The new season of TLC’s hit show, “My Feet are Killing Me,” with Dr. Ebonie Vincent premiered on May 4. The Los Angeles Sentinel had an exclusive interview with the medical expert and she provided detailed steps through her journey as a podiatric physician.
Season four of “My Feet Are Killing Me” will have present severe medical issues. Dr. Brad Schaeffer, Dr. Ebonie Vincent, and Dr. Sarah Haller are met with the most challenging cases, such as a foot that “looks like a big volcano, bubbling over about ready to erupt,”
The pilot episode introduced cases such as a woman walking on a broken tibia for 10 years, bunions that prevent another woman from running again, and a man who experienced severe foot problems after having his big toe transplanted to his hand.
Other unexpected issues will arise throughout the series – the doctors face a woman whose feet grew horns, sisters that suffer from different foot fungi, and a man whose foot is shaped like a hobbit’s foot.
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Here is the following conversation that the L.A. Sentinel had with Dr. Vincent:
L.A. Sentinel: As a doctor that specializes in feet, what are your favorite shoes?
Ebonie Vincent: My favorite shoes are ASICS tennis shoes. It’s what I wear to work most days. If in a casual style that’s dressier, I love a good pair of Vionic shoes because of the style and comfort. I do occasionally wear heels and when I do, I like the heels high and the shoes flashy.
LAS: What was your ultimate dream growing up?
EV: My ultimate dream as a child was to either be a doctor–like Doctor Quinn, Medicine Woman – because of the adventures she had and her ability to help people or to be a singer on stage and perform. The former dream was a more realistic one as it turns out (smile).
LAS: As someone who specializes in podiatric medicine, what was the hardest part to learn about this practice?
EV: The hardest part to learn about practicing podiatry is that you can meet people with the same conditions or variations of the same conditions and treat them very differently based on the needs of the individual patient. There is definitely hard science to the procedures we have to do, but the practice of medicine requires experience to be able to treat a variety of people and cater to their needs as individuals.
LAS: What excites you about this medical field?
EV: I get excited about being able to help people on a daily basis. As a podiatrist, I do get daily satisfaction in that. I can help a lot of people feel better with just one office visit! It excites me that I can be a vital part of someone’s life and really help change it for the better by helping them get back on their feet.
LAS: Do you know all the bones in the foot?
EV: Yes! As a podiatrist, you have to have a solid foundation and extensive knowledge of the foot and ankle. That is why we are the experts!
LAS: What are related critical statistics related to the Black community? Are there foot injuries or diseases that are highly impact Black and Brown Communities? If so, which ones.
EV: Yes. The Black community suffers greatly from diabetes. Diabetes has very negative effects on your feet and Black people are four times as likely to get a limb amputation than hite people. As a community we need to have more awareness and better preventative measures to decrease the number of people that suffer from diabetes. We also need more education and access to health care and specialists to treat these conditions.