Dr. Lee Wittenberg, DPM

Podiatrist (Foot and Ankle Specialist) | Foot & Ankle Surgery

8530 West Sunset Road Ste 345 Las Vegas NV, 89113 Show map

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About

Dr. Lee Wittenberg is a board certified podiatrist practicing in Las Vegas, NV. Dr. Wittenberg was recently given the honor of becoming the Executive Director of the American Board of Lower Extremity Surgery. Dr. Wittenberg is the ONLY Foot & Ankle surgeon in Las Vegas board certified by 2 different surgical boards in foot surgery and in reconstructive foot and ankle surgery, being certified by the American Board of Lower Extremity Surgery and the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Dr. Wittenberg is a medical doctor specializing in the treatment of the foot, ankle, and related parts of the leg. As a podiatrist, Dr. Wittenberg diagnoses and treats conditions of the feet. The feet are key body parts that give a person stability, absorb shock, allow for walking and standing and are necessary for overall well-being. So, the feet need expert care. Specialize in reconstructive foot and ankle surgery requires a great deal of understanding of the body's biomechanics. Dr. Wittenberg also is a specialist in wound care and limb salvage, sports medicine, diabetic care and pediatrics.

Education and Training

Ohio College of Podiatric Medcine DPM 2000

Board Certification

American Board of Lower Extremity Surgery

Foot Surgery (Podiatric Surgery)

Reconstructive Rearfoot / Ankle Surgery (Podiatric Surgery)

Provider Details

Male English, Spanish

Dr. Lee Wittenberg, DPM

Dr. Lee Wittenberg, DPM's Expert Contributions

My Latest Posts
My Answers

Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease that affects many of your body systems. It can lead to blindness, kidney disease, disease of the nerves (neuropathy), blockage of the arteries (which may lead to a stroke or a heart attack), a weakening of the immune system, possible amputation, and a decreased overall life...
Venous Insufficiency/Ankle Swelling
Venous Insufficiency: Why are my ankles and feet swollen?People often ask me as a Podiatrist, ‘why are my ankles, legs and feet swollen?’ The most common reason for ankle and foot swelling is venous insufficiency. What is venous insufficiency? It is a problem of pooling of fluid or retention of...
Plantar Fasciitis - Heel Pain
The most common cause of heel pain that I see in my practice is caused by a pathology called ‘Plantar Fasciitis.’ People usually come in complaining of pain on the inside of their heel or along the bottom of the arch that came on suddenly. Symptoms usually consist of pain that starts with the...
Hallux Rigidus/Hallux Limitus
There are 2 types of hallux limitus: 1) Structural and 2) Functional. A structural hallux limitus is due to the development of arthritis (a decrease in the cartilage between 2 bones in a joint), which includes spurring or bone growth around the joint, most obvious at the top of the 1st...
Metatarsalgia: Pain At the Ball of the Foot
It is very common for us to see patients complaining of pain in the balls of the feet and toes. There are many contributing factors and several pathologies which commonly cause this type of pain. Problems that we see include Neuromas (Nerve impingements at the ball of the foot), Capsulitis/joint...
Plantar Fasciitis
The most common cause of heel pain that I see in my practice is caused by a pathology called ‘Plantar Fasciitis.’ People usually come in complaining of pain at the inside of their heel or along the bottom of the arch that came on suddenly. Symptoms usually consist of pain that starts with...

