Foot & ankle surgery

When unexplained foot and ankle pain starts to interfere with your daily routine, you’ll undoubtedly want relief without delay. Rather than just providing pain relief, consultants at The Princess Margaret help to identify the root and cause of the problem, reducing flare-ups in future.

Symptoms commonly seen at The Princess Margaret include:

• Stiffness and pain
• Swelling of the foot
• Lack of movement/range of motion
• Prominence on the big toe
• Aching arches
• Clicking or snapping ankles
• The feeling of something in your shoes, or like walking on a pebble
• Instability, ankle giving way

Certain stress factors can also contribute to your issues, especially as you may have taken up a new hobby during lockdown, such as running, which has brought on an onset of pain. Sometimes, issues can arise after a sprain or injury, but in some patients, they may occur gradually over time.

Foot and ankle problems can be surprisingly varied, affecting both young and old people.

Common problems seen in the clinic include:

• Forefoot problems
  • Toe deformities, mallet toes, hammer toes, bunions
• Arthritis (in big toe, arch of the foot, or the ankle)
• Morton’s Neuroma (trapped/scarred nerve leading to your toes)
• Ligament issues such as instability
• Tendon issues in the ankle, like high-heeled arches and flat arches
• Dislocating tendons at the ankles, where the tendon slips out

With ever-increasing NHS waiting lists, it can be frustrating to be told you’ll have to wait for up to a year for necessary surgery or treatment.

By seeing us privately, you can be seen straight away, saving you months of pain and frustration, bringing you closer to that much-needed relief.

Fortunately, very few conditions need an immediate operation. When your consultant presents you with your treatment options, they will normally outline non-operative and operative treatments.

Very often, a combination of physiotherapy (such as shockwave therapy, which reduces pain and promotes healing and recovery) and guided stretching can be effective in reducing your symptoms, especially for conditions such as plantar fasciitis (heel and arch pain).

Steroid injections can be administered within the clinic, helping to alleviate swelling and reduce pain. For ankle injections, these can sometimes be offered at the time of your initial consultation. Other injections are more intricate and may require ultrasound guidance for added accuracy, which can be arranged for a later date.

Patients tend to explore these non-operative treatments first, and if they have been unsuccessful in bringing relief, surgical options can be undertaken. Every operation carries certain risks of infection and bleeding, so your consultant will encourage you to balance the risks when deciding which form of treatment you would like to pursue.

Potential surgeries include:

• Open surgery – for bunion correction, toe deformity correction
• Arthroscopic (keyhole) procedures - for minimally-invasive day cases, such as damage to ankle joints, or tendon and ligament surgery
• Deformity correction for previous fractures, such as in the shin-bone, requiring lengthening or straightening

Whether you need a specialised course of physiotherapy from our on-site team, or a corrective surgical procedure, our orthopaedic consultants at The Princess Margaret will produce a personalised treatment plan to get you the best results efficiently and effectively.

When you come to The Princess Margaret for your initial consultation, your consultant will first take a detailed medical history, and ask you to describe your symptoms. They will likely ask you:

• What symptoms have you been experiencing?
• How long have these symptoms lasted?
• Have they become progressively worse over time?
• What type of pain is it? Pain when moving, or nerve pain?
• Have you tried any treatments previously?
• Are you currently taking any medication?

Seeing our consultants privately brings the benefit of longer consultations, usually around 30 minutes, allowing for much greater detail and a chance to get to know you and how your condition has been affecting you.

A clinical examination will then be performed, manipulating the foot or ankle joint and pressing along the foot to assess your responses. They may also ask you to perform some simple tasks and movements to demonstrate your symptoms.

X-rays may then be arranged in our on-site Imaging department, and this is normally enough to make a full diagnosis. If necessary, further scans such as an MRI, CT or ultrasound can be organised. You will then have a follow-up consultation, where your treatment options will be outlined, and together you can decide how best to proceed, whether that be surgery or conservative treatment.

Lifestyle and activity modifications can be a great help to many patients, and something as simple as finding the most appropriate footwear can dramatically aid many conditions. Your consultant can offer advice on better foot support, padding, weight loss, exercise, and posture if they believe this will be beneficial to you. This holistic approach helps give you greater reassurance, ensuring all your risk factors are addressed.

Choosing to have your foot & ankle treatment at The Princess Margaret comes with a host of benefits, such as:

• Assessments ASAP – If you’ve been experiencing any of the associated symptoms of a foot and/or ankle condition, you won’t want to wait to be seen. Our consultants can see you for an assessment without delay, getting you an accurate diagnosis rapidly, starting you on the necessary treatment before your symptoms progress any further.
• Patient Satisfaction – 97.9% of patients in 2020 said they would happily recommend Princess Margaret Hospital to friends and family in an independent report, and we’re confident that you’ll agree. 98% also said that the quality of care here at Princess Margaret Hospital was either ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’. We aim to make your stay with us as comfortable as possible, and these results highlight our continued efforts to ensure this is achieved.
• One-Stop Shop – Some minor procedures can be done on the same day as your initial consultation, making Princess Margaret a ‘one-stop shop’ for certain treatments, such as steroid injections to relieve symptoms and ease your pain. With minimally-invasive procedures available under local anaesthetic, you’ll be able to recover quickly and get back to your normal routine as soon as possible.
• Personalised Care – We believe in a bespoke approach to treatment, tailoring each experience to our patients’ needs and whatever may be best for you. This is regularly reviewed, ensuring you get the necessary treatment at every stage of your patient journey.
• A Multidisciplinary Approach – Our teams at Princess Margaret work in tandem with each other to provide you with the best possible care from start to finish. Working closely with a dedicated physiotherapy team, alongside specialist musculoskeletal radiographers, anaesthetists, and nurses, you have support from medical professionals every step of the way during your treatment.
• Convenient appointments – With flexible appointments available at dedicated clinics from Monday to Saturday, you are sure to find an appointment slot that suits your needs and availability.

If pain in your foot or ankle has been concerning you, why not book a consultation with one of our orthopaedic specialists today? Our consultants can outline all treatment options for you promptly, arranging any necessary diagnostic scans, treatment and surgery if required.

For peace of mind and expert care, please contact Princess Margaret to book an appointment now.