Mount Pleasant Magazine March/April 2018

199 www.ILoveMountPleasant.com | www.BestOfMP.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com feature W hat does it mean to put yourself in someone else’s shoes? Ask Dr. Rahn A. Ravenell, DPM, FACFAS, a local podiatrist and podiatric surgeon. Dr. Ravenell has wanted to become a physician since he was in middle school. In college, while working at a local athletic shoe store, he knew he would one day help people improve their health and wellness and specialize in foot care. Dr. Ravenell has come a long way from fitting athletic shoes for people who need optimum performance and comfort. A graduate of Temple University, he has been a board-certified podiatrist for the last eight years and in his own East Cooper practice for the last five years. Along with his wife, Dr. Tamika Ravenell, he works with patients daily to keep them on the move. Whether treating common foot and ankle issues – such as sprains, bunions, corns, calluses and plantar fasciitis – or complicated foot and ankle reconstructions and diabetic foot problems, Dr. Ravenell and his expert team are there to help. Foot and ankle problems aren’t restricted to patients. Dr. Ravenell shared that he has suffered with bunions for the last 15 to 20 years. In the last three to four years, according to Dr. Ravenell, they became quite painful and needed more aggressive treatment. Exhausting all options, he decided to undergo surgery to correct the problem and enhance and restore his quality of life. Being an expert in the field of bunion surgery, Dr. Ravenell sought out a surgeon who could offer experience and training similar to his own. Dr. Ravenell stated: “I needed to find someone who would perform the procedure close to the way I do it.” Having decided on the physician to perform the procedure, Dr. Ravenell underwent the one-and-a-half- hour surgery and entered the six-week, post-operation recovery phase. “It is quite humbling to undergo a procedure that I have performed innumerable times. However, I can now convey realistic expectations as they pertain to the surgery and post-operative course from personal experience rather than an anecdote or theory,” he said. Dr. Ravenell’s recovery was unique in that he was able to walk during the six-week recovery period. Suffering from some residual swelling and limited range of motion, he expects a full recovery. “They say that doctors make the worst patients, but I can testify that bunion surgery does not have to be extremely painful or life altering,” Dr. Ravenell said. “There are some moderate adjustments that need to be made, and adherence to reasonable surgeon’s instructions makes the process absolutely bearable.” What does it mean to walk a mile in another man’s shoes? Dr. Rahn Ravenell is a living example. By Michael M. Cochran Coastal Podiatry, located in Mount Pleasant and Moncks Corner, offers a full range of services, from routine checkups to reconstructive foot and ankle surgeries. Drs. Rahn and Tamika Ravenell and their team of experts are dedicated to serving their patients’ needs and keeping them on the move. To learn more, visit www.mtpleasantfootdoc.com . Keeping Patients on the Move Coastal Podiatry feeling good