The doctor-visit prep tool
Don't walk out having forgotten the important stuff.
A printable one-pager for men over 40. 31 items across 5 sections: what to bring, how to describe what you're feeling, which symptom-specific things to raise, questions worth asking, and how to leave the visit with a real plan.
Read through the checklist. Mark the items that apply to your situation. Print the page and bring it to your appointment. The boxes give you something to reference during the visit so you don't lose the thread when the podiatrist starts asking questions.
Bring this with you
- The two pairs of shoes you wear most days (yes, actually bring them)
- A list of everything you've tried already, and whether it helped or didn't
- Names + doses of any current medications, including OTC and supplements
- Notes on when symptoms started, what makes them worse, what makes them better
- Your assessment results from menssolerevival.com/assessment, if you took it
- This page, printed, with your relevant items checked off
How to describe what you're feeling
- Where it hurts (heel, arch, ball, big toe, top of foot, back of ankle)
- When it hurts (first steps in the morning, end of day, during activity, after)
- What kind of pain (sharp, burning, aching, throbbing, tight, pins-and-needles)
- How long it's been going on (weeks, months, years)
- How severe on a 1-10 scale, and how it's changed over time
- What makes it worse (specific activities, footwear, standing, weather)
- What makes it better (rest, ice, stretch, particular shoes)
Symptom-specific talking points
- Nails — visible change (color, thickness, lifting) for at least a few months.
- Skin & heels — where it is, how long, how severe, what you've tried.
- Pain — when it hurts, where it hurts, what eases it, what makes it worse.
- Alignment — visible toe drift, which toes, how long, whether it's getting worse.
- Footwear — what you wear most days, what hurts, what you're considering changing.
- Interpretive uncertainty — items you can't tell if they apply to you, that you want help interpreting in person.
Questions worth asking
- What's the specific diagnosis, in plain language?
- What's the first-line treatment, and how long before I should expect to notice a change?
- If the first-line treatment doesn't work, what's the second option?
- Are there specific exercises or stretches I should do at home?
- What footwear features should I look for or avoid?
- What should I watch for that would mean I need to come back sooner?
- Are there imaging or lab tests worth doing now, or is that a later step?
- How often should I be seen for this going forward?
Before you leave
- Repeat back the diagnosis and plan in your own words, and ask if that's right.
- Get the plan in writing (or ask the front desk for the visit summary).
- Ask what to do if the plan doesn't work by the follow-up date.
- Book the follow-up before you leave the office.
While you're here.
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Men's Sole Revival · menssolerevival.com/doctor-prep
This is a preparation guide, not medical advice. Your podiatrist's judgment supersedes anything on this page.