Hello friends!

Fall is officially in the air here in Fort Mill and across the Carolinas! This means brisk morning runs, youth sports seasons reaching their peak, and those beautiful fall leaves turning colors. October has flown by, and November is right around the corner!

Anyone who has ever built a house, renovated a kitchen, or launched a business knows one universal truth: construction and regulatory approvals run on their own clock.

Over the past few months, our entire team has been working around the clock to bring the new SmartStep Foot and Ankle clinic to life. We’ve been in planning meetings, installing state-of-the-art equipment, finalizing clinical workflows, and working through inspections and permitting.

There were moments when we hoped to have our doors open earlier in the month, but we knew that cutting corners to hit an arbitrary date wasn't the right move.

Delivering premier, comprehensive podiatric medicine to Fort Mill, Tega Cay, Rock Hill, and our surrounding communities means getting every detail right from day one.

We are thrilled to share that the wait is practically over! SmartStep Foot and Ankle will officially open our doors for patient appointments on November 13th, 2026.

We’ll be sending out more information to our patients and supporters in the coming weeks as we get ready to open our doors to serve you.

Our brand-new clinic is located at 342 Patricia Ln, Ste 102 in Fort Mill, SC, and we cannot wait to welcome you into our new medical home!

One of our core goals with opening our practice in Fort Mill is embedding ourselves into the local community and supporting active, healthy lifestyles for the next generation.

That’s why SmartStep Foot and Ankle was proud to be an official sponsor of the Healthy Kids Running Series in Fort Mill this fall!

Even better, our two youngest daughters participated as runners in the series!

Watching them lace up their sneakers, get outside, build confidence, and cross the finish line with huge smiles was the absolute highlight of our month.

Programs like this show kids that staying active is fun, social, and rewarding.

As the weather cools down and daylight hours shrink, we naturally spend more time indoors.

But if you’ve recently started noticing a sharp, stabbing ache in your heel when stepping out of bed or walking around your home barefoot, your flooring might be the culprit.

Hardwood, tile, and concrete slab foundations offer zero shock absorption. Walking barefoot or in unsupportive slippers across hard indoor surfaces forces the plantar fascia to absorb the full impact of every step:

In our latest blog post, we break down the biomechanics of hard surfaces and give you a simple game plan to stop foot pain in its tracks.

👉 [Read the Full Blog: Why Hard Floors Trigger Deep Heel Pain in Active Adults]

Don't let foot pain, sports injuries, or chronic heel stiffness slow down your fall routine. SmartStep Foot and Ankle is your partner for personalized podiatry care!

Thank you all for your encouragement and patience as we built this practice for you. We look forward to seeing you in the office very soon!

Dr. Thurmond Lanier, DPM, MPH, FACFAS
SmartStep Foot and Ankle
Fort Mill, SC