Laser Foot Surgery Specialist

We specialize in Minimally Invasive (1-stitch) surgery for bunions, hammertoes, heel spurs and many other foot problems. We also specialize in Laser Surgery for ingrown and fungal toenails, neuromas, warts, deep-seated callouses and others. ALL surgery is performed IN OUR OFFICE  We’re pleased to offer non-invasive EPAT “Shock Wave” treatment for heel pain and we utilize a computerized gait scanner to fabricate custom orthotic (arch support) devices.

If you’re viewing this profile, then chances are that your feet hurt. You’re not alone. Studies have shown that as many as 4 out of every 5 people will develop some type of foot problems during their lifetime. What I’ve never quite understood is why people think that its not normal for their heads or stomachs to hurt, but it’s completely normal for their feet to hurt. If you’re one of these individuals, this center is especially dedicated to you.

Our Services

Dr. Richard M. Cowin, DPM, FACFAS, FAAFAS, noted podiatric surgeon, is the director of Laser Foot Surgery Specialist in Orlando, Florida. He is an acclaimed lecturer, practitioner, and pioneer in the field of minimally-invasive and Laser foot and ankle surgery.

Dr. Cowin is board certified by The American Board of Podiatric Surgery, The American Board of Ambulatory Foot Surgery, The American Academy of Pain Management, and The American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians. He is a Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons and has served for years as a member of its Minimal Incision Surgery Committee. He is also a Fellow of The Academy of Ambulatory Foot & Ankle Surgery and has served as a board member, treasurer, secretary, vice president, president, past president, scientific chairman, and has chaired the Standards of Care and Preferred Practice Guidelines committees. In 2006, Dr. Cowin was honored to be the recipient of the prestigious Hall of Fame Award from the Academy of Ambulatory Foot & Ankle Surgery.

Dr Cowin has lectured extensively in the United States, Spain, Canada, Mexico, and China and some of the papers that he has authored have been translated into many languages and have been studied by doctors around the world. You may have seen some of Dr. Cowin’s many television appearances as a medical expert on Weekend Edition, QVC, American Medicine Today, Home Shopping Network, HTV Network, and “Ask Dr. Rich” or read his contributions to books such as the Doctors’ Book of Home Remedies.

My goal and purpose in life has always been to help people. The way that I felt that I could best do this is by specializing in the treatment of the most abused part of the human body…the foot. In 1978, I was a third-year student at the Illinois College of Podiatric Medicine in Chicago, Illinois and taking my first courses in foot and ankle surgery. I was attending lectures and observing the performance of traditional surgical procedures when a feeling came over me… there must be a better way.

The saying goes, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” I had heard rumbling in the medical school cafeteria about an organization called The Academy of Ambulatory Foot Surgery. In fact, I had heard that the president of this national organization actually practiced in Chicago. I decided to call him to see if I could spend a day with him in the office.

The rest, as they say, is history. Rather than the grimacing look on patients faces who were in agony after foot surgery which I had observed so many times at the podiatry school and while visting the offices of some leading Chicago area foot surgeons, this doctor’s patients had smiles on their faces and many of them took only an aspirin tablet and returned to work immediately after undergoing some revolutionary foot surgery techniques.

Dr. Richard M. Cowin, DPM, FACFAS, FAAFAS, noted podiatric surgeon, is the director of Laser Foot Surgery Specialist in Orlando, Florida. He is an acclaimed lecturer, practitioner, and pioneer in the field of minimally-invasive and Laser foot and ankle surgery.

Dr. Cowin is board certified by The American Board of Podiatric Surgery, The American Board of Ambulatory Foot Surgery, The American Academy of Pain Management, and The American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians. He is a Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons and has served for years as a member of its Minimal Incision Surgery Committee. He is also a Fellow of The Academy of Ambulatory Foot & Ankle Surgery and has served as a board member, treasurer, secretary, vice president, president, past president, scientific chairman, and has chaired the Standards of Care and Preferred Practice Guidelines committees. In 2006, Dr. Cowin was honored to be the recipient of the prestigious Hall of Fame Award from the Academy of Ambulatory Foot & Ankle Surgery.

Dr Cowin has lectured extensively in the United States, Spain, Canada, Mexico, and China and some of the papers that he has authored have been translated into many languages and have been studied by doctors around the world. You may have seen some of Dr. Cowin’s many television appearances as a medical expert on Weekend Edition, QVC, American Medicine Today, Home Shopping Network, HTV Network, and “Ask Dr. Rich” or read his contributions to books such as the Doctors’ Book of Home Remedies.

