We hope if you have an ankle or foot problem, you can talk to us.
Patient Information
You may have a few questions about your condition and potential treatments available to you. You can see below information about some of the conditions we treat and also some practical advice should you be coming in for treatment or surgery as a private patient.
Ankle Arthritis
Ankle arthritis is usually secondary to trauma, rheumatoid arthritis, instability, psoriasis, infection, primary.
Hindfoot Arthritis
Hindfoot arthritis is not uncommon and can affect one or more joints at the back of the foot eg. subtalar, talonavicular, calcaneocuboid or a combination.
Scarf Akin for Bunion Surgery
A bunion is a painful enlargement at the joint of the big toe with deformity. The skin over the joint becomes swollen and is often quite tender.
Morton's Neuroma
Morton’s neuroma is a cause of a painful forefoot, which is not related to an outward deformity of the foot. It is a swelling of the nerve.
General Postoperative Care
If you are in a bandage you are allowed to weight bear the following day from surgery in a postoperative shoe. The dressing is changed between 10 and 14 days from surgery. If there are any problems you should contact the clinic for advice.
If you are in a backslab (a half plaster) you will be non weight bearing, this will be removed or changed to a full cast between 10 to 14 days.
While in cast you will have been informed about DVT thromboprophylaxis (clot prevention) and be on blood thinning medication.
Dressings and casts should not get wet while showering and appropriately protection can be purchased online.
For example
Postoperative Pain Relief
All foot and ankle surgery is sore. Pain relief is essential.
The majority of surgery is carried out under general anaesthesia, but some procedures are performed under local or regional anaesthesia.
Regional anaesthesia is typically a spinal block where an injection into the back numbs the lower limbs.
During the anaesthetic the anaesthetist will usually supplement your pain relief with a nerve block which involves injecting local anaesthetic near the nerves in the leg. The aim of the nerve block is to reduce pain postoperatively for a longer period of time.
Postoperatively it is essential to take regular pain killers, various different medications will be used. Initially you will be given painkillers when you are not sore in the immediate postoperative period, this is to ensure there is a background level of analgesia for when the nerve block and local anaesthetic wears off.
NSAID’s (anti inflammatory tablets) are generally avoided if bone healing is essential.
Conservative treatment
Many patients with a foot and ankle problem are cured without surgery. There are some conditions which can only be treated by surgical intervention.
After assessment the majority of patients are offered non operative treatment and only if this fails is surgery offered.
Conservative treatment does not mean that nothing is done, other interventions are used i.e.
- Physiotherapy
- Orthotics
- Injections
- Rest
- NSAID’s
- Gait assessment
Useful Links
Ankle and Foot professional solutions limited
We offer all kinds of answers to simple and the more complicated aches, pains and injuries you may be experiencing.
0044 (0)75 6113 2980
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028 90 687444
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