeon at Balance Foot & Ankle Specialists in Southeast Michigan. With over a decade of clinical experience, he specializes in heel pain, bunions, diabetic foot care, sports injuries, and minimally invasive surgery. Dr. Biernacki is a member of the APMA and ACFAS, and his patient education content on MichiganFootDoctors.com and YouTube has reached over one million views.