When speaking with Dr. Munjed Salem, one is impressed by his refreshingly direct, no-nonsense manner. One knows where one stands with him, which, given the fact that he is one of the region's leading podiatrists, is a good thing. Just as refreshing is Dr. Salem's dry sense of humor-in evidence when asked why he decided to pursue a career in podiatry.

"Who grows up saying, 'I want to be a foot doctor?'" he replies. "It's not as if podiatry was a life-long passion for me. I've always wanted to be a doctor, but being a general practitioner didn't really interest me. I decided that I wanted to specialize in an area of medicine that was underserved. That led me to podiatry."

Having spent his formative years in Palestine (the West Bank) and Virginia, Dr. Salem received a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Virginia Commonwealth University, followed, in 2010, by a doctorate from the New York College of Podiatric Medicine. He then completed his surgical residency training in Wilmington, Delaware, where he was trained in all aspects of foot and ankle medicine and surgery, focusing on wound care, pediatrics, trauma, sports medicine, and forefoot and rearfoot surgery. During his residency, he also spent time at the limb lengthening center of the Rubin Institute of Advanced Orthopedics at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore. There he had extensive training in surgical and non-surgical management of congenital foot and ankle deformities in adults and children, including management of clubfoot deformities. Following his residency, Dr. Salem practiced podiatric medicine and surgery in Boston.

In 2014, Dr. Salem, his wife, and four children moved back to Virginia ("It was too cold in Massachusetts," he quips), where he joined the staff of Active Foot and Ankle Center. When its founder, Dr. George Evancho, retired in March 2015, he bought the practice. Dr. Salem is now the CEO of the practice's two locations. Active foot and Ankle of Carolina is located on Highway 17 in Elizabeth City, while Active Foot and Ankle Center P.C. in Chesapeake will move to a new location on October 9th. "We are happy to announce that our Chesapeake office is moving to 369 Johnstown Road, which is less than a five-minute drive away from our old address," Dr. Salem says with a smile. He maintains that both locations are needed due to a deficit in podiatric care.

"If you count the number of podiatrists in Chesapeake and compare that to the number of other specialists in the city-dentists, for example-the difference is startling," he observes. "When I drive from my home to my Chesapeake office, I probably pass dozens of dental offices, but there are just a handful of podiatrists in Chesapeake. The podiatrists at our North Carolina office are the only ones within 30 miles of Elizabeth City. Podiatry really is an underserved field of medicine."
That the field of podiatry is underserved becomes all the more evident when one considers its broad scope.

"Podiatrists are trained to deal with issues in the lower extremities," Dr. Salem explains, "but typically, we focus on anything and everything related to the foot and ankle. In my practice, we treat people suffering from issues related to diabetes, which, in the long term, can affect the foot and toes. We also deal with issues that some might think fall under the umbrella of 'sports medicine'-everything from bone fractures from sports injuries to skin issues like athlete's foot. We treat problems caused by bone and joint disorders like arthritis, soft-tissue and muscular issues, and neurological and circulatory diseases. Different systems in the body can affect the lower extremities and cause conditions like swollen ankles. And then there are general aches and pains in the ankles and feet, and issues like bunions, corns, skin disorders, and infected or ingrown toenails. Podiatrists treat all of these.

"The number of people going to podiatrists is increasing because of information they're getting from social media, T.V., and the internet," Dr. Salem continues. "They watch a program like 'Dr. Pimple Popper' and become aware of skin issues they haven't thought of before. The same thing is happening with foot problems. They see a photo or video online and think, 'My gosh! My foot looks like that." They become concerned and want to find out what's going on. So, they get a referral from their primary care physician or call us directly."

When it comes to avoiding foot and ankle issues, does Dr. Salem have any general advice to offer?
"Avoid walking around barefoot," he replies without hesitation. "It doesn't matter where you are-inside or outside-don't walk around barefoot. You should always wear proper shoes with good support. That will help prevent any deformations in the foot, and if someone already has a deformation, always wearing the right shoe can stop its progression. Avoid shoes that are too narrow. Women should avoid wearing high heels; men should avoid wearing Crocs."

What about runners or those who spend much of their gym time on treadmills?

"People who go to the gym usually wear good shoes," Dr. Salem points out, "but using orthotics or inserts will also help. If someone has a history of tendinitis or injuries, they should wear an ankle brace to give them more support."

While those suffering direct injuries to the foot or ankle are likely to see a podiatrist, there is a serious misconception that foot and ankle pain are part of the normal aging process. Medical experts reject this idea and insist that no foot or ankle pain should be considered normal at any age. Continuing to ignore the pain could worsen a condition that a podiatrist might easily treat.

"If there is pain-whether it's related to any injury or not, see a podiatrist," Dr. Salem advises. "I also think anyone who is diabetic should see a podiatrist twice a year as a preventative measure, even if they haven't yet experienced any problems in their extremities. Whether someone has a foot or ankle emergency, is suffering with general foot and ankle pain, has a condition that requires surgery, or needs routine or diabetic foot care, we're always available to help."

Trained in every aspect of foot and ankle care, armed with the latest technologies, and assisted by a highly-skilled staff, Dr. Salem continues administering the same excellent care and service that has distinguished Active Foot and Ankle Center for years.