Dr. Michele Kraft is a top-rated podiatrist offering effective, sustainable treatments for foot and ankle care at Toes on the Go in Carmel, CA. Dr. Kraft is the patient’s advocate and specializes in sports medicine of the feet, offering solutions for maintaining an active lifestyle. After 30 years of being a podiatrist, and being active in golf and tennis, she understands the value of designing custom orthotics that fit the mechanics of each sport or hobby. Her passion is serving her patients with educational and functional alternatives to help keep their “toes on the go”. She has treated professional athletes, amateurs, seniors and children in tennis, golf, football, soccer, and was the team podiatrist for local ballet and roller derby teams in Santa Cruz. Her focus is on preventative, regenerative, natural and holistic medicine to treat existing foot conditions and prevent foot problems before they occur. Dr. Kraft also devotes time to guest speaking for injury prevention to marathoners, walkers, and golf and tennis league players. No two feet are alike, and walking on hard surfaces for many miles during a lifetime can take their toll on the structure of the feet. Her philosophy of treating patients is first “do no harm” and collaboration with other healthcare providers as a team approach for healthy living.

A graduate of the California College of Podiatric Medicine, Dr. Kraft holds appointments as a Diplomate of the American Board of Podiatric Surgery and as a Board Examiner for the California State Board of Podiatric Medicine.

Dr. Kraft treats patients of all ages and specializes in those with an active and athletic lifestyle. She emphasizes the importance of wearing proper fitting shoes for everyday wear and choosing the correct type of shoes for each activity and sport. She also advocates the use of custom-made orthotics when needed to provide comfort and support for specific foot problems. Dr. Kraft treats a wide variety of foot conditions including bunions, calluses, heel pain, ingrown toenails, plantar fasciitis, warts, and toenail fungus. A strong proponent of personalized, compassionate care for her patients, Dr. Kraft addresses each patient’s unique concerns when designing a treatment plan. She offers aesthetic, healthy, medical-grade nail solutions to unsightly or diseased nails. Many patients are embarrassed to show their feet in public, and even wearing open-toed sandals can be a challenge. Dr. Kraft offers treatments that can help cover unsightly nails while medical treatment is being used longer term to treat an underlying condition. In addition, Dr. Kraft offers treatments for dry, cracked skin and calluses on the heels and balls of the feet, to help transform into summer-sexy feet all year long!

As a civic-minded person who likes to give back to society, Dr. Kraft volunteers as a bi-annual speaker with the Leukemia Society and serves as a Big Sister with the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Organization. She’s a member of a philanthropic physician’s group known as the Pteron Society and is a past board member of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. In her spare time, Dr. Kraft enjoys tennis, traveling, photography, oil painting, mosaic tiling, and gardening. She’s a fan of organic living, walks on the beach, indie films, and the local theaters, ballet, and restaurants.

Dr. Michele Kraft became licensed to practice podiatry in 1987, and has been passionate about her profession ever since. She graduated from high school and medical school with honors, and spent one year at LA/USC County Hospital in Los Angeles, and one year at Buena Park Community Hospital in Orange County, CA, surgically trained for ankle and foot reconstruction. While in medical school, she tutored other medical students in anatomy and physiology. Her decision to become a podiatrist happened after injuring her feet while playing tennis for Arizona State University. She was treated by a local podiatrist, then decided to volunteer for this doctor, and the rest is history!

She began her podiatry practice with Stockdale Podiatry Group in Bakersfield, CA in 1988, and treated patients there for ten years before moving to Santa Cruz, CA to practice podiatry. After many years of reconstructive surgery, she decided to change her practice model to more conservative, holistic care. She has specialized in helping the injured athlete as well as offering preventative tips to keep athletes on their toes.

In her spare time, she enjoys playing tennis and golf, hiking with her Australian Shepard named Bailey, and reading. She is a supporter of the Sunset Center, NAMI of Monterey County, and volunteers with some local non-profits to promote education of our youth. She also enjoys cooking and likes to share her dishes with families in need in her community.