Stephen knows feet! As a fellow former marathon runner, he understands the stress and wear that serious training puts on the body. I overtrained, developed severe plantar fasciitis, and was only four weeks out from my Carnaval performance -- which is 4-5 miles of continious salsa dancing on the uneven streets of the Mission. With the right inserts and exercises he prescribed, I was back on my feet (pardon the pun) and able to perform without pain. Highly recommend him for anyone dealing with sports-related foot issues or trying to stay active while recovering. read more

Rude. One missed appointment, which can happen to anyone, and he decided to refuse care. Subpar work. Bedside manner matters.

I was dealing with pain in the ball of my foot from running. A PT had me try foot exercises and icing, but the pain didn't go away even after rest. Dr. Wagstaff fit me in quickly. As soon as I mentioned I was a runner, he immediately noticed my calves were extremely tight. He explained how that was causing the pain and gave me insoles plus calf-specific stretches. Within a week, the issue was gone. It was surprising that such a simple fix worked and didn't require imaging or procedures. After seeing the results, I'm now getting custom orthotics from Dr. Wagstaff to keep my feet supported for more running. I'm very grateful he figured this out so quickly, and I'd highly recommend him to any runner with foot pain. read more

He is very thorough and easy to work with. He does a good job of taking care of my hammerhead toe. He also makes very durable arch supports. read more

Long time Trail runner + Mountain biker recommends Dr Wagstaff for any foot and ankle issues.

I'm honestly shocked at the positive reviews here. Unless you're in the market for expensive orthotics, I can't imagine a good experience. I went to Dr. Wagstaff with a very specific foot injury and a detailed account of how it happened. Instead of listening, he spent the entire appointment insisting one leg was probably longer than the other and that I needed his costly orthotics (if I wanted to live a long life with stronger calves and less foot pain). My actual injury was dismissed without discussion. When I arrived, he was already loudly arguing on the phone in the front office, hanging up on the other party multiple times... that should have been my first red flag. The exam itself was no better: no meaningful assessment, no treatment plan, just hard salesmanship for orthotics, I later found elsewhere for a third of the price. Over a month later, still in pain, I finally saw a board-certified foot and ankle orthopedic surgeon who immediately ordered an MRI. The scan revealed a clear break across my 2nd metatarsal bone, something Dr. Wagstaff never even considered. I am now in a boot and receiving treatment for a non-union fracture. Dr. Wagstaff not only delayed my recovery but also wasted my time and money. He's in the wrong profession.... better suited to selling orthotics than to practicing medicine. If you want real medical care, look elsewhere. read more

Dr Wagstaffe is terrific! I saw him for the first time a month ago because I had severe shooting pain in several toes. He correctly diagnosed the problem and gave me simple stretching exercises which have helped enormously as I followed his instructions. I have orthotics that are 15+ years old and asked him if a new set would be more effective. He said my feet had change a bit over the years but didn't push at all. Knowledgeable, efficient, straightforward, just what we want our doctors to be! read more

Dr. Wagstaff fit me into the schedule right away. He gave me stretches and orthotics to help me avoid bunion surgery. He was very knowledgeable. I highly recommend him. read more

Dr Wagstaff is a great doctor, he tears foot pain from the source to try and correct the issue permanently rather than rushing to surgery or other treatments that provide temporary relief. I appreciate his patience and thourghorness. read more

I tend to be a bit critical of doctors because my father was one and I've seen the inside of the health care profession. My father was one of the first doctors giving steroid shots for Lupus in the 80s and was heavily criticized by other doctors because he was different and yet now, steroids is standard treatment for Lupus. Years ago, Dr. Wagstaff diagnosed by feet, said that I didn't have the flexibility of motion that I should and said that he didn't recommended measuring me for arch supports now when my feet are not in the correct form as most doctors would do, just locks me into having an arch support made for where I shouldn't be. Instead, he suggested that I engage in stretching and use of intermediate arch supports he heightened with a couple visits. By the time he was done, I had increased flexibility by 40 degrees when other doctors say to get anything above 25 degrees requires surgery. Instead of buying into group think in health care, Dr. Wagstaff has figured out what patients really need and he does that. And it works. That's why the majority of long-distance runners in Marin go to Dr. Wagstaff. If you try him, you will avoid future pain and injuries by treating the neglected arches of your feet correctly. read more

