Foot & ankle surgery

At The London Independent Hospital, you can receive a consultation with one of our foot and ankle surgery specialists within 48 hours of booking your appointment. You can arrange a consultation with a specialist by making an online enquiry, booking online or calling a member of our team directly.

At your consultation at The London Independent Hospital, our foot and ankle surgery specialists will first perform a physical assessment to establish the cause of your symptoms.

After a diagnosis has been confirmed, you might be offered pain relief medication or steroid injections to alleviate your symptoms. Your Orthopaedic Surgeon will also work with a Physiotherapist at The London Independent Hospital to relieve pain and encourage movement in your foot or ankle. However, if these initial treatment options do not improve your symptoms, your Orthopaedic Consultant could advise having foot or ankle surgery.

We perform a wide variety of surgeries for foot and ankle conditions, some examples are shown below.

Forefoot surgery cost starting from £6,290*

Foot surgery allows your feet to be surgically corrected to improve movement and relieve pain. The type of surgery that you have will depend on your diagnosis. Your surgery could involve surgically placing the joints in your feet back into their correct position, straightening your toe or changing the shape of a bone in your foot.

Bunion surgery starting from £4,956*

Bunion surgery is an operation to remove a bony lump on the side of your foot called a bunion. Your bunion surgery could also involve releasing or tightening any ligaments (tissue that attaches one bone to another) in your foot, realigning the bones in your big toe and straightening one or more of your toes. At The London Independent Hospital, your Orthopaedic Surgeon will explain what your operation will involve.

Toe amputation surgery starting from £2,396*

If you have a bone infection in your toe or severe toe deformity where it is not possible to surgically straighten your toes, your Orthopaedic Surgeon might suggest toe amputation surgery. This could involve surgically removing one or more toes and debriding (removing) any affected tissue. If you require toe amputation surgery, your Surgeon will provide you with more information about what will happen during this operation and whether a prosthetic toe could be offered following your surgery.

Toe surgery (bone fusion) cost £2,624*

Toe fusion surgery can be used to treat hallux rigidus, a condition where your first metatarsophalangeal joint (the joint in your big toe) becomes damaged due to arthritis. Toe fusion surgery can relieve pain from hallux rigidus by stiffening this joint. It can also be performed to treat rheumatoid arthritis in your feet.

During your toe fusion surgery, your Orthopaedic Surgeon will create an incision (around 5cm) at the top of your big toe. Your Surgeon at The London Independent Hospital will then remove the damaged cartilage in the surface of your first metatarsophalangeal joint and trim any bony lumps around this joint. Your first metatarsal (the long bone in your forefoot) and proximal phalanx (big toe bone) are placed into their correct position and secured together with screws. A metal plate could also be used to fix these bones together.

Ankle arthroscopy starting from £6,077*

An ankle arthroscopy is a keyhole operation, whereby a few small incisions (about 1cm) are made at the front or back of your ankle to enable an arthroscope (a thin tube with a camera) to be passed into one of these incisions. This allows your Orthopaedic Surgeon to view the inside of your ankle on a video monitor.

An ankle arthroscopy can be used to diagnose arthritis or damage to the structures inside your ankle, for example your ligaments or joint surfaces. In addition to diagnosing your symptoms, an arthroscopy can be performed to wash out any loose cartilage or bone in your joint, remove bone spurs (growths) and reconstruct any torn ligaments in your ankle.

*This is a guide price for treatment when paying for yourself. The initial consultation and diagnostics are not included in the price. Prices are confirmed in writing after initial consultation with a Consultant Specialist. Aftercare may vary depending on your treatment. Further terms and conditions apply.

Your Orthopaedic Consultant at The London Independent Hospital could advise having foot or ankle surgery to treat the following conditions:  

• Osteoarthritis: This is the most prevalent form of arthritis in the UK impacting around nine million people. It occurs when the cartilage between the joints in your ankle or foot breaks down. As a result, the bones that form these joints can rub together causing pain and stiffness. You might find that you experience increased stiffness in your foot or ankle after sitting down or standing for too long. But an ankle arthroscopy can be used to diagnose and help treat your osteoarthritis.  
• Rheumatoid arthritis: This is an autoimmune condition where your immune system attacks the cells that line your joint causing swelling, pain and stiffness in your foot or ankle. If you have rheumatoid arthritis in your foot, you could be advised to have toe fusion surgery. While an ankle arthroscopy could be used to help treat arthritis in your ankle. 
• Bunions: A bunion refers to a bony lump that can form on the side of your big toe. These are often caused by wearing shoes that are not wide enough to fit your toes and can affect both sides of your feet. Your bunion could trigger pain in the side or the bottom of your feet and  cause your big toe to bend towards your other toes. However, your Surgeon can recommend bunion surgery to remove these from your feet.  
• Hallux rigidus: This refers to arthritis in your first metatarsophalangeal joint (the joint inside your big toe). Hallux rigidus causes the cartilage between this joint to break down. It can also lead to inflammation in your joint’s lining which, in turn, can create swelling, pain and stiffness in your toe. Toe fusion surgery can relieve pain from hallux rigidus by removing damaged cartilage and fixing your big toe bone (phalanx) with the metatarsal (long) bone in your forefoot to form a stiff joint. 
• Hammer toes: This is a toe deformity where any one of your small toes in your foot can bends upwards. You could develop corns or calluses (hardened skin) over the joints of your toes which might feel painful to touch. An Orthopaedic Surgeon at The London Independent Hospital can perform surgery to straighten your hammer toe.  

