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...

Weird spot on the sole of my foot?
Just based on the surrounding tissue (I don't know if you can see the halo of yellow/brown coloration around the lesion with a darker line similar to the lesion extending several cm beyond the central lesion of concern), but I would guess you somehow bruised the area and have a small hematoma (bleeding under the skin in the area). BUT, I would watch the lesion closely. If it gets bigger or if it becomes more raised, if it becomes more painful, or if it simply does not go away within a month or so, I would have the lesion checked out and even possibly biopsied. You can either seek out a good Podiatrist or you can see a dermatologist for this issue. READ MORE
How long does it take to recover from ankle surgery?
It depends on what type of surgery you are having. An Achilles tendon repair (takes about 3 months to heal) takes longer to heal than an ankle fracture (takes about 6-8 weeks to heal). An exostectomy/resection of extra bone/removal of a Haglund's deformity at the heel does not take long to heal, in the grand scheme of foot and ankle surgery (about 2.5-3 weeks for healing). A lateral ankle stabilization procedure to strengthen the ankle ligaments can take 2-3 months to heal. An ankle arthroscopy only takes about 1 month to heal. A repair of an osteochondral defect may take several months to heal. It all depends on what the pathology is and what the proposed surgery is. READ MORE
What does a pinched nerve in the foot feel like?
A pinched nerve may feel different to different people. Most 'pinched nerves' in the feet are around the ball of the foot and are referred to as Neuromas. A neuroma may cause pain at the ball of the foot which may be aching or burning in nature, and may radiate pain or a feeling of tingling or numbness into the toes. There are many other neurologic problems that can affect the feet, but this problem is what people are usually referring to when they talk about 'pinched nerves' in the foot. READ MORE
Do orthopedic doctors treat ankle sprains?
There are Orthopedic doctors who specialize in the pathology of the foot and ankle. But in all honesty, a well-trained Podiatrist is who you should see for foot and/or ankle pain. A Podiatrist is trained in all areas of medicine, just as an orthopedic surgeon or any other medical physician. However, an Orthopedic surgeon that specializes in the foot and ankle only has 6 months to 1 year fellowship after medical school in the pathology and treatment of the foot and ankle. A Podiatrist is trained from day one of school in pathologies of the foot and ankle, and Podiatrists do between 2-4 year residencies after medical school where the entire focus of the education and training is on pathology of the foot and ankle. We are far more well-versed in conservative as well as surgical care of the foot and ankle. READ MORE
How long should I wear an ankle brace after a fracture?
If you have a true ankle fracture, or any true fracture, it takes 6-8 weeks for a healthy person to heal without complications. At that time, the bone is technically at physiologic strength. BUT, if you have a true ankle fracture, immobilization needs to be better than an ankle brace. A person should be immobilized in a cast, splint, or walking boot for a minimum of 5-6 weeks after a fracture. Sometimes longer if there are complications with healing. An ankle brace can be used after 6-8 weeks of immobilization, but should not be used as the primary treatment. READ MORE
How do they fix bunions with flat feet?
Bunions and flat feet, though related, are generally separate conditions, and are not always corrected 'together.' But fixing a bunion with or without flat feet is similar. If the flat foot is to be fixed at the same time, there are many considerations your surgeon will evaluate and that will determine the types of necessary procedures to correct the deformity. READ MORE
Why do I need to keep my foot elevated after surgery?
After any injury (surgery is basically a controlled injury), you will experience a great deal of swelling. Too much swelling can be detrimental to the outcome of the surgery, and can cause other issues with healing. Elevating helps to keep the swelling down, and helps with pain control. When you elevate, you should be elevating your extremity above the level of your chest, if possible, for the first 72 hours to 1 wk after surgery, then it is ok to elevate a little bit lower than your chest. Blood, like any fluid, flows 'downstream.' So elevating above the level of your heart makes the blood have to travel 'upstream,' decreasing the amount of swelling READ MORE
How do you get rid of a ganglion cyst on your foot?
