Dr. Calcagni’s parents began vacationing in the area in the early ’90s. He laughs, “I always wanted to move here, but they thought no one lived here year-round. In medical school, I remember being told to move where you want to live, then figure the rest out.” That’s what he did.

Of Italian descent, Dr. Calcagni’s surname means “heel” when translated, and his mother’s maiden name is Naples. Add to the fact that there are nine doctors on her side of the family and it’s easy to see how his stars aligned. 

Since 2009, Dr. Calcagni has been practicing medicine in Southwest Florida with a family focus—at home and in the office. He says, “Our patients are part of our family.” 

Treating Patients Like Family

Both Bozana Vujovic and Gennaro Casale have experienced that family-feel first hand. Vujovic says “He (Dr. Calcagni) and his staff could not have been nicer when I needed surgery. They went out of their way to get me in, and make sure I had everything I needed when I came out.”

Vujovic had a number of problems with her feet including bunions, arthritis, and a hammertoe that was keeping her from finding shoes that fit comfortably. She says, “I had heard horror stories about foot surgery. But when I finally got up the courage to go and see about it, Dr. Calcagni put me at ease.”

Getting Treatment

“I fused her toe,” says Dr. Calacagni, “However, I want to stress that a lot of people who come in with hammertoes don’t need surgery.” That’s because toes are flexible and can be straightened by a simple in-office procedure.

He explains, “I can numb the area and cut the tendon. There is no downtime. Patients that experience this minimally invasive procedure are super happy with it. There are alternatives to surgery.” 

In Casale’s case, he had been suffering for months with a non-healing foot ulcer on his toe due to his diabetes. In addition, his legs were discolored and leaking. Dr. Calgni recalls, “His doctors up north were having trouble successfully treating his toe ulcer. We were able to get things healed in three weeks.”

The process involved using proper bandages, compression stockings, a lymphedema pump for his legs, and skin grafts.

Casale says, “Once I got the skin grafts I was back to normal in a couple of weeks. Dr. Calcagni did a great job. He is very smart and has a good temperament. He talks to you and gives you his time.”

For diabetic patients like Casale, Medicare covers the cost of a yearly podiatric visit along with special shoes and inserts to help prevent problems such as ulcers that could eventually lead to the loss of a toe or foot.

Seeing Success

Vujovic and Casale’s stories are just two examples of the wide range of foot and ankle success stories at the hands of Dr. Calcagni. His practice runs the gamut from performing foot and ankle surgeries, treating toenail fungus with lasers, to a procedure that can eliminate ingrown toenails permanently, as well as pediatrics and sports medicine.

A former football player at Oklahoma State University, he understands sports injuries, and the desire for patients to get back to their game as quickly as possible. Ankle sprains are a common injury and severe sprains can sideline athletes for an extended period of time.

However, Dr. Calcagni says, “I perform a lot of ankle repairs using scopes and special implants that can have patients moving normally in two weeks rather than six to eight weeks.” Instead of sacrificing a ligament or tendon, he is able to use a special fiber wire that speeds recovery quite remarkably.

Stem cell therapy also aids in healing and recovery from injuries and surgery; Dr. Calcagni is one of the few podiatrists in Southwest Florida to use it. Stem cell therapy also eases pain from chronic problems such as arthritis of the foot and ankle, Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis and more.

Biomechanics

Plantar fasciitis, another common problem for Dr. Calcagni’s patients, can often be solved in just a couple of visits through any combination of stretching, injections, and professionally fitted shoe inserts called orthotics.

“Problems with feet start with the biomechanics of how you walk and how the foot is shaped. Custom molded orthotics help correct problems and keep conditions such as plantar fasciitis from coming back.”

Orthotics are not just for adults with foot pain but they’re also a part of his growing pediatrics practice. “Most of the children I see with foot pain have biomechanical problems that can be addressed with the help of inserts,” says Dr. Calcagni. 

If a parent has flat feet, bunions, hammertoes, or arthritis, it’s likely that their children will develop these problems as well, according to the podiatrist. “Having children properly fitted for orthotics can help prevent them from developing more serious problems as they get older,” he says.

If you or your child is experiencing foot pain, or have an injury to the foot or ankle, call Dr. Calcagni for an appointment. Casale says, “He’s one of the best doctors I’ve seen in my life.”

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Foot & Ankle Surgery • Diabetic Foot Care • Wound Care • Sports Injuries • Laser Therapy • Stem Cell Therapy • Pediatric Care

CoastalFootCare.com  |  

1205 Piper Blvd #102, Naples
(239) 596-7024

*Every patient is different, and individual results will vary.