Very professional and thorough. Dr. Wagstaff takes the time to both understand and effectively treat. read more

You won't find a better foot and ankle expert in the area! Dr. Wagstaff is the real deal and knows his stuff! Being an athlete, he understands athletes and their injuries, issues, and pains more than most and does an amazing job identifying and treating any and all problems If you're looking for an expert in foot or ankle sports medicine, podiatry or orthopedics look no further as Dr. Wagstaff is amazing and I highly recommend him! read more

I wish they had more than 5 star rating!! i have been treated by him for almost 5 years now! i DON'T TRUST anyone else. I had an ankle fracture on September 18th 2024 and i went to emergency here in Santa Rosa to get an xray and they said i had to see a doctor there right away (that's why i didnt go to see Dr. Wagstaff. i was in pain and coudn't wait.) Long story short, i was told i was healed in Jan and can resume my normal activities and go back for the last visit with the other doctor in March (in the mean time, he wouldn't order Xrays despite my resistance except for once.) At this time, i told him my foot hurts . He ordered an Xray and told me the BONE HAS SEPERATED and he needs to either cut it OR escrow it back and do bone graft!! i rushed back to Dr. Wagstaff and he told me that i was OK but just not totally healed! He is honest, knowledgable, non-invasive approach, detailed, focused and listens. Thank you!! read more

2018 woke up feet hurt very bad..extreme pain when trying to walk..went to Dr Wagstaff...he had inserts made for me and temporary ones till I got the real ones...1,000 % percentage better..What I thought was a miracle-Dr Wagstaff just did what he's trained to do..which is help people..and he is Awesome at his job and would highly recommend him to anyone with foot pain...It's now almost 2025 and recently went back just to have a spare pair made..I use the inserts in my work sneakers- golf shoes- and have used them in Ski boots..without any pain at all...plus I play 150 games of Softball a year with them in my cleats....in my mind Dr Wagstaff is the best at what he does! I'm 62 and still 150 games a year" Thank You Dr Wagstaff......Jim G read more

Medicare patients beware. Dr. Wagstaff has serious issues with the amount he is reimbursed by Medicare. In fact, he spends at least 10" of each half hour visit complaining about it. At my final visit he stated that many seniors are seeing him for conditions which are not reimbursable by Medicare. As a former patient, I believe his billing practices are between him and his insurance providers. Over several years I found Dr. Wagstaff to become progressively more demeaning, disrespectful, impatient and basically unwelcoming to me as a patient. Shortly thereafter I made an appt. with a new local podiatrist who actually took the time to fully examine my feet and discuss any issues or concerns. I expected to hear the same primary diagnosis I had heard for several years from Dr. Wagstaff, but to my surprise, that item was not even brought up as an issue. read more

Oh my dies he know feet and ankles. Bravo! He's truly an expert and efficient beyond belief he gave me exercises to improve in session 1. And applauded improvements, then at my request, no push, he fit me fir orthotics. He hadn't raised those prices in years. If u want an expert who knows ie feet and fits u in old style solid orphodics , Stephen Wagsraff is ur man! I'm waiting the ten days for the orthotics but excellent so far. read more

I've been debating writing this review for a while, as I don't like to hurt small businesses, but I must pass on my thoughts, as I feel I received a very sub-par experience with this man. I visited Dr. Wagstaff for issues with swollen and itchy toes, which I believed related to my ski boots and exposure to the cold. I told him I was worried about the circulation in my toes. He brushed off my concerns and told me that my issues were related to my poor arches and tight Achilles tendon. When I was confused how that was related and asked more questions related to my toe circulation, he was rude and talked down to me like I am an idiot (I'm a 40-year-old attorney with a JD and an undergrad minor in biology, so no...). Then he pressured me to buy his $85 shoe inserts, which I still didn't understand how they would fix my toe issue, but he's probably right that I could use more arch support, so I bought them. When I continued to ask questions about my toes, he told me basically, that my time was up but that if I wanted to keep asking questions, I could pay for another appointment. WHAT? He then scheduled a follow-up to check how my insoles were doing two weeks later. At 4 pm the day before my appointment, I had to cancel because my child had Covid. I called Dr. Wagstaff and he told me, sorry, I was too late in canceling and he would be charging me a $150 cancellation fee for a missed appointment. Unbelievable. This guy may understand the anatomy of a foot, but he seems to lack any real diagnostic skills and his gruff manner and lack of compassion for last-minute illnesses is very off-putting and unprofessional. Do yourself a favor and look elsewhere. Oh, and PS - my toes are fine. They healed on their own without ever wearing my fancy insoles. Edited to add: After I initially posted my review, Dr. Wagstaff contacted both me AND MY EMERGENCY CONTACT regarding my review and/or outstanding balance. I am in-process with my insurance on the bill (which is why it is yet to be paid), but to reach out to my emergency contact, who was not listed as a guarantor of my payment or entitled to receive any information about my medical treatment, is just beyond unprofessional and shows a lack of judgment. read more

