Your First Step Towards Quality Foot and Ankle Care

SRO’s Foot and Ankle Program is your FIRST CHOICE treatment program, caring for the foot and ankle no matter how common or complex. We provide a comprehensive array of treatment alternatives covering nonsurgical as well as surgical methods to overcome a patient’s pain and lost function. Take that first step towards better foot and ankle health and give us a call today.

A Comprehensive Approach to Foot and Ankle Wellness

Santa Rosa Orthopaedic Group (SRO) is home to the North Bay’s premier Foot and Ankle Program, the only program of its kind in California, North of San Francisco. We serve both patients and referring physicians by providing a complete, balanced approach to the treatment of foot and ankle disorders. The SRO Foot and Ankle Program features:

• A board-certified orthopaedic surgeon with a fellowship in foot and ankle disorders
• A physical therapy staff dedicated to foot and ankle treatment and education
• A state-of-the-art,10,000 square-foot rehabilitation facility
• Innovative pain management options
• Integrated electronic patient records
• On-site x-ray and MRI services
• Personalized treatment strategies, reviewed weekly by an orthopaedic surgeon and physical therapists
• Casting or splinting
• Aspiration or injection
• Coordination of care with other services
• State-of-the-art, custom-fit orthotics

The combined knowledge and skills of multiple orthopaedic disciplines at SRO delivers an unprecedented level of patient care.

Keeping One Step Ahead

The Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Program at SRO provides state-of-the-art care for all types of problems related to the foot and ankle. This includes but is not limited to trauma of the foot and post-traumatic reconstruction of the foot and ankle; foot deformities related to neuromuscular, arthritic and congenital conditions; tendon injuries of the hind foot and ankle; sports-related injuries; and foot complications of diabetes mellitus.

Foot and ankle injuries are common in people across a range of lifestyles from top-performing athletes to sedentary individuals. In fact, 75 percent of Americans will experience some type of foot problem in their lifetime. Each year in the U.S., an estimated two million people are treated by orthopaedists for ankle injuries alone. Injuries that are not recognized or are improperly addressed can lead to significant functional disability. This may affect quality of life and in some cases impact one’s ability to accomplish everyday tasks.

Our medical team at SRO’s Foot and Ankle Program emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive evaluation in order to develop a proper diagnosis. Then we use the latest treatments and surgical techniques to restore function and relieve pain. We invite you to come and see what makes our patients so satisfied with their care.

Getting You Back on Your Feet

Dr. Schakel is the director of Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital’s Foot and Ankle Trauma Service. He has extensive experience in treating problems of the foot and ankle, including reconstructive, traumatic, sports-related and congenital problems. He has treated patients of all ages, walks of life and activity levels, including high school and college athletes.

Dr. Mark Schakel is a boardcertified orthopaedic surgeon specializing in problems of the foot and ankle and other orthopaedic and sports medicine injuries. He graduated with distinction from Iowa State University and received his medical school training at the University of Iowa College of Medicine, graduating in 1981.

In college, Dr. Schakel was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Societies and in medical school was elected a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society.
Upon completing medical school, Dr. Schakel served his surgical internship and his orthopaedic residency training at the University of Florida College of Medicine. During his final year he served as a clinical instructor. Dr. Schakel received his fellowship training in foot and ankle surgery from Dr. Roger Mann, a worldrenowned orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeon. He was also a visiting foot and ankle fellow at the University of Washington.

Dr. Schakel has presented numerous papers at national orthopaedic conferences and has taught orthopaedic foot and ankle courses. He has published articles in many orthopaedic journals and books, and serves as an online editor for the book: Surgery of the Foot.

As an orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Schakel treats problems of the foot, ankle, knee, shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand. He has further expertise and training in treatment of problems with the foot and ankle. Dr. Schakel is the only fellowship-trained orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeon in Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Lake and Humboldt counties.