By John Kriz
Land on your feet. Foot in the door. Find your footing. Why are there are so many idioms about feet? Just ask anyone: Foot and ankle health are important. And their well-being is the focus of Jennifer Tauber DPM.
Dr. Tauber has been a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine for about twenty years. A graduate of Manhattan College and the New York College of Podiatric Medicine on a scholarship, with a residency at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx, she knew she wanted to be in medicine. However, “I wanted to specialize.” Why podiatry? Says Dr. Tauber, “For me, it looked like a good profession.” She also notes, “I wanted a family and wanted that work/life balance.”
Starting Her Practice
Dr. Tauber spent most of her youth in Wilton. A mother of two daughters, one at New Canaan High School and the other at University of Virginia, she has lived in New Canaan since 2002, with the town’s excellent school system being a big draw. Prior to opening her solo practice here in 2018 she worked in another podiatrist’s office in Bethel. However, with growing, increasingly active daughters, that commute became a challenge. Plus, “there’s a huge loyalty in New Canaan” that helps drive patients to her. In addition, New Canaan has a different demographic than Bethel. “In New Canaan, I can perform more cosmetic procedures such as spider veins, hair removal and medical pedicures,” notes Dr. Tauber. There’s a “need to think outside the box in this day and age if you want to make a living.”
When she started in New Canaan, Dr. Tauber says she “went around to all the doctors in town and introduced myself.” She also spoke at local senior centers, held an open house, and lauds that the New Canaan Chamber of Commerce (of which she is now a board member) was “awesome” in helping her get her practice off the ground. Then COVID came and “COVID hit me really hard, especially as a new practice.” She was closed only two weeks, but business was slow to pick back up. Today, however, Dr. Tauber is the only podiatrist in New Canaan and has a stable practice, often seeing twenty-five patients/day. Her biggest referral source is word of mouth, with recommendations on ‘New Canaan Moms’ being a strong patient generator, as are Google reviews.
As to why she has a solo practice, when so many physicians are in big groups or employed by hospitals, she notes, “I wanted to run my practice a certain way, calling the shots, making the decisions.” While being your own boss has its perks, there are burdens as well. Dr. Tauber laments that she has the “same challenges as running any small business. Paying your rent, paying your electric bill.”
Services Performed
So what do podiatrists do? At Dr. Tauber’s office, lots.
“There’s a gazillion things that can go wrong between your toes and ankle,” says Dr. Tauber. “It makes for an interesting day.” She emphasizes that “many systemic health issues can present in the feet, so you need to know the whole body.” This holistic — treat the patient, not just the ailment – philosophy drives the care she provides.
Some of the main ailments Dr. Tauber treats in her welcoming office include “lots of heel pain,” much of it from plantar fasciitis, which is often caused by overuse and improper shoes. She also sees many cases of ingrown or infected toenails, caused by picking at nails (which can, in turn, cause infection), badly done nail trimming, stubbed toes or improper shoes.
Services offered include treatment for nail care and fungus, warts and bunions, plantar fasciitis, diabetic foot care, and sports injuries. She’s especially fond of sports medicine. “I like to get them back on the field, doing what they love.” Dr. Tauber can take x-rays, has an ultrasound to diagnose vascular health, performs ankle sprain treatments, and can make orthotics for people to help with biomechanical issues, such as runners with heel pain. She also sells foot care products to help with fungal infections, dry skin and shoe odor. She accepts most health insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid.
Dr. Tauber also has a nail technician on staff who provides medical pedicures, which are comprehensive spa treatments for the feet, including milk bath soaks, exfoliation, callus removal, massage and paraffin. Cleanliness for these pedicures is kept at a surgical level, so risks of getting a fungal or other infection are minimized.
Shoes!
“Most people don’t wear the right shoes,” she emphasizes, which is a major cause of foot and ankle problems. “Any shoe you can twist is not the right shoe.” Don’t get her started on flip-flops. Dr. Tauber recommends that your shoes should be sturdy and have a bit of a heel or wedge – no ballet flats. “A heel gives your foot a natural arch,” and this “neutralizes the pressure on the bottom of the foot.” Also, shoes with laces are preferred to slip-ons because tied shoes are more adjustable. “Many shoe stores don’t measure anymore, so many people are wearing the wrong shoe size.” As well, people buy shoes online. And Stilettos? Yikes!
Why New Canaan
Dr. Tauber enjoys being in New Canaan, which she describes as a “big town with a small town feel.” She also likes having an office on Cherry Street, with ample, easy parking. It’s “in town but not in town.”
“It’s not just nails, corns and calluses” in podiatry, concludes Dr. Tauber. It’s comprehensive foot and ankle care. Alleviating pain. Supporting mobility. And educating patients. So before you put a foot wrong, you might want Dr. Tauber to check you out first.
John J. Kriz is a 30+ year resident of New Canaan. The opinions expressed are his own.