In my practice, the first course of action for a Ganglion cyst is to aspirate the synovial fluid out of the cyst under local anesthesia, and the to inject the cyst with cortisone. I then have the patient wear a compression bandage around the area for about 1 month. If the cyst returns, I give the patient the option of re-doing the aspiration and injection. If the patient does not want to do this, or if I do a second injection/aspiration and the ganglion still comes back, I suggest surgical excision of the Ganglion cyst. The recovery after surgery is about 3 weeks before you can get back into a normal shoe. READ MORE
When should I be concerned about heel pain?
If your heel pain is inhibiting you from participating in any of the activities you are wanting to participate in, then you should seek medical attention for your problem. If the pain is bothering you on a consistent basis, you may want to have your problem evaluated. If you are functioning fine, the pain is not very frequent (maybe once every few days and not every day) and you are participating in all activity with no problems, then you may be fine and may not need any medical attention. Pain is never normal. READ MORE
How long does it take to recover from a dislocated ankle?
It depends on what damage exactly was done during this dislocation. Were bones broken and needed surgical repair? Were ligaments torn? Do they require repair? Were tendons torn? Were any of the medial ankle ligaments torn or sprained? Basically, you may require one healing time of 3-6 months, depending on how the ankle needed to be repaired. If you did not have a surgical repair, and the ankle was simply relocated, it is highly likely you will have long-standing issues that may or may not require surgical attention down the line. The minimum evaluation you will require is an MRI to visualize the tendons and ligaments which might be damaged or affected by the dislocation. Furthermore, a minimum of 1-3 months in a cast or walking boot should have been initiated at the time of injury. READ MORE
Burning sensation?
Burning is usually an indication of a nerve-related problem. There are many causes of nerve related pain, including problems with the lower back/spine/spinal cord, autoimmune disease, Diabetes, Trauma, Surgery, Vitamin deficiencies, nerve entrapments, viruses, tumors, and many other things. If this problem has been present for more than a month, and/or is getting more painful/problematic, it would be of benefit for you to see a foot and ankle specialist, and/or a neurologist. There is a test called a Nerve Conduction Velocity/Electro Myograph study which will diagnose exactly what type of problem you are having with your nerves (but my still not actually give you the cause of the problem-sometimes can/sometimes does not). READ MORE
How do you reduce swelling after ankle dislocation?
Any time you have an injury, the first steps are RICE therapy (Rest Ice Compression and Elevation). Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication may be used for pain and swelling. Steroids may be used in some cases. But you may require an MRI to evaluate the tendons and ligaments surrounding the ankle joint to insure they are not torn or permanently damaged in some way, which may require surgical intervention to repair. READ MORE
Quality of stitches with Lapiplasty surgery?
In my practice, sutures don't come out of the surgical incisions for a minimum of 2.5 weeks, and sometimes longer, depending on how the incision is healing. The number of sutures is inconsequential as long as the incision is well coapted internally and externally, and sometimes there are different suture techniques used which changes the number of sutures significantly (look up simple interrupted sutures; look up horizontal or vertical mattress sutures so you can see the difference in the amount of knots you might see clinically, but in actuality, you are covering more surface area with a mattress type suture, but using less knots). Regardless of the appearance of the incision, which is all you can see clinically as a patient, a certain amount of time is required for healing a bone fusion (a Lapiplasty is basically a Lapidus 1st metatarso-cuneiform fusion). The work you are evaluating visually is not at all the important part of the procedure you had done. All of this being said, it takes 2-3 months to heal a fusion in the foot and ankle, and you should have to be non-weight bearing and not walking on your foot for a minimum of one month to 6 weeks after surgery. This being said, the Lapiplasty is a procedure designed for a less confident and less well-trained surgeon, as it is basically a template for surgery. And the procedure is 'toted' as a 'better' procedure (and it is for many unskilled surgeons). It is also 'toted' as a more stable surgery, and walking early is encouraged. But to me, the surgical time should be the same, as it is the exact same procedure as a Lapidus, just comes in a kit and with cutting guides for the inexperience/less confident surgeon who doesn't really know what he or she is doing. So I don't know that focusing solely on the incision is the way to approach your healing. I would be far more concerned with what is going on with the bones and parts of the surgery you can not visually see with the naked eye. READ MORE
What should I do if my ankle hurts after working out?