If you’re viewing this profile, then chances are that your feet hurt. You’re not alone. Studies have shown that as many as 4 out of every 5 people will develop some type of foot problems during their lifetime. What I’ve never quite understood is why people think that its not normal for their heads or stomachs to hurt, but it’s completely normal for their feet to hurt. If you’re one of these individuals, this center is especially dedicated to you

At Laser Foot Surgery Specialist, we are dedicated to the health and well-being of our patients. We offer state-of-the art podiatric medical and surgical services, all of which are performed in our office. The medical director of Laser Foot Surgery Specialist is Dr. Richard M. Cowin, D.P.M. Dr. Cowin is a 1980 graduate of the Illinois College of Podiatric Medicine in Chicago and he is often regarded as one of this country's leading pioneers and practictioners of office-based minimally invasive (l-stitch) and Laser foot surgery.

Dr. Cowin is a Diplomate of the American Board of Podiatric Surgery and the American Board of Ambulatory Foot Surgery. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Foot & Ankle Surgeons and the Academy of Ambulatory Foot & Ankle Surgery. In 2006, Dr. Cowin was honored to receive the Hall of Fame Award from the Academy of Ambulatory Foot & Ankle Surgery

Our office specializes in treating the following foot problems right in our office utilizing the latest minimally invasive (I-stitch) and Laser techniques:

• Bunions
• Tailors Bunions (Bunionettes)
• Hammer Toes
• Mallet Toes
• Arthritic Joints
• Corns & Callouses
• Fungal Toenails
• Ingrown Toenails
• Warts, Neuromas & Many Others

Computerized Gait Analysis, Custom Orthotic Devices and Custom Shoes

Many podiatrists take impressions for custom orthotic devices with either Plaster of Paris or impression foam. These are considered to be "static" rather than "dynamic impressions and they are often taken while the patient is seated. At Laser Foot Surgery Specialist, we take impressions by having our patients stand and walk over a computerized gait scanner. These images and then transported electronically to our laboratory along with Dr. Cowin's prescription to insure the highest accuracy.

At the Laser Foot Surgery Specialist, we combine the very best technologies with good, old-fashioned courtesy and respect. Some of these technologies include:

• Electronic Medical Records
• Digital X-Rays
• Minimally Invasive (Lstitch) surgery
• Nd-YAG Laser Surgery
• Non-Invasive EPAT "shock wave" treatment
• Therapeutic Ultrasound
• Non-Invasive Circulation Testing
• Ethyl Alcohol Neuroma Injection Therapy
• In-Office Operating Room
• Pins, wires, screws and casts rarely utilized

First Visit Information

During your first visit to our office, we will ask that you complete paperwork on your medical history. If you have undergone foot surgery elsewhere from another practice, we may ask for your permission to contact your former doctor to obtain copies of your medical and/or surgical records. At your first appointment, Dr. Cowin will review your medical history with you and perform a podiatric physical examination. Please bring a list of your current medications with you. Depending on the nature of your foot problems" we may take x-rays and/or perform non-invasive circulation tests in order to be able to answer your questions and to explain to you your various options for treatment with us.

Our Services

We specialize in Minimally Invasive (1-stitch) surgery for bunions, hammertoes, heel spurs and many other foot problems. We also specialize in Laser Surgery for ingrown and fungal toenails, neuromas, warts, deep-seated callouses and others. ALL surgery is performed IN OUR OFFICE We’re pleased to offer non-invasive EPAT “Shock Wave” treatment for heel pain and we utilize a computerized gait scanner to fabricate custom orthotic (arch support) devices.

Today, all of us know about orthopedic surgeons performing minimally-invasive arthroscopic surgery on knees and shoulders, obstetricians performing minimally-invasive laparoscopic surgery, and even cardiologists and nephrologists performing minimally-invasive surgery on hearts and kidneys respectively. It may surprise you to know that all the research that I have gathered and studied has led me to believe that podiatrists were the first medical specialists to perform minimally invasive surgery. The reason for this as far as I can tell is that back in the 1970′s, most podiatrists were unable to attain hospital privileges to do their surgery. Necessity was the mother of invention and pioneers of The Academy of Ambulatory Foot Surgery developed procedures which could be safely and efficiently performed in the comfort of their own offices at greater convenience and lower cost to their patients. THE FOOT CARE REVOLUTION had begun.

