Quick answer: Dearborn Heights Podiatrist Inkster Romulus Foot Doctor is a common foot/ankle topic that affects many patients. The 2026 evidence-based approach combines proper diagnosis, conservative-first treatment, and escalation only when needed. We treat this regularly at our Howell and Bloomfield Township practices. Call (810) 206-1402.
Medically Reviewed by Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM — Board-Certified Podiatrist, Balance Foot & Ankle Specialists, Michigan. Last updated April 2026.
▶ Watch
Foot and Ankle Care for Southwest Wayne County
Dearborn Heights, Inkster, and Romulus are home to hardworking communities in southwest Wayne County — communities where residents deserve access to expert foot and ankle care without navigating major hospital systems. Balance Foot & Ankle serves patients from these communities at our Bloomfield Township location, providing board-certified podiatric medicine and surgery in a convenient, welcoming environment.
Whether you’re a Dearborn Heights resident dealing with chronic heel pain, an Inkster patient needing diabetic foot care, or a Romulus worker whose foot pain is affecting your ability to do your job, our practice has the expertise and technology to help you.
Why Foot Pain Demands a Podiatry Specialist
Many southwest Wayne County residents try to manage foot problems through their primary care doctor, urgent care, or self-treatment before seeking a podiatrist. While primary care physicians are excellent at managing most medical conditions, foot and ankle pathology requires specialized training that generalists don’t receive in medical school. A podiatrist’s entire professional education — four years of podiatric medical school plus three years of surgical residency — focuses exclusively on the foot and ankle.
This means we can diagnose conditions that get missed in general practice, offer treatments tailored specifically to foot anatomy, and perform surgical procedures that most general physicians and even most orthopedic surgeons don’t perform routinely.
Conditions We Treat
Our practice handles the full range of foot and ankle conditions affecting Wayne County patients:
- Heel and arch pain — Plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, and Achilles conditions treated with evidence-based conservative and surgical protocols
- Bunions — From conservative accommodation to surgical correction including modern minimally invasive approaches
- Hammertoes and toe deformities — Splinting, padding, and permanent surgical correction
- Diabetic foot care — Prevention-focused annual exams, wound care, and custom therapeutic footwear
- Ingrown toenails — Same-day office treatment; permanent procedures to prevent recurrence
- Toenail fungus — Topical, oral, and laser treatment options
- Flat feet and overpronation — Biomechanical assessment and custom orthotic fabrication
- Sports injuries — Ankle sprains, stress fractures, and tendon injuries for Dearborn Heights’s active residents
- Nerve conditions — Morton’s neuroma, tarsal tunnel syndrome, and neuropathy-related foot pain
- Arthritis — Gout treatment, rheumatoid foot management, and osteoarthritis care
- Plantar warts — In-office treatment options when OTC preparations have failed
Diabetic Foot Care: Preventing Serious Complications
Wayne County’s diabetic population is among the highest-risk groups for foot complications — neuropathy, ulcers, infections, and amputations that are largely preventable with proper podiatric surveillance. We provide Medicare-covered annual comprehensive diabetic foot exams for qualifying patients, including protective sensation testing, vascular assessment, and footwear evaluation.
For patients with active diabetic foot wounds, we provide wound care and team-based management with vascular specialists and endocrinologists to prevent escalation. Our goal is always limb preservation.
Worker’s Foot Health: For Dearborn Heights Industrial and Service Workers
Many Dearborn Heights, Inkster, and Romulus residents work in automotive manufacturing, warehousing, transportation (including Metropolitan Airport-related employment in Romulus), and service industries that demand long hours on hard surfaces. Work-related foot pain — plantar fasciitis, metatarsalgia, ankle fatigue, and stress injuries — is common in these occupational settings.
We provide occupationally-appropriate care: treating your specific condition while understanding the demands of your work environment. Custom orthotics for work boots, ergonomic footwear guidance, and return-to-work planning after foot injuries are all part of our service to working patients.
Getting Here from Southwest Wayne County
Our Bloomfield Township office is accessible from Dearborn Heights and Inkster via M-10 (Lodge Freeway) north to the Orchard Lake Road area. From Romulus, take I-94 east to I-275 north to I-696 east, or take I-94 east to M-10. Drive times are typically 30–45 minutes depending on traffic. We offer early morning appointments to accommodate patients who need to be seen before work shifts.
Insurance and Billing
We accept most major insurance plans including Blue Cross Blue Shield, Priority Health, HAP (Health Alliance Plan), Aetna, Cigna, United Healthcare, Medicare Part B, and Medicaid. Worker’s compensation cases are welcome. Our billing staff verifies your specific coverage before your first appointment.
Schedule Your Appointment
Don’t let foot pain affect your work, your family activities, or your quality of life. Dearborn Heights, Inkster, and Romulus residents can count on Balance Foot & Ankle for expert foot and ankle care. Book online or call us today — same-week appointments often available.
Foot or Ankle Pain? We Can Help.
Balance Foot & Ankle — Howell & Bloomfield Township, MI
📅 Book Online
📞 (810) 206-1402
Insurance Accepted
BCBS · Medicare · Aetna · Cigna · United Healthcare · HAP · Priority Health · Humana · View All →
Howell Office
3980 E Grand River Ave, Suite 140
Howell, MI 48843
Get Directions →
Bloomfield Hills Office
43700 Woodward Ave, Suite 207
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
Get Directions →
Your Board-Certified Podiatrists
Ready to Get Back on Your Feet?
Same-week appointments available at both locations.
Book Your AppointmentWatch: Podiatrist Serving Dearborn Heights
Dr. Tom at Balance Foot & Ankle — serving Dearborn Heights, Inkster, Romulus patients, same-week appointments, Howell + Bloomfield Hills offices, all major insurances accepted.
Home Care Kit
Supplement your visit. Dr. Tom’s kit:
As an Amazon Associate, Balance Foot & Ankle earns from qualifying purchases. This supports our free patient education content.
Daily foot support.
Stability during activity.
Flare inflammation.
Topical relief.
Related: Bloomfield Hills Office · Howell Office · Book Same-Week
🏥 Dr. Biernacki’s Recommended Products (Save 30% – Foundation Wellness)
👉 PowerStep Pinnacle Insoles — Podiatrist-recommended insoles for everyday foot support & pain relief.
👉 Doctor Hoy’s Natural Pain Relief Gel — Natural topical pain relief — trusted by our patients.
Visit Balance Foot & Ankle — Same-Day Appointments Available
Our podiatry team serves patients throughout Michigan including Howell, Brighton, and Bloomfield Hills. If you’re dealing with heel pain, ingrown toenails, or a foot injury, we have same-day appointment availability.
Same-day appointments available. (810) 206-1402
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.
- Plantar Fasciitis: Diagnosis and Conservative Management (PubMed)
- Plantar Fasciitis (APMA)
- Diagnosis and Treatment of Plantar Fasciitis (PubMed / AAFP)
- Heel Pain (APMA)