Best Podiatrist Wilmington Near Me

4worldlovers:
Welcome! New Hanover Foot And Ankle Center works to provide the best podiatric care for patients in the Wilmington area. Dr. Martin's experience in podiatry is coupled with genuine concern for his patients. Our staff is dedicated to your comfort and prompt attention as well. Our goal is to help you maintain healthy feet.


This website provides you with an overview of our practice and the field of podiatry. As you navigate the site, you'll find information about New Hanover Foot And Ankle Center's practice philosophy, Dr. Martin, our Wilmington office location, insurance policies, and appointment scheduling procedures. Please browse the site at your convenience and feel free to contact us with any questions. You can also requestan appointment by clicking here.

You'll find a lot of valuable information on the web site about foot problems, diagnoses, and treatments. We believe informed patients are better prepared to make decisions about their health and well-being. We encourage you to review this information to help you understand any health concerns you may face.

4worldlovers: The Cape Fear Foot & Ankle Center has provided effective podiatric care and surgery for over 27 years to the Wilmington area. Our skilled physician is professional, caring, and thorough.


We welcome patients of all ages. Please contact us today to schedule an appointment. Most insurance plans are accepted and filed!

4worldlovers: Bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Board qualified in foot surgery by the American Board of Podiatric Surgeons

Dr. Southerland is happily married to her wonderful husband of 14 years. They have three boys: five-year-old twins and a two year old. She enjoys spending time with her family, going to the beach, boating, and playing tennis.

The causes of foot and ankle pain vary, and so do the treatments

From the heel, toes, and arch to the instep or bottom of one’s foot, pain or discomfort can be felt anywhere in the foot. For some, foot pain and its various causes can cause difficulty walking or running and hinder one’s ability to go about daily routines.

Dr. Rose Southerland, DPM, a board-qualified podiatrist at Wilmington Health, 1202 Medical Center Drive, Wilmington, enjoys providing foot and ankle care and helping eliminate patient’s pain. She said many options are available to help people who have foot pain.

1) Diabetes and Gout are among some common medical causes of foot pain

Foot pain can be caused by several medical conditions. For example, Southerland commonly sees patients with foot pain due to diabetes and gout.

“Diabetes is probably one of the biggest health problems that causes foot problems,” she said. “It affects the nerve in the feet and that causes numbness which can really affect a person’s every day life.”

Southerland said diabetes left uncontrolled can have serious impacts on the feet.

Gout is a type of arthritis that causes pain and swelling in the joints. The most common symptom of gout is pain in the affected joint, such as the big toe. However, gout can also occur in other toe joints, the ankle and knee, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Southerland said some other common medical causes of foot pain include peripheral vascular disease, with which a person has decreased blood circulation to their legs and feet; Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune and inflammatory disease; psoriatic arthritis, an inflammatory type of arthritis that can cause pain, stiffness and swelling of the joints; and Morton neuroma, where an injury to the nerve between the toes causes thickening and pain.

2) Plantar fasciitis, ingrown toenails, callouses, and warts are common causes of foot pain

According to the U.S. national Library of Medicine, foot pain can also be caused by other factors such as aging, being on one’s feet for long periods of time, being overweight, injury, wearing shoes that fit poorly or lack proper cushioning, excessive walking or sports activities and trauma.

“Plantar fasciitis is a very common cause of heel and arch pain,” Southerland said.

Plantar fasciitis occurs when the thick tissue on the bottom of the foot becomes swollen or inflamed, particularly due to overuse or being overstretched.

“We see Plantar fasciitis in a lot of people who must stand up for their jobs and in people who have to stand on concrete floors,” Southerland said. “That’s really hard on your feet, and if you’re not wearing proper supportive shoes, the band of tissue on the bottom of your foot can become strained and overused, and it can get very inflamed ….”

Southerland said she treats many who have pain from ingrown toenails, bunions, callouses, and plantar warts, which she said some mistake for callouses.

3) From surgery to shoe inserts to medications and creams, treatment options vary

Depending on the cause, treatment options can range from surgery to non-surgical methods such as medications, including anti-inflammatories, cortisone injections, special shoes or braces, inserts for shoes, change of shoes, activity modification, stretching, and RICE — rest, ice, compression and elevation.

Southerland said activities where you spend a lot of time on the ball of your foot and wearing shoes that are too narrow can contribute to problems such as Morton neuroma by increasing pressure on the nerve in the foot. Therefore, modifying such activities and changing the shoes one wears can alleviate pain.

4) Choosing the right pair of shoes, even flip-flops, can alleviate some foot pain