I've never had a worse experience with a doctor. Some things you should know: Dr. Wagstaff does not have any staff. It's just him. This isn't great. Case in point: he sent me a bill for $300, but the bill did not specify what the charges were for. I left him a voicemail asking him to explain these amounts, but I did not receive a reply. When I wrote him a letter asking him to specify these charges, he left me a voicemail informing me that I had "signed an agreement" and would have to pay a $30 administrative fee if I wanted to discuss my bill with him instead of his billing company. (He also said my letter was a "power play" and that I was "telling [him] what's up," which I thought was pretty funny.) I'd encourage you to read the Yelp reviews listed under "28 other reviews that are not currently recommended," which can be found at the bottom of this review. I found many true statements, such as Dr. Wagstaff's tendency to talk down to patients. 'Nuff said. Moving on. read more

Dr Stephen Wagstaff has an awful bedside manner. He claims to file insurance however the insurance company has no record of him ever sending anything to them. He then sticks you with the bill and says insurance denied the claim. He has no office staff and tries to do everything himself. He is dishonest, rude, arrogant, and condescending. As far as the foot doctor goes he offered no solution nor recommendation... A waste of time and money. I recommend you try anyone else but not Dr Wagstaff. read more

Thanks to Dr. Wagstaff's care, I can now hike pain-free. Despite seeking help from a physical therapist, my knee soreness showed no signs of improvement, leaving me unable to hike. My physical therapist recommended I visit Dr. Wagstaff. Following Dr. Wagstaff's care my knee pain went away. I now have no pain at all. Thanks to his simple suggestions of orthotics and a calf stretching routine, I now hike without knee discomfort. The impact of the orthotics has been quite remarkable. To further validate the effectiveness of the orthotics, I conducted multiple hikes with no orthotics, and each time, I experienced knee pain. I am very grateful for his expertise. read more

I'm 41 years old, male, no major issues with my feet. I am incredibly active, hike, bike, workout, backpacking in dangerous terrain, etc. I have worn Birkenstock insoles and sandals my whole life, even as I child (which I feel has been beneficial). My wife set up an appt. for me to see Dr. Wagstaff only to see if there was anything that I could improve for myself. Surprisingly, I was in pretty good shape, but I was still off and Dr. Wagstaff pointed out a few things I didn't know, that should be dialed in. He asked me to complete stretching exercises for some time and add some supportive padded stickers to my insoles that I used for a number of weeks. During that time, I FOLLOWED HIS INSTRUCTIONS, and stretched regularly. Slowly, I felt my gait and stance slowly improve! Honestly, it's way more comfortable to run now! I received my final PLASTIC molded insoles last night. As soon as I put them in my shoe, I immediately felt I was standing up straighter, my hips, back and knees, felt much more confident, aligned, and comfortable. It was noticeable immediately. I went right to the gym for a grueling leg workout. Weighted squats with heavy weight never felt so comfortable! Who would have thought! I know improvements and healing in the area will continue. This gives me so much more motivation to keep working out. I have read some issues and comments from others below. Dr. Wagstaff is incredibly knowledgeable, and it's very obvious if you pay attention to what he is saying. I soaked up and paid attention to all the information he gave me, very grateful for his expertise. I think he deals with quite a few patients that may not follow his simple instructions, therefore follow up appts. may not yield the results that could have been. That would frustrate me as a Doctor, would feel like my time is not quite being utilized efficiently when only trying to improve the patients health. Also, give the guy a break. If you are specialized and only deal with a specific thing all day every day, it might feel like groundhog day, everyday. Either way, Dr. Wagstaff is very proficient, I would highly recommend his services, even if you are not in an immediate foot situation. I am planning some deep woods backpacking this year and I know me feet (and body) will be ready to handle the 8-12hr hikes each day. Many thanks Doc. read more

