Foot & Ankle Specialist Near Me | Balance Foot & Ankle

Balance Foot & Ankle is a dedicated foot and ankle specialist practice serving Howell, Brighton, Bloomfield Township, and Southeast Michigan. Our board-certified podiatric physicians diagnose and treat the full range of foot and ankle conditions — from everyday heel pain to complex reconstructive surgery — with same-week appointments and on-site digital X-ray. Call (810) 206-1402 or request your first visit.

Searching for a foot doctor near you? Our board-certified podiatrists see new patients in Howell and Bloomfield Township.

What Is a Foot & Ankle Specialist?

A foot and ankle specialist is a physician who focuses exclusively on the lower extremity. Our podiatrists (DPMs) complete years of dedicated foot and ankle training and treat everything from skin and nail problems to fractures, nerve conditions, and surgical reconstruction. Because the foot and ankle are all we do, you get a level of focus a general clinic usually can’t match.

When to See a Foot & Ankle Specialist

It’s worth seeing a specialist when foot or ankle pain lasts more than a couple of weeks, keeps coming back, or limits your activity. You should also be evaluated for numbness or tingling, a wound or sore that won’t heal (especially with diabetes), a visibly changing deformity such as a bunion or flat foot, or any injury where you can’t bear weight comfortably.

Conditions We Treat

• Heel pain and plantar fasciitis
• Bunions and hammertoes
• Ingrown toenails and toenail fungus
• Diabetic foot care, neuropathy, and wound care
• Sports injuries, ankle sprains, and fractures
• Flat feet and arch problems
• Morton’s neuroma and nerve pain
• Custom orthotics and bracing

Why Choose Balance Foot & Ankle

Our team includes board-certified podiatric physicians led by Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM, FACFAS, a fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeon who has performed more than 3,000 procedures. We take a conservative-first approach — the goal is the least invasive treatment that actually solves the problem — and we hold a 4.9-star rating from over 1,123 Google reviews. With offices in Howell and Bloomfield Township, expert care is close to home.

What to Expect at Your Visit

Your first appointment includes a thorough exam and, when needed, on-site digital X-rays so we can identify the problem the same day. You’ll leave with a clear diagnosis and a treatment plan explained in plain language. Most new patients are seen within the same week.

Insurance & New Patients

We accept most major insurance plans, including Medicare, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, United Healthcare, Aetna, Cigna, HAP, and Priority Health. See our full insurance information → New patients can complete intake forms online before the first visit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a foot and ankle specialist the same as a podiatrist?

Yes — a podiatrist (DPM) is a physician who specializes in the foot and ankle. Some patients also see orthopedic foot and ankle surgeons; here’s how the two compare.

How quickly can I be seen?

Most new patients are offered an appointment within the same week. Call (810) 206-1402 and we’ll find the earliest opening.

Do I need a referral?

Most plans let you see a foot and ankle specialist without a referral. Some HMO plans require one — we’ll verify your coverage before your visit.

Should diabetics see a foot specialist?

Yes. Regular foot exams are an important part of diabetes care and help catch problems early, before they become serious.

Book With a Foot & Ankle Specialist

Get answers from a team that treats the foot and ankle all day, every day. Call (810) 206-1402 or book online.

Balance Foot & Ankle — Howell
4330 E Grand River Ave, Howell, MI 48843
Bloomfield Township: 43494 Woodward Ave #208, Bloomfield Township, MI 48302
(810) 206-1402

Searching for a foot and ankle specialist near you? Balance Foot & Ankle’s board-certified foot & ankle surgeons handle everything from sports injuries and fractures to complex reconstruction at our Bloomfield Township office (Oakland County) and Howell office (Livingston County). Book online or call (810) 206-1402.

Ankle Injuries: From a Simple Sprain to Chronic Instability

An ankle specialist treats far more than broken bones. At Balance Foot & Ankle, ankle sprains, tendonitis, and instability are among the most common reasons Howell and Bloomfield Hills patients come in — and among the most commonly mismanaged injuries we see. A sprain that still hurts after two weeks, gives way on uneven ground, or swells by evening deserves a proper exam, not another month of waiting.

The mistake we see most often: returning to normal activity as soon as the pain fades. Pain settles in days, but a sprained ligament keeps healing for six weeks or longer — stop protecting the ankle too early and it heals loose. That is how one bad step becomes chronic ankle instability, where the ankle rolls again and again on stairs, curbs, and trails. Our guide to how long an ankle sprain really takes to heal walks through the timeline stage by stage.

When you are seen at either office, we examine the ligaments and tendons, take X-rays on site when the exam calls for it — inability to bear weight for four steps or bone tenderness at specific points are the classic reasons to image — and start treatment the same visit: bracing or proper taping, a progressive rehab plan, and custom orthotics when alignment is driving the problem. Surgery is the exception, not the rule. When chronic instability or persistent ankle pain does not respond to conservative care, Dr. Biernacki (DPM, FACFAS) performs ligament repair — and for end-stage ankle arthritis, total ankle replacement.

Heard a pop, cannot bear weight, or the ankle looks deformed? That is a same-day problem — call (810) 206-1402 or start with urgent foot care and we will get you in.

Foot & Ankle Specialist Near Me — Howell & Bloomfield Township, MI

Need a foot and ankle specialist near me? Balance Foot & Ankle’s board-certified podiatric physicians and surgeons see patients at two Michigan offices. Our Howell office (4330 E Grand River Ave) serves Livingston County — Brighton, Hartland, Fowlerville, Pinckney, Fenton, Hamburg and Whitmore Lake. Our Bloomfield Township office (43494 Woodward Ave #208) serves Oakland County — Birmingham, Troy, West Bloomfield, Rochester Hills, Novi, Pontiac and Royal Oak. From heel pain and sports injuries to bunions, fractures and reconstructive foot & ankle surgery, we handle routine and complex cases — including referrals other surgeons send out. Same-week appointments; most insurance and Medicare accepted. Call (810) 206-1402.

Where can I find a foot and ankle specialist near me in Michigan?

Balance Foot & Ankle’s specialists practice in Howell and Bloomfield Township. Each provider is a podiatric physician and surgeon (DPM), so you get diagnosis, conservative care and surgical options under one roof.

Is there a foot surgeon near me?

Yes. Our team performs bunion correction, hammertoe repair, fracture fixation and minimally invasive foot & ankle surgery at both locations, with reconstructive and revision cases handled by our fellowship-trained surgeon.

How soon can I see a specialist?

Same-week appointments are usually available, and urgent foot or ankle problems — sudden pain, injury, infection or diabetic wounds — are prioritized for the soonest opening.