At The London Independent Hospital, you will have the freedom to choose your own Consultant and when you see them. Our flexible appointment times mean you will be able to pick an appointment that best suits your schedule.

At your initial consultation at The London Independent Hospital, your Orthopaedic Surgeon will discuss your medical history and symptoms, including when your symptoms first started and how they have been interfering with your ability to perform your daily activities. They will also perform a physical examination of your ankle and foot.

Your Consultant might want to investigate your symptoms further by performing an X-ray, MRI or CT scan. These are quick and painless scans that can help confirm a diagnosis by allowing the inside of your foot or ankle to be seen. While an X-ray allows your Surgeon to identify any abnormal changes in your bones, an MRI can provide 2-D images of your muscles, joints, nerves and blood vessels. Alternatively, a CT scan uses a computer and X-rays to generate detailed images of different parts of your body.

After a diagnosis has been made, your Orthopaedic Consultant will discuss whether you could benefit from foot and ankle surgery and what this will involve. But before this is considered, your Orthopaedic Surgeon will see how your ankle or foot condition responds to alternative treatment such as pain relief medication, steroid injections or physiotherapy. 

Prior to your foot or ankle operation, you may need to attend a preoperative assessment at The London Independent Hospital. A member of our nursing team will perform your preoperative assessment. This will consist of a general health check, where your blood pressure, weight and heart rate could be measured and a sample of your urine or blood might be taken.

You will also be asked about any medication that you are taking and may suggest making the following lifestyle changes ahead of your operation:

• Quitting smoking: If you smoke, you will be encouraged to quit smoking before your surgery and will be provided with information and advice on how to quit smoking along with direction to relevant support services.
• Weight loss: If you have a body mass index (BMI) that is above 30, you could be encouraged to lose weight ahead of your surgery. As well as minimising your risk of anaesthesia-related complications, weight loss can relieve pressure off your joints which could improve your pain and recovery.
• Keeping active: You could be asked to keep active before your surgery to improve your overall health.

Before your foot or ankle operation at The London Independent Hospital, you will be given anaesthetic to prevent any pain during your surgery. This could consist of general anaesthetic, which means you will not be awake throughout your procedure, or local anaesthetic injected into your foot or ankle to numb that area of your body.

The type of foot or ankle surgery that you will need at The London Independent Hospital can vary depending on your diagnosis. This will be discussed with you by your Consultant.  

After your operation at The London Independent Hospital, your incisions will be closed with stitches that will either dissolve with time or need to be removed at your next appointment. Your Orthopaedic Consultant will place a bandage over your operated area to protect your wounds.

You could be discharged from our hospital the same day of your operation. But this will depend on your recovery and the procedure that you have had. If you need to remain overnight, our dedicated nursing team at The London Independent Hospital will take care of your needs throughout your stay. Our Nurses deliver around-the-clock care for our patients and will  offer refreshments and pain relief medication following your surgery to minimise any pain or discomfort (if required).

You will also be seen by a Physiotherapist who will demonstrate a series of exercises that you can do to support your recovery. At your follow-up appointment, you with receive further physiotherapy sessions at our private and fully equipped rehabilitation gym. 

In addition to receiving personalised Consultant-led care, there are several benefits to having private foot and anke surgery at The London Independent Hospital. These include: 

• A face-to-face appointment with a specialist within 48 hours of booking your consultation online, submitting an online enquiry or calling a member of our team directly; 
• The freedom to choose your Consultant and the ability to book all your appointments at a time that best suits your schedule; 
• Affordable, fixed-price packages with your aftercare guaranteed, allowing you to focus on your recovery following surgery; 
• High standards of clinical excellence with our safe and COVID-secure hospital, and  
• Flexible payment options that allow you to spread the cost of your care.  

The cost of your foot and ankle surgery at The London Independent Hospital can vary depending on your diagnosis and required procedure.

At The London Independent Hospital, our flexible price packages allow you the spread the cost of your care interest free for the first 12 months. You can also pay for the cost of your treatment through private medical insurance. If you would like to learn more, please visit our payment options page.

Set in the bustling heart of London, The London Independent Hospital has delivered compassionate healthcare for more than 25 years.

As well as caring for the healthcare needs of its patients located in London, The London Independent Hospital has treated patients that have travelled further afield from other parts of the UK and abroad.

With more than 96% of our patients likely to recommend our hospital to their loved ones, there are many benefits to having treatment with us, including:

• A highly equipped gym where you can receive physiotherapy sessions from an experienced Physiotherapist as part of your treatment plan;
• A comprehensive imaging centre that will provide you with fast access to a diagnosis and can help monitor the progress of your recovery;
• An inclusive multi-faith prayer room;Car parking space and convenient hospital access via public transport for patients based in London, and
• High patient satisfaction rates with 95% of our patients rating their quality of care as excellent or very good.