Pretty straight forward. I went in with pain in my heel and a limp. He explained what was going on with my foot and gave me simple exercises to alleviate the pain. I will say it took a few visits and I now have custom orthotics for life. I would recommend him to anyone who has foot issues. read more

This guy is losing it. I think he is frustrated with the payments he receives from medicare, even if you have the most expensive supplement. I went to see him last week. I walked in and said "Good morning Dr. Wagstaff. Without looking up he said "Same address? I said yes. He then showed me a xerox of my insurance cards and then asked me if I had the same insurance. I said yes. He said go on in, first room to the left. I went in and took off my shoes and socks. He came in and asked me what the problem was and I started to tell him and then he went into this instant fit. He started berating me, he sarcastically repeated things I said, he was obviously very angry. He asked me why I hadn't called him when the problem started and I said that I did but i couldn't get in right away. Then he looked at me with this hateful face and shoved my insurance cards in my face and said that because people like me has such crappy insurance, he had to take fifteen patients a day just to make a living. Definitely avoid this guy if you are on Medicare read more

Dr. Wagstaff is my hero!! After actively treating a plantar wart for 2 years, (actively meaning, there was never a time in which I paused in trying to get rid of it) I finally decided to go to Dr. Wagstaff to see if he could help. I had tried nearly everything... Numerous over the counter salicylic acid treatments, "organic" wart removers, duct tape, apple cyder vinegar, a home freezing kit, 2 trips to the dermatologist in which she tried to freeze the wart... After each and every attempt, the wart laughed in my face and continued to get bigger and more painful. I was desperate to get rid of the wart and I was beyond frustrated. Upon my first visit, Dr. Wagstaff was confident he could help and applied a special wart zapping solution to my foot. To say I was skeptical is an understatement. He gave me at-home follow up instructions and made a follow up appointment for 2 weeks later. When I went back, the wart was still there, but the doctor still felt confident. He then applied a milder topical solution and again, wanted to see me 2 weeks later. On my third visit, he hit it one more time and told me that should do it. After treating it at home for a couple more weeks myself, holy moly,, the wart was gone!!!! I can not thank Dr. Wagstaff enough. The wart was truly starting to consume my life (as ridiculous as that sounds) and I was at my wits ends. I can't believe it is finally gone and am beyond thrilled, not to mention grateful. THANK YOU DR. WAGSTAFF!!! read more

This podiatrist has written non-facts in his response to my review. First of all, I not "abuse" yelp--this is what yelp is for, to give a review of a service and how we are treated . Secondly, take a look at all his reviews--there are many poor reviews, that tells you something. After seeing Dr. Wagstaff several times quite a few years ago, to get a foot exam and treatment recommendations, I did order orthotics. I did not return for about 6 years, and simply to get an additional set of orthotics and an update to see if he had any other recommendations (he had originally recommended I purchase many pairs of orthotics and do calf stretches). I was never argumentative--I asked him questions about my foot condition, to which he hesitantly replied in a very patronizing way, and then I asked that he not speak to me as if I was 'stupid". I never asked to be addressed as "Dr". When he talked down to me, I told him I had an MS and PhD, and to please talk to me that way, not as if I am stupid. He never apologized. I have been told by others that he did the same to them. So I never intended to return. In the meantime I was shocked at his charge for 1 pair of orthotics (I had already paid for the mold years ago), $500! I paid because I am responsible, although he never gave me a medical receipt, just my cc receipt. I had to call his office 3 times, and respectfully ask that he send me a medical receipt so I would have the codes. I never "harassed or threatened" the staff (I never returned to the office, nor was a staff person there the when I went. How could I harass or threaten someone who wasn't there, and I did not go to the office again)--I left all respectful phone messages to which no one replied until my third message. By my 3rd message I was upset, although neverleft a disrespectful message. I asked that he consider charging me what insurance would pay, I know insurance discounts the fees. (now that I'm on medicare I learned they don't pay for orthotics). He never responded to this, and did NOT give me any discount per his note above. After my 3rd call and over 3 months later he sent me a scathing and harassing email, and only then did include the codes. HIGHLY inappropriate and unprofessional. His response to my factual and simply stated original post (I don't see any "ranting" as he stated above) is full of non-truths. And I did not post as" Joanne Orion"--I posted as myself when I hit the yelp link to post. This is another example of him giving non-factual information. He may well be a good podiatrist. I am very concerned about his character and how he treats some patients. He is in a service business, although with very poor "bedside" manners. Take it as you will, this is what yelp is for. I'm sorry I had not read his reviews before going to see him in the first place. If you do see him, I hope you have a better experience. read more