Should I see a podiatrist or chiropractor?
A Podiatrist, by definition, specializes in pathology of the foot and ankle. So, you should probably see a Podiatrist. Why would you be wanting to see a Chiropractor for a foot problem? I'm not really sure how a Chiropractor would help with such a problem. READ MORE
How do you treat an ankle injury sustained while underwater?
It doesn't matter if the injury was in the water or out of the water. For any acute injury, you will need to ice, elevate, and use a compression wrap. That being said, about 15-20% of ankle sprains result in a fracture of the ankle. So if it is difficult to bear weight and ambulate, you should seek medical attention READ MORE
What will a podiatrist do for ankle pain?
A Podiatrist will examine your foot/ankle, as necessary. If they feel the injury requires, they will send you for imaging studies, such as x-rays, CT scans, MRI. And if conservative treatment is indicated, you will be treated conservatively. If a tendon or ligament is severely sprained, attenuated, or torn, or if there is a fracture, surgical intervention may be indicated. READ MORE
What is the strongest treatment for athlete's foot?
There are several over-the-counter medications for purchase at the pharmacy which may resolve athletes foot. These would be classified as 'anti-fungal' medications. If it does not resolve after applying such medications after a week or two, you can get a stronger prescription from a Podiatrist or Dermatologist. READ MORE
How do you get rid of white toenail fungus?
Toenail fungus of any kind is difficult to get rid of. There are several types of over-the-counter topical medications that you can try, but be aware that when you use a medication topically (prescription or OTC), you are looking at anywhere between 9 months to 3-4 years of treatment, sometimes with no resolution of the issue. The best way to treat onychomycosis (toenail fungus) is with an oral medication. This medication must be monitored, and it must be prescribed by a physician. You will take the oral medication for 3-4 months, and it will still take a full 9 months to resolve the issue in most cases. READ MORE
How do you relieve toe pain?
It depends on what is causing your toe pain. You may have structural deformities, such as hammer toes, which cause joint pain and sometimes nerve-related pain into the toes. You may have ill-fitting shoes. You may require orthotics. It is impossible to tell without you having a medical evaluation by a professional who specializes in foot and ankle pathology. READ MORE
Will walking on a broken toe make it worse?
Any fracture can be worsened in pain and swelling by walking a lot if the fracture is not healed. Also, a fracture can displace if you walk too much on a fractured bone (this means the fracture fragments can move). If you displace the fragments to a point where there is too much gap between fragments, or if the become severely maligned, you may require surgery to get the bones back into place and to allow for proper healing READ MORE
Can you walk after foot surgery?
It is completely dependent on what type of surgery you are having. There are surgeries that I perform where a patient may walk for short distances (bedroom to living room, to bathroom) in a protective shoe or boot, there are other surgeries I perform where the patient may not bear weight for 6-12 weeks after surgery, and the patient may be in a cast or splint. READ MORE
Can too much walking cause swollen ankles?
The most common cause of swollen ankles is fluid retention and venous insufficiency. Many women develop venous insufficiency after pregnancies. But it is a problem that develops over time in many people. Walking too much is not a cause of swelling. There is another reason your ankles are swollen. READ MORE
What is the most effective treatment for toenail fungus?
The most effective treatment for toenail fungus is an oral medication called Lamisil (Terbinafine). The pill must be taken every day for 3 months, but you won't see full results for 9 months after starting the medication. The pill is safe, but is processed by your liver, so you may not take the medication unless a liver function panel is performed to evaluate your liver functions, and you may not take the medication if you are on certain other medications, or if you have any kind of liver issues. There are also topical treatments. Many of the topical treatments are expensive, and may not be covered by insurance companies. Furthermore, a topical treatment must be used for 9 months to 4 years, often without curing the issue. READ MORE
Can a dislocated ankle fix itself?
I don't think you understand what it means to dislocate a joint. If the joint came out of the socket (dislocation), it is possible that the joint could relocate, but not likely. READ MORE
Should I go to the doctor for a dislocated ankle?
If your ankle was truly dislocated, you would not be able to ambulate. So most certainly, you should. READ MORE
Thick toenails that grow out extremely slowly?
There is likely fungus in your toenail. (The medical term for this is Tinea Unguam, or Onychomycosis). It is a difficult problem to treat, and usually is simply a cosmetic issue. You can go to your local Podiatrist to have a nail biopsy performed and a fungal culture of the nail may be performed, as well. These cultures do not always show a positive result, as fungus is also difficult to grow and to identify, but if you get a positive culture, there will be a specific strain of fungus identified-this aids in decisions for treatment. But the most successful and common treatment is 3 months of oral medication called "Lamisil." This medication is processed by the liver, so a liver function panel (a blood test) must be performed prior to taking the medication, and you can not be on certain medications and take this particular medication. It takes an entire 9 months to grow a new nail, even with the use of Lamisil, so the medication DOES NOT give immediate results. Other alternatives are topical medications, but they often don't work, and they must be used a minimum of 9 months and up to 2-3 years. READ MORE
