Pontiac & Auburn Hills Podiatrist | Foot Doctor in North Oakland County

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Expert Foot Care for North Oakland County Residents

Balance Foot & Ankle provides comprehensive podiatric care to patients throughout north Oakland County — including Pontiac, Auburn Hills, Lake Orion, Oxford, Clarkston, and surrounding communities. With our conveniently located Bloomfield Township office, Dr. Tom Bembynista, DPM, is easily accessible to patients in the northern Oakland County corridor, offering expert foot and ankle evaluation and treatment without the long waits common at large health system practices.

North Oakland County residents span a diverse range of lifestyles — from active retirees in lake communities to industrial workers, automotive professionals, and student athletes — each with distinct foot health needs. Our practice is designed to serve this diverse population with efficient, personalized care that addresses each patient’s specific condition, goals, and lifestyle.

Serving Auburn Hills Athletes and Active Patients

Auburn Hills is home to Oakland University athletes and a large community of fitness-focused residents who use the Paint Creek Trail and surrounding parks for running and cycling. Sports-related foot and ankle injuries — ankle sprains, stress fractures, plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, and Morton’s neuroma — are among our most commonly treated conditions. Our approach to athletic injuries emphasizes rapid return to activity through accurate diagnosis, targeted treatment, and evidence-based rehabilitation guidance rather than prolonged rest and restriction.

For competitive athletes at Oakland University or in community sports leagues, we offer sports-specific biomechanical evaluation and custom athletic orthotics designed for the footwear of your sport. Whether you’re a distance runner, soccer player, basketball player, or weekend recreational athlete, we understand the importance of getting you back to full participation as quickly and safely as possible.

Industrial and Auto Worker Foot Care

The automotive manufacturing and industrial facilities throughout north Oakland County — Pontiac, Auburn Hills, and surrounding communities — employ thousands of workers who spend 8–12 hours daily on hard concrete floors. Occupational foot conditions including plantar fasciitis from prolonged standing, metatarsalgia from hard floor impact, Achilles tendinopathy from steel-toed boots, and contact dermatitis from occupational footwear are common in this population. We understand the unique challenges of treating patients who cannot simply “rest” their feet — their livelihood depends on being on their feet daily.

We work with our industrial worker patients to develop treatment plans that provide effective symptom relief while accommodating work demands. Custom orthotics designed to fit within steel-toed safety boots, work-appropriate footwear recommendations, and workplace modification suggestions (anti-fatigue matting, footrest options) are part of a comprehensive occupational foot care approach. When work modifications and conservative treatment are insufficient, we can provide documentation supporting temporary modified duty or workers’ compensation evaluation when needed.

Lake Community Residents: Summer Foot Considerations

Oakland County’s lake communities — including Pontiac Lake, Orion Lake, and the many smaller lakes throughout the area — attract residents and visitors who spend significant time barefoot or in minimal footwear. Summer foot concerns in lake communities include plantar warts (verruca plantaris) contracted from pool decks and boat docks, puncture wounds from dock splinters, glass, or fish hooks, fungal nail infections and athlete’s foot from communal water environments, and soft tissue injuries from rocky lake bottoms or boat propellers.

We provide prompt evaluation and treatment for these acute summer foot injuries and infections. Plantar wart treatment options range from topical acids to in-office cryotherapy and laser treatment. Puncture wounds require careful assessment for retained foreign bodies and infection, which can develop rapidly. We can see urgent foot injury cases quickly — call our office when an injury occurs rather than waiting for a scheduled appointment.

Scheduling in the Pontiac and Auburn Hills Area

Patients from Pontiac, Auburn Hills, Lake Orion, Oxford, and throughout north Oakland County can reach our Bloomfield Township office via I-75 or M-59 in approximately 20–35 minutes depending on your starting point. We accept most major insurance plans and welcome new patients. Call (810) 206-1402 or book online to schedule your appointment. Same-day or next-day appointments are often available for urgent concerns. We look forward to serving you and the north Oakland County community.

Foot or Ankle Pain? We Can Help.

Balance Foot & Ankle — Howell & Bloomfield Township, MI

📅 Book Online
📞 (810) 206-1402

Your Board-Certified Podiatrists

Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM

Board-Certified · FACFAS

Dr. Carl Jay, DPM

Board-Certified Podiatrist

Dr. Daria Gutkin, DPM

Podiatrist

More Podiatrist-Recommended Foot Health Essentials

Top-Rated Arch Support Insole

Universal podiatrist-recommended insert for pain relief and prevention.

Foot Massage Ball

Daily 3-minute roll reduces most forms of foot and heel pain.

Moisture-Wicking Sock

Prevents fungus, blisters, and odor — the basics matter.

As an Amazon Associate, Balance Foot & Ankle earns from qualifying purchases. Product recommendations are based on clinical experience; prices and availability shown above update live from Amazon.

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

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.