Steven B. Overpeck, DPM / Foot and Ankle Health Center

11/12/2025

We still have 4 weeks left in our food and sock drive for the homeless. Please consider donating at either location until December 10th. 🎁👣🏠💖

11/11/2025

Thank you for your service!

11/07/2025

Highlighting one of our special patients, who just turned 98! Happy birthday, Hattie. Here's to many more!

So thankful for all of our patients, the spotlight this month is on Hattie, who just turned 98 last month!

11/06/2025

Most people never think about their arches until they start to ache.

They take the pounding quietly all day long, step after step, mile after mile.

But as the weather cools and we move into heavier shoes and boots, those arches can start to rebel.

They flatten.

They tighten.

They make each stride feel like work instead of motion.

Arch pain doesn’t usually show up overnight.

It builds slowly until even standing at the sink starts to sting.

We see it every November—when summer sandals are gone, and winter shoes don’t quite fit right.

A small support, a simple stretch routine, or a custom insert can bring instant relief.

Ignoring it only invites knee, hip, or back pain to join the party.

Your arches are the shock absorbers of your body.

Keep them tuned up, and everything above them moves better.

This season, take a moment to thank your arches for carrying you through it all.

11/06/2025

November sneaks up fast.

Before long, you’re on your feet for hours—shopping, cooking, wrapping, traveling.

Your feet quietly carry the weight of the holidays.

But small pains you’ve been ignoring can turn into bigger problems when the pace picks up.

A sore heel.

A stiff joint.

A burning ball of the foot that doesn’t quite go away.

Now is the time to deal with it.

Appointments fill quickly this time of year, and deductibles reset soon.

A quick check can prevent a major setback when you’re busiest.

Think of it as a tune-up for the body parts that do the most work.

Healthy feet make for happier holidays.

Give them a little attention now, and they’ll return the favor with every step you take.

We’re here to help you finish the year strong, steady, and pain-free!

11/04/2025

Thanks so much for your generosity, Michael and Jillissa! We are so appreciative of your contribution to our end of the year food and sock drive! Contributions can be made at either of our locations during business hours (Channahon is every Tuesday morning, every other Friday afternoon).

11/03/2025

Donations are starting to come in. Please donate unopened non-perishable food items, and new socks! Now through December 10th, in the Joliet lobby.

10/30/2025

Saturday morning.

Coffee in hand.

The weather crisp, the yard full of leaves, and your body ready to “get it all done.”

That’s when we see the Achilles flare-ups start.

You push a little harder than your tendon is ready for.

A few days later, it feels tight, sore, and stiff every morning.

If you’re over 40, that’s a familiar story.

Your Achilles doesn’t heal like it used to.

Rest helps, but rest alone rarely fixes it.

We use proven therapies to stimulate healing and calm the inflammation before it turns serious.

Stretching, good footwear, and smart warm-ups go a long way too.

This is the season to listen to your body.

If your Achilles is whispering now, don’t wait for it to shout.

Treat it early and stay moving all fall.

10/28/2025

Foot pain doesn’t always stay in the foot.

We’ve seen people come in for hip or knee pain, only to find the problem started below.

When your arch collapses or your heel tilts, your whole body adjusts to keep balance.

That tiny change can ripple upward into joints that were never meant to carry that kind of strain.

Over time, the pain migrates.

It becomes “something else” that doctors can’t quite explain.

The good news is, once we find the real cause, the relief is often immediate.

Sometimes it’s as simple as a custom insert or a small alignment correction.

Sometimes it’s treating that old injury you forgot about.

Your body works as a chain.

When one link falters, the others pay for it.

Fix the foundation, and everything above feels better.

10/24/2025

10/21/2025

If you are experiencing pain on the ball of the foot, you certainly aren’t alone.

The ball of the foot is one of the most common parts of the foot that can be problematic.

The ball of the foot is the area just before where the toes meet the foot.

There are a whole host of conditions that can happen here.

It’s rather amazing how our bodies can withstand the amount of pressure we put on them in a lifetime.

The balls of the feet are subjected to more pressure than any other part of our body.

We aren’t surprised by how many people we see with pain in this area.

Joint problems, bone problems, tendon problems and nerve problems are all possible on the ball of the foot.

Warts and calluses are also common here.

Most of us were born with enough cushion to withstand the pounding of this area.

Some people, unfortunately, lose this cushion, causing even more stress on the structures under it.

The best home remedies for pain on the ball of the foot are wearing shoes with a decent amount of cushion, avoiding being barefoot on hard surfaces, applying ice if there’s swelling and taking an anti-inflammatory if the pain level is significant.

Like all other foot conditions, the most important first step is to make an accurate diagnosis.

The longer you let pain linger in this area, the higher the probability that another part of your foot will suffer from compensating.

Even worse, your knee, hip or back could get involved.

Getting a foot problem better can be easier than pain in one of these other areas.

If the ball of your foot still hurts after trying different shoes or curtailing high-impact activities, it would be wise to have us evaluate it.

There have been plenty of times when one simple remedy can erase months of suffering.

Effortless mobility is our chief goal for our patients.