I had a foot injury in mid July and saw a podiatrist for treatment. After 2+ months no improvement. I started seeing Dr Wagstaff a few weeks ago and I am greatly improved. His recommendation to stretch the calves was a life saver. I can't believe how much better I feel. We are now discussing orthotics and the best footwear. I highly recommend Dr Wagstaff. He knows what he's doing! Trust him. read more

After consulting three other podiatrist plus my internist about my chronic foot pain and swelling I was fortunate to find Dr. Wagstaff through a marathon runner. Dr. Wagstaff diagnosed my condition (plantar fasciitis and bio-mechanical issues) and recommended physical therapy which I could do myself. He thoroughly explained the process to educate me and guide my future care. I'm now pain free wearing my custom orthotics and I have a podiatrist I can rely on. read more

The Yelp reviews convinced me to visit Dr. Wagstaff. After several years of aches in my legs, especially after standing for long periods of time (such as prep for big family meals), I was desperate for a solution. While I'm generally a fan of Kaiser, their response was to give me an MRI to check blood flow in my legs and tell me that there wasn't a clot so I should be okay. I decided to pay out of pocket to visit Dr. Wagstaff and he analyzed my arches, gave me some very easy stretch exercises and provided me with temporary orthotics. I was amazed that such simple strategies could be effective. I decided to move ahead with the custom orthotics and I'm grateful. It has made a world of difference! The price was reasonable -- even though I paid for it outside of my insurance. From a personality standpoint, Dr. Wagstaff may come across as a bit quirky but he is clearly adept at podiatry. He is also sincere; I felt like he could have charged me quite a bit more for his services (I was desperate!) but he was honest about the costs and the fact that he hasn't raised prices in years. I highly recommend Dr. Wagstaff if you have any issues with your legs. read more

I had been having calf pain and foot pain and am a very active person - hiking, jogging, biking, skiing, etc. I hate to be sidelined. I was referred by various people to, and saw Dr. Wagstaff a few times and he gave me some exercises, made a mold of my feet for orthotics to wear. They were like magic! I feel naked and unsupported without my orthotics when I don't have them in my shoes. I am a satisfied customer! read more

Have been a patient for more than 15 years and appreciate his knowledge and commitment to helping people address foot issues. He focuses on biomechanics, and the customer Orthotics have alleviated a lot of discomfort... Also stresses exercise as in calf stretches and explains thoroughly everything. Having had at least a dozen other experiences over the last 20 years with podiatrist or those who specialize in sports medicine I found Dr Wagstaff to be the best in the Bay Area!!! read more

I came to Dr. Wagstaff with four things wrong with my feet: The shape of my feet had changed over time so my old orthotics didn't fit anymore; I had an ingrown toenail that was worsening; I had (horrors!!!) bunions; and if I wore any shoes without orthotics, or slippers or sandals for more than, say, two hours a day, that night my feet burned or hurt so badly that I couldn't sleep. Yep, that bad. I thought I had neuropathy. Whenever I called his office, I got a call back before the next day. I didn't mind that he was a one-man show; if I had a question for him, it didn't have to go through the receptionist relay system, and this was more efficient. At my first visit, Dr. Wagstaff suggested he make some preliminary, super-inexpensive changes to my existing orthotics while I stretched out my calves over a period of weeks sufficiently to make a mold for new ones. At first those changes made me feel as if I was wearing half a hard-boiled egg sliced lengthwise in my shoes(!), but I soon got used to them. I adhered to the twice-a-day stretching routine over a period of a few weeks; one day I noticed that my toenail was better, and then I noticed my bunions were flattening out! These weren't things I expected, and Dr. Wagstaff hadn't even said anything about those possibilities (I think he didn't want to make any false promises). Then, and most amazing of all, I had to wear slippers for a couple of days, and I had no foot pain those nights. And I hadn't even gotten my new orthotics yet! I'm guessing that realigning the bones in my feet made for better circulation, but I really don't know what cured that; it had been going on for YEARS. I got my new orthotics yesterday, and I'm very happy. I have top-tier health insurance through my former employer, but Dr. Wagstaff told me they were unlikely to cover them, and he was right. How much is a night's sleep worth to you? How much are you willing to pay to free yourself of pain and to be able to walk and exercise without it? How much is it worth to be able to walk barefoot or wear sandals or dress shoes without paying for it later? Dr. Wagstaff is not someone who takes your feet in his hands and makes kind clucking sounds. He's quirky and frustrated by the insurance disaster that he has to deal with every day. (You would be, too!!) But he's honest to a fault, clear about the likely lack of insurance coverage, and is an amazing problem-solver when it comes to the mechanics of one's feet. So I'm one very satisfied customer who drove 2-1/2 hours each way to see him at first, then found out about his Healdsburg office, which is *only* 1-1/2 hours each way. Still worth it. I'm telling my friends. And you, lucky readers! read more

