When Dr. Russell Cournoyer was a student in college he had a problem with his foot that led him to a podiatrist for treatment. That same visit also led him to eventually choose podiatry as a career. “There’s no doubt that visit sparked my interest in becoming a podiatrist. I just thought it was a very interesting profession on a number of different levels,” he explains.

Dr. Cournoyer believes in evaluating and treating a patient’s problem as quickly as possible so they can get back to doing the activities they enjoy. “Any problems with the feet can really affect people’s lifestyles. Those who like to play sports, jog or just go for a walk have real difficulty when they are experiencing pain. As podiatrists we do our best to get people back on their feet and enjoying the things they love.”

Many of Dr. Cournoyer’s patients suffer from the affects of diabetes. As a result, he has become an expert in diabetic foot care and dealing with diabetic wounds. “Unfortunately, diabetes can have a very detrimental affect on the feet including decreased sensation and also peripheral vascular disease. For our diabetic foot patients at Reliant Medical Group, we utilize a team approach involving our podiatrists, infectious disease specialists, diabetic educators, nurses, vascular surgeons and the patient’s primary care physician to deal with this problem. Working together, we can make a positive impact for these patients.”

A podiatrist for over 20 years, Dr. Cournoyer has seen many people walk in the door with foot pain and then be able to leave feeling much better. “It’s great when you can bring immediate help to people. Sometimes we have to treat people over the long term, but in any case it’s great to see people smile and get back to their old self again. It really makes the job worthwhile.”

Dr. Cournoyer has great respect for the people he works with everyday at Reliant Medical Group. “We have a great group here in Podiatry, from our nurses and staff to each of our physicians. We are also lucky to work with so many other Reliant Medical Group specialists in handling patient problems. It really makes a difference when you can depend on great people everyday.”