PROVIDER Q&A
Mario Pacada, D.P.M. keeps you on your toes
Your feet contain one-quarter of all the bones in your body. Each foot has 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments, and 19 muscles. No wonder they need a specialist!
Name?
Mario Antonio Pacada, D.P.M.
What drew you to medicine?
I wanted to be a doctor since I was a child. A few years ago, I reconnected with my third-grade teacher. She told me that I was excited about medicine even then.
So your first job was in a hospital?
Not quite. In high school, I washed the cars at a dealership. One of my duties was driving new cars to a second lot across town. Looking back, they were crazy to give a 17-year-old boy the keys to a brand new, fully loaded Datsun 280Z. I always took the longest route to the lot.
What was your first job in health care?
When I joined the Army, I became a physical therapy technician after an intensive seven-month course. I was based in San Antonio, Texas and helped both soldiers and civilians recover from injuries.
After I was discharged, I went to George State University, then to the Dr. William S. Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine in Chicago. I stayed in Chicago for my podiatric residency at St. Bernard Hospital.
How did you happen to join HMF?
Dr. Futenma and I met at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, where we both completed the podiatric surgical residency. I then went to work at a practice in Long Beach. When HMF needed a second podiatrist, she called me.
What about your interest in sports medicine?
My sports medicine fellowship with John Pagliano, D.P.M was a great experience. He’s long been the "go-to guy" for marathoners and competitive athletes. The patients we saw had a different mindset than the weekend athlete. They were highly motivated to recover from injuries and resume training.
Do you treat a lot of athletes at HMF?
I see athletes at all levels, including children who play league sports. Kids will really push themselves on the field, but they are prone to injury because their bones don’t fully fuse until their early teens. Sports medicine for children is becoming an important niche for me.
Of course, I treat patients with everyday foot problems as well. If the only game you play is Sudoko, that’s okay!
How do you stay in shape?
I’ve done intensive fitness "boot camp" programs, but now I follow my own regimen, which includes getting up at 6 a.m. and running up Signal Hill in Long Beach.
6 a.m.?
Yes, working out first thing in the morning starts the day on a positive note. When your patients are athletes, so it’s important to "walk the walk." That’s why I ran the San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon a few years back.
What was that like?
I started training six months prior to the race. I ran the 26 miles in 4 hours and 50 minutes. Okay for a first-timer!
Do you play sports?
I used to play baseball, but then my wife, Nicole, and I had three children. Now I’m a coach. Coaching baseball was easy. When I was recruited for soccer, I had to watch instructional DVDs to learn the game!