After seeing a highly regarded orthopedic surgeon for a painful protrusion on my heel, I saw Dr. Wagstaff. Immediately, Dr. Wagstaff diagnosed the issue and explained its cause in simple mechanical terms. He offered a straightforward treatment plan requiring stretching, provided pads I needed to assist in healing, and three weeks later, the problem is gone! I love his clear approach, his ability to explain the cause, and offer easy solutions that work. Thank you Dr. Wagstaff! read more

Very Impressed. Dr. Wagstaff is articulate and clear in educating me about my pain, where it is coming from and how to fix it - even explaining how the "fixes" laypeople recommend might feel good in the moment but actually work against long term resolve of the issue (very aha! moments for me). Plantar Fasciitis is painful and there are so many laypeople telling me what to do (including the person selling me my running shoes). Even my GP told me just to stretch my calves 3 a day; however he did not take the time to explain the actual mechanics of stretching and what type of stretching is needed! Big difference. I am a runner and am dedicated to my recovery. I am just sorry it took me this long to get a referral. I am glad I was given Dr. Wagstaff. Thank you for educating me. read more

I am delayed in writing this review as Dr. Wagstaff has been my doctor for many years. From the first time I visited him I appreciated the thoroughness of his review and diagnosis. He takes the time to explain what is happening mechanically when I walk and what is causing my pain. He created custom orthotics for me to replace my old ones and has been refurbishing and adjusting them for several years. He helped me change my shoe selection which also really helped my chronic foot issues. He has advised me on stretching my calf muscles for several years - and I was very slow to adapt. However, I finally have a routine and see/feel the benefits. If I have an issues with my feet - I always call Dr. Wagstaff. He is very knowledgeable and I know he will provide the treatment I need. read more

Dr. Wagstaff has changed my life. After being well treated by Dr. Wagstaff, not only are my feet now in good shape, but the pain in my knees has dramatically diminished. It's amazing how a pair of happy feet have helped. All the credit goes to Dr. Wagstaff. If anyone is looking for a great Podiatrist, Dr. Wagstaff is the one! read more

I wrote a review dated 6/19 in which I explained how Dr Wagstaff sold me a therapeutic boot for $450 (which he said my Medicare insurance did not cover) and when I found it too clunky to wear and that the same boot was available on Amazon for $80, I tried to return it the next day, he would not take it back. Yesterday, I went to North Bay Foot and Ankle (since my foot was still painful) an X-ray found a bone spur (Dr Wagstaff did not x-ray my foot). However, the shocker was, the doctor at North Bay said that the therapeutic boot Dr. Wagstaff has sold me, was in fact covered by Medicare. Needless to say, I really felt ripped off. read more

This man is a genius! Dr. Wegstaff was able to identify the issues that were causing me great pain in the collapsing of my high arches in both feet. He prevented me from having to have extensive painful and expensive surgery. He didn't simply make me orthotics, he examined my foot carefully, tested my range of motion, and asked me to stretch for several weeks to improve my range before he made my orthotics that have changed my world. Additionally he explained the anatomy of my foot so that I clearly understood the yeast at hand. His staff is polite and helpful I can't recommend him enough read more

