Mikel D. Daniels, DPM, MBA

When I was younger, my grandmother was a diabetic, and she developed a foot wound, and I was influenced by her podiatrist, who I thought did amazing things getting her wound to heal without her having to have an amputation, and I moved in that direction based on that experience. I'm a graduate of the Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine. My interest is in limb salvage and diabetic foot care. I am certified by the National Alliance on Wound Care, and I'm a fellow of the American Professional Wound Care Association. I also spend time working at the Center for Wound Care at Northwest Hospital, hospital where I treat diabetic wounds every day. Diabetes has devastating effects when it comes to the foot. In 2009, there were 77,000 non-traumatic diabetic foot-related amputations, meaning people who lost them because of wounds, infection, and circulation disease. As a podiatrist, we're the front line in identifying and treating those disorders, and that's one of the reasons why I specialize in wound care, because I find that to be a very fascinating and a very fulfilling portion of my job, and that's what gets me up in the morning. One of the most important things, especially for diabetics, is to not walk barefoot. Small pieces of glass or thumbtacks or debris that get tracked into people's house can be stepped on, and those items can cause infections and wounds. Not walking barefoot is the number one way to prevent diabetic foot wounds, as well as checking your feet every day, making sure your feet fit properly in your shoes, and that if you develop any problems, you seek attention immediately. I'm Dr. Mikel Daniels, and we treat feet.