It depends on what is wrong and what structure(s) is really the issue/what the pathology actually is. There are many reasons for 'ankle' pain, and many times, patients call things 'ankle' pain which are not actually related to or involving the ankle. You could be having pain in the foot at the sinus tarsi, part of the Subtalar joint (the joint below the ankle). Sometimes, what is referred to as 'ankle' pain is a tendinitis or tendon tear. Sometimes there is actually a pathology with the ankle, such as an osteochondral defect, or a ligament sprain/tear around the ankle joint. So, you see, it is impossible to make such a diagnosis without being evaluated in person by a good podiatrist/foot and ankle surgeon. READ MORE
How long does it take your Achilles tendon to heal?
It really depends on what the injury is. If you have Achilles tendinitis, it may take several months of rest, immobilization, anti-inflammatory medications, and ice to alleviate the pain. If you have a rupture or require surgery to repair a damaged Achilles tendon, you are usually looking at a 3-4 month healing time, but it could be longer. Everything is dependent on what the cause of the problem is, and what the treatment is to be. READ MORE
Why do my heels hurt when standing?
The most common cause of heel pain is plantar fasciitis. The most common presentation of plantar fasciitis is pain after periods of 30 minutes to 2 hours of rest getting up from bed or a seated position. The ligament becomes tight under the tension of the person's weight, and this chronic tension on the ligament often causes inflammation and pain at the ligament's insertion at the plantar heel. Other things that might cause heel pain with standing and activity is a calcaneal stress fracture, tendinitis around the ankle and foot (usually the Peroneal tendons or the Posterior TIbial tendon), or it also could be nerve related pain, such as Tarsal Tunnel syndrome. READ MORE
What kind of foot wear can I wear at home all day?
"Skin hardening issues?" Calluses???? Calluses are normally a thickening of the skin in response to an entrapment (ie: A corn on the top of a toe is usually a result of the skin being trapped between the bone in the toe and the shoe you are wearing). No slippers should cause irritation to the tops of the toes. If the calluses are on the bottom of the feet, there may be a mechanical reason, fat pad atrophy over the metatarsal heads, or a flat foot which changes the position of the bones and the mechanics of the feet. Again, slippers should not be an issue with this type of problem. I usually recommend people wear VIONIC slippers. Sheep skin slippers are also soft and nice. But for the 'thickened skin issue' you need to see a dermatologist or Podiatrist. READ MORE
Are compression socks good for swollen feet?
Compression socks are good for swollen feet if the problem is cause by fluid retention and/or venous insufficiency. Compression may also be used for lymphangitis/lymphedema. But it is important to have these conditions checked, particularly if you are only 28 years old. These types of swelling may increase in patients who have been pregnant, as the pressure of the baby on the Iliac Veins within the abdomen often results in chronic venous insufficiency or swelling. But there may be other reasons for the swelling, including many inflammatory arthropathies and autoimmune disease, among other things. READ MORE
How long does an artificial ankle last?
This really depends on how active you are. Just like an artificial hip or knee, any implant can only withstand so much wear-and-tear. So patients that are very athletic and active must have their implants replaced sooner than those patients that have a more sedentary lifestyle. In most cases, a total ankle joint implant replacement will last for about 5-10 years-sometimes longer; sometimes shorter. READ MORE
Toenail issue?
You had too much pressure either distally (at the end of the toe) from your nail hitting the end of the shoe/foot sliding and nail hitting the end of the shoe, or from dorsally (from the top of the nail) where the shoe pressure was hitting the top of the nail and causing irritation. Fluid, like a blister, then formed under the nail. In some patients, it is blood that forms under the nail. Regardless, the fluid separated the nail plate from the nail bed, and then the fluid build up underneath, and thus drained out when you cut your nails. It is better to have shorter nails when exercising or doing heavy work, like moving, so the nail is not impinged by the shoe in any way. This will resolve. This is a common way for a nail to become fungal-you may note that the nail gets thick and discolored as the next year to 2 years progress secondary to the trauma you've caused to your toenails 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