Medically Reviewed by Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM — Board-Certified Podiatrist, Balance Foot & Ankle Specialists, Michigan. Last updated April 2026.
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Expert Foot and Ankle Care for the Midland and Bay City Region
Patients from Midland, Bay City, Saginaw, and the surrounding Mid-Michigan communities who are experiencing foot or ankle problems are welcome at Balance Foot & Ankle. Our board-certified podiatrists provide specialized care for the full spectrum of foot and ankle conditions — from sports injuries and overuse conditions to complex surgical cases, diabetic foot complications, and chronic pain. We bring the expertise of a specialized foot and ankle practice to patients throughout this region who are seeking more than general primary care management of their foot problems.
The Midland-Bay City-Saginaw metropolitan area represents one of Michigan’s significant population centers, with a diverse community that includes petrochemical industry workers, healthcare professionals at major regional health systems, agricultural workers, outdoor recreation enthusiasts, and a substantial elderly population. Each of these groups has distinct foot health needs that our practice is equipped to address.
Conditions We Commonly Treat
Plantar fasciitis and heel pain are among the most frequent reasons patients seek podiatric care, and our practice offers a complete, evidence-based treatment protocol. From initial evaluation with biomechanical assessment through custom orthotic fabrication, targeted injection therapies, and advanced shockwave treatment for refractory cases, we provide the full continuum of heel pain care without referrals to other specialists. Most patients with plantar fasciitis achieve significant improvement within three months with appropriate conservative treatment.
Bunion correction is a major focus of our surgical practice. Bunions — the progressive angulation of the big toe joint — cause pain, difficulty finding comfortable footwear, and secondary toe deformities in affected patients. When conservative measures including wider footwear and custom orthotics no longer control symptoms adequately, surgical correction provides lasting correction of the deformity and relief of pain. Modern bunion surgery techniques are highly refined, with most patients walking in a protective boot within days of the procedure.
Diabetic foot care is critically important in the Saginaw Valley region, where diabetes rates — consistent with state and national trends — affect a significant portion of the population. We provide comprehensive diabetic foot care including annual risk stratification examinations, specialized footwear recommendations and custom molded shoes through the Medicare Therapeutic Shoe Program (where applicable), wound care for diabetic ulcerations, and coordination with vascular surgery and wound care specialists when advanced treatment is needed.
Nail conditions — including ingrown toenails, thickened fungal nails (onychomycosis), and nail injuries — are among the most common reasons patients visit a podiatrist. We handle these conditions definitively in the office, including permanent nail edge removal for recurrent ingrown toenails (matrixectomy under local anesthesia), oral and topical antifungal treatment, and laser treatment for fungal nails when appropriate.
Industrial and Agricultural Worker Foot Health
The Mid-Michigan region’s economy includes significant industrial manufacturing and agricultural sectors, both of which place intense demands on workers’ feet. Manufacturing workers spend long hours on concrete or hard flooring, exposing them to accelerated heel pain, metatarsalgia, and lower extremity fatigue. Agricultural workers face unique risks including exposure to moisture, chemicals, puncture wounds from debris, and prolonged standing on uneven terrain.
We work with patients in these industries to optimize their footwear, provide custom orthotics appropriate for work boots and safety footwear, and manage occupational foot injuries efficiently. Workers’ compensation cases are accepted when applicable. If a foot or ankle injury has occurred on the job and is limiting your ability to return to work, a podiatrist evaluation is an important step toward appropriate treatment and return-to-work planning.
Sports and Recreational Activity Injuries
The Midland and Bay City areas offer excellent outdoor recreation — trail systems, the Tittabawassee River recreation corridor, and connections to the broader Mid-Michigan network of parks and natural areas. Active residents who hike, run, cycle, fish, hunt, and participate in team sports all come to us with sports-related foot and ankle injuries.
Ankle sprains are particularly common and frequently undertreated. A sprain that is managed with only rest and ice, without proper rehabilitation to restore ligamentous stability and proprioception, often leads to chronic ankle instability and recurrent sprains. We provide comprehensive ankle sprain management including severity assessment with imaging when appropriate, supervised rehabilitation protocols, and surgical ligament reconstruction for cases that do not respond to conservative care.
Running-related injuries including stress fractures, Achilles tendinopathy, and plantar fasciitis are common among the region’s recreational and competitive running community. We understand the runner’s desire to stay active and work toward treatment plans that allow modified training whenever possible rather than simply recommending complete rest.
Custom Orthotics and Biomechanical Assessment
Many chronic foot and ankle conditions are driven by underlying biomechanical factors — the way the foot functions during weight-bearing activities. Overpronation (excessive inward rolling), supination (underpronation), leg length discrepancy, and muscle imbalances all contribute to abnormal loading patterns that cause tissue stress over time. Our biomechanical assessment identifies these factors, and custom orthotics — devices molded to the individual foot and designed to address specific biomechanical deficits — address the underlying cause rather than just masking symptoms.
Custom orthotics fabricated from a precise cast or digital scan of the patient’s foot are far more effective than over-the-counter arch supports for most clinical conditions, as they are designed to the individual’s specific anatomy and pathomechanics. Most insurance plans provide coverage for custom orthotics when prescribed for a covered medical condition.
Getting to Balance Foot & Ankle from Mid-Michigan
Our Howell office is the primary destination for patients traveling from Midland, Bay City, and Saginaw. The drive south on US-10 or I-75 provides direct routing to the Howell/Brighton area, making the trip manageable as a day trip for most patients. Many Mid-Michigan patients schedule their appointments to align with other visits or errands in the southeastern Michigan area. For patients who are unable to travel, we can discuss which aspects of care may be manageable via telemedicine consultation before an in-person visit.
Our office team will work with you to minimize the inconvenience of traveling for specialty care. We can arrange to have any prior imaging sent electronically before your appointment, reducing the need for repeat studies, and we strive to address multiple concerns efficiently during a single visit when possible. Contact us to discuss how we can best accommodate your situation.
Foot or Ankle Pain? We Can Help.
Balance Foot & Ankle — Howell & Bloomfield Township, MI
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📞 (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
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Bloomfield Hills Office
43700 Woodward Ave, Suite 207
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
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Your Board-Certified Podiatrists
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Same-week appointments available at both locations.
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Podiatrist-recommended products
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When to See a Podiatrist
If foot or ankle pain has been bothering you for more than a few weeks, home care alone may not be enough. Balance Foot & Ankle offers same-week appointments at our Howell and Bloomfield Hills clinics — no referral needed in most cases. Bring your current shoes and a short list of symptoms and we’ll build you a treatment plan in one visit.
Call Balance Foot & Ankle: (810) 206-1402 · Book online · Offices in Howell & Bloomfield Hills
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Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM is a board-certified podiatrist + Amazon Associate. Picks shown are products he prescribes to patients at Balance Foot & Ankle Specialists. We earn a commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. All products independently tested + reviewed for 30+ days minimum. Last verified: April 28, 2026.
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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)