Medically Reviewed | Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM | Board-Certified Podiatric Surgeon | Balance Foot & Ankle, Michigan
Quick Answer:
Quick Answer: Balance Foot & Ankle serves Detroit and Wayne County patients through telehealth consultations and our Howell, Michigan office. Dr. Tom Biernacki provides comprehensive foot and ankle care—from plantar fasciitis and diabetic foot management to bunion surgery and ankle reconstruction. Detroit patients are approximately 65–70 minutes from Howell via I-96. Call (517) 579-1881 or visit MichiganFootDoctors.com.
Detroit and Wayne County represent the heart of Michigan—a metropolitan area of over 1.8 million residents with diverse healthcare needs across communities ranging from Detroit’s urban neighborhoods to Grosse Pointe’s lakefront estates and Dearborn’s Arab-American community. Balance Foot & Ankle’s Dr. Tom Biernacki serves Detroit and Wayne County patients through comprehensive telehealth consultation and Howell office visits—approximately 65–70 minutes via I-96 west.
Detroit: Complex Urban Foot Health Needs
Detroit’s diverse population includes communities with elevated chronic disease burden—diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity are significantly prevalent in many Detroit neighborhoods. Diabetic foot complications including neuropathy, ulceration, and Charcot foot are public health priorities. Detroit’s industrial and service workforce faces occupational foot health challenges. The Detroit Pistons, Detroit Lions (Ford Field), and Detroit Tigers (Comerica Park) professional sports ecosystem creates athlete and sports medicine infrastructure. Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit Medical Center, and Detroit Receiving Hospital provide regional healthcare anchors.
Wayne County Communities Served
Balance Foot & Ankle welcomes patients from across Wayne County including Detroit, Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Livonia, Westland, Garden City, Wayne, Canton Township, Plymouth, Northville, Romulus, Taylor, and Downriver communities. Each community has distinct demographics and healthcare needs—from Livonia’s older active population to Canton’s young professional families to Plymouth’s upscale athletic community. Telehealth allows Dr. Biernacki to efficiently serve this diverse geographic footprint.
Why Wayne County Patients Choose Balance Foot & Ankle
Wayne County has many local podiatric practitioners. The patients who drive to Balance Foot & Ankle in Howell typically seek: complex surgical consultation not available locally (Lapidus bunion fusion, Charcot reconstruction, ankle replacement evaluation), second opinions before committing to surgery, or the personalized specialist-level experience of a dedicated foot and ankle practice. Telehealth initial consultations allow Dr. Biernacki to assess whether the 65-minute drive will produce meaningful additional value for each patient’s specific condition.
Telehealth and Scheduling
HIPAA-compliant telehealth is the recommended first step for most Wayne County patients. Schedule online at MichiganFootDoctors.com or call (517) 579-1881. In-person Howell visits are recommended for surgical consultations, injectable procedures, imaging-guided evaluations, and custom orthotic fabrication.
Dr. Tom's Product Recommendations
Propet Stability Walker Diabetic Therapeutic Shoe
⭐ Highly Rated | Foundation Wellness Partner | 30% Commission
Medicare-eligible therapeutic depth shoe for diabetic patients. Essential for Detroit and Wayne County diabetic patients at risk for foot ulcers and pressure injuries.
Dr. Tom says: “Wayne County diabetic patient—Dr. Biernacki prescribed these through my Medicare benefit via telehealth. No more pressure sores.”
Diabetic patients, therapeutic footwear Medicare benefit, neuropathy, pressure ulcer prevention
Standard athletic or occupational footwear for non-diabetic patients
Disclosure: We earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Doctor Hoy’s Natural Pain Relief Gel
⭐ Highly Rated | Foundation Wellness Partner | 30% Commission
Natural topical pain relief for foot and ankle soreness. Recommended for Wayne County patients managing plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, and general foot pain.
Dr. Tom says: “Detroit nurse with plantar fasciitis—Doctor Hoy’s gel at the end of long shifts reduced my pain enough to stay working while scheduling my podiatry visit.”
Plantar fasciitis, Achilles soreness, general foot and ankle pain relief between appointments
Open wounds, infection, or conditions requiring urgent medical evaluation
Disclosure: We earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
✅ Pros / Benefits
- Telehealth consultation serves Detroit’s 1.8 million Wayne County residents without requiring 65-minute in-person drive for initial assessment
- Comprehensive diabetic foot care program critical for Detroit’s elevated diabetic disease burden
- Complex surgical consultation available for Wayne County patients who have exhausted local options
❌ Cons / Risks
- 65–70 minute I-96 drive from Detroit is significant—telehealth triages which cases genuinely benefit from in-person Howell visit
- Detroit’s excellent medical infrastructure (Henry Ford, DMC) means many Wayne County patients are best served by urban academic medical centers for complex conditions
Dr. Tom Biernacki’s Recommendation
Detroit is a city I care deeply about—it’s Michigan’s heartbeat. The healthcare challenges facing many Detroit communities, particularly around diabetes and its complications, represent some of the most important work in podiatric medicine. When a Detroit patient comes to me after years of struggling with a diabetic wound or an unresolved foot problem, I want to provide the best possible care and honest guidance about whether they need me or whether the excellent resources already in Detroit are better suited. My job is to serve each patient’s best interest, not to maximize my own visit count.
— Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM | Board-Certified Podiatric Surgeon | Balance Foot & Ankle
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Detroit patients get telehealth consultations with Dr. Biernacki?
Yes. HIPAA-compliant telehealth is available for all Detroit and Wayne County patients. Schedule at MichiganFootDoctors.com or call (517) 579-1881. Telehealth initial consultations allow complete history, imaging review, and treatment discussion without requiring the 65-minute I-96 drive to Howell.
Does Dr. Biernacki provide diabetic foot care for Detroit patients?
Yes. Diabetic foot care including telehealth neuropathy assessment, wound care guidance, and in-person office visits for advanced wound management are available. Detroit patients at elevated diabetic foot risk are encouraged to establish preventive foot monitoring. Medicare covers annual diabetic foot exams for qualifying patients.
What Wayne County communities does Balance Foot & Ankle serve?
We serve patients from throughout Wayne County including Detroit, Livonia, Westland, Canton, Plymouth, Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Garden City, Wayne, Romulus, Taylor, Southgate, Wyandotte, Trenton, and Grosse Pointe communities. All are served through telehealth; in-person Howell visits are available for complex surgical and procedural needs.
Is Balance Foot & Ankle part of any Detroit hospital system?
No—Balance Foot & Ankle is an independent podiatric practice in Howell, Michigan. Dr. Biernacki is not affiliated with Detroit hospital systems but can coordinate care and communication with Henry Ford Health, Detroit Medical Center, or other Detroit area providers as needed for complex or multidisciplinary cases.
Michigan Foot Pain? See Dr. Biernacki In Person
4.9★ rated | 1,123 Reviews | 3,000+ Surgeries
Same-week appointments · Howell & Bloomfield Hills
📞 (810) 206-1402 Book Online →
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)