Before and After The Surgery

The most common problems are:

• Bunions
• Tailor’s Bunions
• Calluses
• Hammer Toes
• Soft Corns
• Thick Toenails
• Ingrown Toenails
• Heel Pain
• Morton’s Neuroma

Watch this video about Minimally Invasive Surgery and what foot problems are treated using this procedure.

EPAT is an acronym for Extracorporeal (outside the body) Pulse Activation Treatment.  Shock waves are created by very strong acoustic (sound) energy.  The shock wave generator is very similar to the shock wave devices used to treat kidney stones without surgery.  EPAT treatment has recently been found to be effective for treating chronic proximal plantar fasciitis, a condition that causes pain in the heel of the affected foot and is sometimes called a “heel spur”.

Central Florida podiatrist specializing in laser foot surgery, a minimally avasive surgery. Eliminate foot pain without major hospital surgery. Most patients walk out of the office after this outpatient surgery. Laser technology may seem like a mysterious and complicated science, but it’s really not. Think about a Laser as you would a sunbeam – did anyone ever show you the “magnifying glass experiment” when you were younger? Lasers work in much the same way during surgery to treat your foot problem. Although Laser is an exciting technology, there are some limits. Research is under way, but bone problems like bunions and hammer toes cannot currently be treated with laser.

In the past decade or so, a new science called Biomechanics has made a tremendous contribution to the various treatments that podiatrists could offer their patients. By applying these principles to the human foot, we are now able to treat many foot problems non-surgically by fabricating a pair of Custom Foot Orthotic Devices which are worn in the shoes and can be changed from shoe to shoe.

In the past, impressions for custom foot orthotic devices were taken either by wrapping plaster around the feet, or having the patient step into some impression foam. The problem with doing this is that neither of these capture the foot while the patient is walking.
 

Dr. Richard M. Cowin, DPM, FACFAS, FAAFAS, noted podiatric surgeon, is the director of Laser Foot Surgery Specialist in Orlando, Florida. He is an acclaimed lecturer, practitioner, and pioneer in the field of minimally-invasive and Laser foot and ankle surgery.

Dr. Cowin is board certified by The American Board of Podiatric Surgery, The American Board of Ambulatory Foot Surgery, The American Academy of Pain Management, and The American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians. He is a Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons and has served for years as a member of its Minimal Incision Surgery Committee. He is also a Fellow of The Academy of Ambulatory Foot & Ankle Surgery and has served as a board member, treasurer, secretary, vice president, president, past president, scientific chairman, and has chaired the Standards of Care and Preferred Practice Guidelines committees. In 2006, Dr. Cowin was honored to be the recipient of the prestigious Hall of Fame Award from the Academy of Ambulatory Foot & Ankle Surgery.

Dr Cowin has lectured extensively in the United States, Spain, Canada, Mexico, and China and some of the papers that he has authored have been translated into many languages and have been studied by doctors around the world. You may have seen some of Dr. Cowin’s many television appearances as a medical expert on Weekend Edition, QVC, American Medicine Today, Home Shopping Network, HTV Network, and “Ask Dr. Rich” or read his contributions to books such as the Doctors’ Book of Home Remedies.

~ Credentials ~
Diplomate, American Board of Podiatric Surgery
            Diplomate, American Board of Ambulatory Foot Surgery
            Fellow, American College of Foot & Ankle Surgeons
            Hall of Fame Award Recipient, Academy of Ambulatory Foot & Ankle Surgery

Dear Dr. Cowin,

On Saturday I went to "Early voting" wearing my new shoes--standing in line for an hour---after that I went for a walk around my neighboorhood for at least 2 hours.  I can not tell you how cofortable the shoes were, and that I had no pain.
 
I am so thrilled with the laser surgery, the inserts and shoes, and have to say Thank You so very much for taking such good care of me--and my feet--toes and everything!!!  Having no pain is unreal, and I can't believe it!

Terri and I are so happy that we found you.  We know that you care so much about helping us--and you are just so special--please know that we appreciate you more than you will ever know.

I feel so much better since I have been able to get out and exercise--and walking on concrete doesn't hurt my feet.  Thanks again.
 
Affectionately,

Chuck

~ Credentials ~

Diplomate, American Board of Podiatric Surgery
            Diplomate, American Board of Ambulatory Foot Surgery
            Fellow, American College of Foot & Ankle Surgeons
            Hall of Fame Award Recipient, Academy of Ambulatory Foot & Ankle Surgery

~Media~