June 4, 2026

Dr. Naz on Foot Pain Misdiagnoses, Orthotics, and Building a Concierge Podiatry Practice in Santa Barbara

Show Notes

Nurse Sophie Mengele interviews her friend Dr. Naz, a board-certified podiatrist with surgical residency training in Kansas City and a minimally invasive surgery and limb reconstruction fellowship at Emory, now running a small concierge podiatry practice in Santa Barbara and working for a local nonprofit. Dr. Naz explains she is currently nonsurgical and often provides second opinions, post-surgery guidance, and alternatives for active patients who want to avoid downtime. They discuss common misdiagnoses, including heel pain labeled as plantar fasciitis that may be posterior tibial tendonitis, suspected nail fungus that often requires biopsy and testing, and “warts” that can be painful porokeratosis related to pressure and biomechanics. Dr. Naz shares pedicure safety considerations, benefits and candidacy for custom orthotics, and her COVID-era move to Santa Barbara, including the sacrifices made to start and grow her practice.

00:00 Meet Dr Naz

01:29 Her Podiatry Journey

02:53 Residency And Fellowship

03:59 Santa Barbara Practice

04:33 Second Opinions Not Surgery

07:35 Common Misdiagnosis Heel Pain

11:25 Nail Fungus Or Not

13:07 Pedicure Safety Tips

15:37 Nail Salon UV Talk

15:58 Warts Or Callus

16:57 Spotting The Difference

17:27 Pressure And Biomechanics