What causes a toenail to separate from the nail bed?
Usually a trauma of some sort causes bleeding beneath the nail plate (a subungual Hematoma), and the blood separates the nail from the nail bed. This may sometimes be a permanent problem. Sometimes, also, nail fungus may get introduced under the nail plate, and this may also make the nail 'lyse' from the nail bed. READ MORE
When can I put weight on my foot after bunion surgery?
Your surgeon should be answering that question, as we all have different protocols for surgery, and there are also different types of bunion surgery, all with different healing times and restrictions with weight bearing (WB). But physiologically speaking, a traditional bunionectomy (An "Austin" or head procedure) takes 6 weeks to fully heal. A more simple bunionectomy (a "Silver" bunionectomy, where they just remove the 'bump') will be healed when the skin healed (2.5-3 wks). Finally, a more complex bunion that requires the fusion of bones (A Lapidus Bunionectomy) will take around 12 weeks to heal. Each of these has different time constraints for bearing weight, and this will largely be determined by the surgeon who performs your surgery. READ MORE
Does tendonitis ever fully heal?
It depends on how damaged the tendon is. Was an MRI performed? Where there any tears or irregularities in the substance of the tendon? Have you, as a patient, been asked to be in a boot or cast? Have you been asked to rest? Have you been given anti-inflammatory medications? Were you compliant with the treatment plan?? Many patients take pills or are told to be minimally active and use assistive devices, such as walking boots, crutches, casts, and other items, to alleviate stress off the tendon and allow for healing to occur. Many patients are non-compliant with such things, and without alleviated stress off the tendon, the problem does not improve, or worsens. This being said, tendons are very dysvascular structures (they do not have a good blood supply), and healing is never 'quick' with such problems, even if surgery is performed. READ MORE
Can you have surgery for nerve pain?
It really depends on why you have nerve pain. 'Neuropathy,' which is a condition in which the nerves start to send abnormal signals to the brain, and other nerve-related pain such as CRPS/RSD (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome/Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy) are very complicated to treat, and in the case of CRPS/RSD, NO SURGERY SHOULD EVER BE PERFORMED, or the problem may become worse. For nerve pain related to radiculopathy (impingement of nerves for various reasons at the spinal cord and spinal column), there may be nerve ablation surgery or even spinal cord stimulators which may decrease pain surgically. However, nerve pain is very tricky, and you must insure you are having procedures performed by competent, board certified physicians. In the foot and ankle, there are surgical nerve releases throughout the leg that may be performed for Neuropathic pain, but often they are unsuccessful. And finally, there are nerve releases and repairs that may be done for carpal tunnel, tarsal tunnel, and pathologies such as Neuromas. READ MORE
How can you tell the difference between a fracture and a dislocation?
A fracture is a break in a bone. A dislocation is when bones separate at a joint level. READ MORE
What is the fastest way to heal an ankle dislocation?
A true ankle dislocation is associated with tendon and ligament issues/tears/ruptures, and often has bone issues (fractures or osteochondral defects) associated with the pathology. Initial treatment may be immobilization in a boot or a cast. But an MRI MUST be performed to asses the true damage to the ligaments, tendons, and bones associated with the dislocation. And most ankle dislocations are also associated with fractures of the ankle, and many of these require surgical intervention. READ MORE
How do you manage bone spurs?
'Bone Spurs' is a waste basket term-a term misused and too commonly used by patients and other physicians. What you probably mean is 'heel spurs,' but you have not specified. An actual bone spur is often caused by a periosteal reaction of the bone, which stimulates new bone growth, often around a joint or a ligament or tendon attachment. Some of these spurs need to be surgically removed. Sometimes they are largely cosmetic and do not cause the patient pain. Sometimes you are referring to plantar fasciitis, which actually has nothing to do with the bone spur associated with that pathology. READ MORE

Areas of expertise and specialization

Reconstructive Foot & Ankle surgeryWound care and limb salvageDiabetic Foot Care, Diabetic shoesOrthotics and biomechanics of the foot and anklePlantar fasciitisNerve pain and NeuropathyNueromasTendonitisArthritis of the foot and ankleFlat Foot and Flat Foot ReconstructionToenail FungusIngrowing ToenailsFoot and leg woundsInfections of the foot and ankleAthlete's Foot and fungal infectionsRashes, DermatitisFoot Pain, Ankle pain