- Petoskey Office
1414 Kilborn
Petoskey, MI 49770
231.347.5111 - Cheboygan Office
123 North Main
Cheboygan, MI 49721
231.627.2620
Welcome to Petoskey
Family Foot Care
Foot and Ankle Pain
Dear patients and colleagues,
After 37 years of practicing podiatric medicine in Northern Michigan, the time has come for me to retire.
As I reflect on this journey, I am filled with gratitude. What began as the dream of building a small medical practice became a lifetime of caring for a remarkable community. Over the years, I have had the privilege of treating not only individuals, but entire families. Those lasting relationships have been the true foundation of this practice and the greatest reward of my career.
This decision was not an easy one. When I began my practice in 1989 with my wife, Lauren by my side, I could never have imagined how deeply connected we would become to this community. Every patient entrusted me with more than their care; they entrusted me with a part of their life. I have never taken that responsibility for granted. I would like to thank each of you for your confidence and your loyalty.
I will be retiring on September 1, 2026 and my patient medical records will be maintained in accordance with Michigan Law. If you wish to obtain a copy of your current records or have them forwarded to another healthcare provider, please contact our office at (231) 347-5111 or submit a written authorization. Information regarding record requests after the office closes will be available by calling our office.
Thank you for allowing me to be your podiatrist. It has truly been the honor of a lifetime.
With sincere gratitude,
Being well prepared for your appointment will ensure that the doctor has all of the needed information to provide the best possible foot and ankle care for you. It will also help relieve any unnecessary anxiety you may be feeling. Educate yourself on your symptoms by reviewing the content on this website. We look forward to your first visit.
We specialize in the medical and surgical treatment of foot and ankle conditions, such as:
A bunion (also referred to as hallux valgus or hallux abducto valgus) is often described as a bump on the side of the big toe. But a bunion is more than that. The visible bump actually reflects changes in the bony framework of the front part of the foot.
Heel pain is most often caused by plantar fasciitis, a condition that is sometimes also called heel spur syndrome when a spur is present. Heel pain may also be due to other causes, such as a stress fracture, tendonitis, arthritis, nerve irritation, or, rarely, a cyst.
Ingrown toenails are due to the penetration of the edges of the nail plate into the soft tissue of the toe. It begins with a painful irritation that often becomes infected.
Corns and calluses are areas of thick skin that result from excessive pressure or friction over a boney prominence. When these areas develop on the bottom of the foot they are called calluses.
A hammertoe is a contracture (bending) of one or both joints of the second, third, fourth, or fifth (little) toes. This abnormal bending can put pressure on the toe when wearing shoes, causing problems to develop.
A neuroma is a thickening of nerve tissue that may develop in various parts of the body. The most common neuroma in the foot is a Morton's neuroma, which occurs between the third and fourth toes. It is sometimes referred to as an intermetatarsal neuroma.
A prescription foot orthosis is an in-shoe brace which is designed to correct for abnormal foot and lower extremity function (the lower extremity includes the foot, ankle, leg, knee, thigh and hip).
The common wart is known as verruca vulgaris. They are caused by a viral infection of the skin. This occurs as a result of direct contact with the virus. Plantar warts do not spread through the blood stream. They occur more commonly in children than adults.
I have been to several Doctors about my hammer toe and other arthritic foot pain. Dr. Alessi helped me more than any of them. He gives good advice and is extremely personable. He is the best in the Petoskey area.
Dr Alessi has been treating me for the last 3 months at the wound care center at Hackettstown Hospital he saved my life and my foot his bedside manner is fabulous he fixed me in 8 weeks as to where another Dr could not do in 9 months and his staff is attentive and wonderful.
Dr. Alessi has treated myself and my 2 daughters. He has a great bed side manner and is spot on with treatment. I had an awful ankle injury and he got me back to being a competitive bowler in the exact time he said. My daughters have seen him and he has helped them get back to softball as anticipated. I recommend him to everyone I know. Great staff as well
Dr. Alessi made time for my son at the end of a normal workday so he could be seen and had a great bedside manner. He took his time and explained everything along the way.
I had a really bad ingrown toe nail that I was dealing with for months. Dr. Alessi didn't waste any time getting it fixed up for me, procedure was fast and painless. I like that he is having me follow up with him to be sure that the healing is going as it should. He also said he is trying his best to get as many patients in to be seen without a super long wait time which is really nice of him, I feel like most Dr. offices don't care how long you have to wait and suffer to receive their services so it was nice to hear that he was trying to make this happen. Highly recommend!
Dr. Alessi determined right away that my foot was broken - I had been to two other doctors over a period of many weeks who took x-rays and told me nothing, so I kept walking on it and harming it further. Dr. asked pertinent questions about my overall health and last annual exam. I wish he was my Primary Care Physician! He takes his time and truly listens and takes into consideration how the the whole body is functioning- he doesn't just treat symptoms!
I've been going to Dr. Alessi for several years as I have chronic foot problems due to an underlying autoimmune disease. This is a doctor who cares about you like doctors did years ago. He sees the person and your pain and treats you quickly and compassionately.
Great and very caring understand. Dr. Alessi puts his patients first.