I'm in my seventies and used to be a runner. I started having "arthritis" in my toes, then my hip then my lower back as I started walking 5miles plus a day during the pandemic. I was encouraged by my daughter to seek professional help from Dr Stephen Wagstaff, DPM. Start simple then take it from there. I was sent home with exercises to stretch my calves which I did as prescribed. Then back for insoles for my shoes. He said it would feel lumpy... it did! Almost immediately the arthritic toes pain vanished as well as all hip and back pain... I mean it is fantastic... This is an amazing healing doctor. Before any involved medical help try this rather simple thing first... you just might be as amazed and healed as I am! read more

I'm writing this because I happen to have a bit of free time this morning, I think it might help any prospective patients know what they might be in for -- and, selfishly, it's my last ditch attempt to get a call back from him if he reads this review and it prompts him to return all the voicemails in his full mailbox. The TL;DR is that I think Dr. Wagstaff knows his stuff -- but working with him is going probably involve hearing him complain about the insurance business, some prickliness if you ask him any questions about his bill, and some challenges getting ahold of him. Please read on for more details. Pros: He seems to have solved my plantar fasciitis problem with some well-designed orthotics that he made the mold/cast for. He also seems very knowledgeable about that particular problem, which should of course be the case since he's a podiatrist. Cons: He does not have the kindest/gentlest "bedside manner", he is quite opinionated, and he is a little prickly -- especially when it comes to billing and insurance matters. It is abundantly clear that he very much despises the whole insurance billing thing, so much so that it seemed like he would use any conversational opportunity to launch into a rant about it while I was at my first visit and beyond. Such ranting also occurred when I had some legitimate questions about his extremely confusing bills -- which (if I recall correctly) he tried to blame both on his billing service provider and the health insurance industry. And he wasn't shy about sort of chastising me for bothering him with billing questions, saying something like "As it says on the bill, and on my website, you need to contact my service provider not me, that's what I pay them for" -- before even giving me a chance to explain that I had indeed followed his directly by talking to the billing service provider first. When I managed to get a word in and tell him that they were not really able to answer my question, he then proceeded to explain how he had structured and itemized the payments for some insurance-related reason, and if I recall correctly used this as an opportunity to continue on with his anti-insurance billing rants. In my view, as far as the service provider, he chose them - not me. So if he has concerns about them, he should either find a new one, or not disparage them because it comes off as very "pass-the-buck-ey". In terms of his dissatisfaction with the health insurance industry, he chose the profession, not me -- and given his youngish age, the health insurance system was like this well before he became a doc -- so I'm not sure why he thinks it makes sense to complain about an aspect of his profession that he should have been well-aware of before he pursued it. Another concern I have is the main thing prompted me to take the time to write this review: unresponsiveness. I left him a voicemail about a week ago with a very straightforward question. Notwithstanding that his website says, "Voice messages returned at end of clinic's or next business day", I have yet to receive a response after several days. When I tried calling again today, his voicemail box is now full and unable to accept new messages. So then I went to his website to find his email address to try to contact him that way, and there was no email address. In addition, I don't believe he has any receptionist or assistant as I have yet to come into contact with one, and the "Staff" link on his page lists only him. I therefore have no way to get in touch with him now, unless he suddenly decides to call me back based on the first message, or if I continue to call him back over the coming days to see if he's cleared out his voicemail. Before writing this review I considered whether I should cut the doc some slack because he does seem to be a one man show, he might have many patients, etc. But what put me over the edge to write this is the fact that dude only has office hours for a total of 24 hours a week, and thus can't be THAT busy. (See https://www.footanklesportshealth.com/podiatristoffices.) I suspect that he'd say that those 24 hours a week only represent a portion of his working day as he likely needs to manage insurance paperwork and other administrative matters -- but I can't imagine that would take more than 10-20 more hours (max). And as a professional myself who works at least 50 hours a week, I don't have much sympathy for that sort of a work week, especially if his rationale for not responding to me call is that he is "too busy", which is what I suspect it would be. In fact, I would think that as a professional and small business owner his desire to protect his professional reputation and his desire to keep getting good yelp reviews would lead him to actually follow through with his stated commitment to return calls within a business day -- or at least a couple days later. So it looks like I may need to take my wife's advice and take my business to her podiatrist. read more

Stephen did a great job solving my foot injury. I'm very happy with the result of my two visits.