Private Foot & Ankle Surgery Darlington

Your foot or ankle may be bothering you with any of the following symptoms:

• Pain
• Swelling
• Instability
• Deformity e.g. clawing of the toes, club foot
• Stiffness

These symptoms could indicate a number of common conditions, such as:

• Fracture
• Ankle sprain
• Bunion (big toe bending towards other toes)
• Osteoarthritis
• Dislocation
• Hammertoe/ Claw toe (abnormal bending of the toes)
• Achilles Tendon Bursitis (inflammation of the bursa sac at the back of the heel)
• Achilles Tendon tear
• Hallux Rigidus (Arthritis of the Big Toe)

Many conditions of the foot or ankle can be treated with non-invasive measures, especially when paired with a personalised rehabilitation programme, created for you by our dedicated on-site team of physiotherapists. These exercises and activity guidance can help rebuild the strength in your foot or ankle, and keep you mobile while you recover.

Certain conditions benefit from steroid injections directly into the joint, and with optional ultrasound guidance for added accuracy, these have proved very effective in managing pain. Injections can be repeated periodically if they have successfully given you relief from symptoms.

If your symptoms are severe, or they haven’t responded to other conservative treatments, surgery may be the best option. Many of these surgeries can be offered arthroscopically (keyhole surgery), making it minimally-invasive. The main advantages to keyhole surgery include:

• Faster rehabilitation
• Can be done as a day case procedure
• Reduced post-operative immobilisation (for example, the time you have to wear a plaster cast)

One of our consultants specialises in big toe joint replacement, which is very rarely provided on the NHS. This involves replacing the damaged big toe joint with an artificial one, which has the dual benefit of reducing your pain while also maintaining a level of mobility in the toe joint. The recovery period is often shorter than other surgeries, and you won’t have to wear a cast, making it a great option for suitable candidates.

Ankle ligament reconstruction is another procedure offered by one of our specialists. This is performed arthroscopically, where a number of small incisions are made over the ligament, allowing your surgeon access with surgical tools to shorten the ligament and reattach it with special bone anchors. When successful, this surgery restores ankle function and reduces pain, making it a highly sought-after procedure for patients with ligament tears.

When you come to Woodlands for your initial consultation, your consultant will begin by asking for a detailed medical history as well as a rundown of any symptoms you’ve been having. Questions they ask you may include:

• What symptoms have you been experiencing?
• How long have you had them?
• Have they got progressively worse?
• Are you in pain? If so, can you describe the pain? Is it a stabbing pain or does it radiate out? Is the pain localised?

Your consultant will then wish to investigate the symptoms you have mentioned. This is done with a physical examination, where they will press and manipulate your foot and ankle to assess the health and gauge notable symptoms.

Normally, your consultant will require an X-ray, and this can be arranged on-site if it hasn’t been done previously. The X-ray can show the bone structures of the foot and can highlight various conditions. This usually allows your consultant to make an accurate diagnosis, but some symptoms may require an MRI, CT or ultrasound scan for further investigation. This may be the case if your consultant wishes to analyse the soft tissues in your foot or ankle, such as with a suspected tendon tear.

With a firm diagnosis in hand, your consultant can outline your potential treatment options, based on your condition. It is often best to start out conservatively, so your consultant may refer you to our physiotherapy team, or offer steroid injections to help alleviate symptoms. Re-assessing your footwear can have a significant impact as well, making sure your shoes are wide enough for your toes, or adding padding to the soles for support.

If surgery offers the best route to recovery, your consultant can advise you on all available surgical options, outlining potential outcomes and expectations.

Choosing to have your foot & ankle surgery done at Woodlands comes with a host of benefits, such as:

• Assessments ASAP – If you’ve got to the point where you are considering medical intervention for your bowel condition, you won’t want to wait for an appointment. By seeing patients rapidly, our consultants can accurately diagnose you and get you started on the right course of treatment as soon as possible.
  
• Patient satisfaction – 98.1% of patients in 2024 said they would be likely or extremely likely to recommend their consultant to their friends or family. 96% also said that their overall experience of the nursing care was 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.
  
• 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 multi-disciplinary approach – Our teams at Woodlands work in tandem with each other to provide you with the best possible care from start to finish. Working closely with specialists in rheumatology, gynaecology and urology, as well as a dedicated team of radiographers, physiotherapists, anaesthetists, and nurses, you have support from medical professionals every step of the way during your treatment.
  
• Convenient appointments – With appointments available throughout the day from Monday-Friday, you are sure to find an appointment slot that suits your needs and availability.
• Park with ease – We know that parking should be the least of your worries when attending hospital, so our car park has ample space to accommodate your needs. This also includes 4 electric vehicle charging points. Alternatively, we are very close to Darlington Railway Station, should you wish to visit us by train. We are also a short walk from multiple bus stops, including Morton Park Way (Morrisons) and Yarm Road. 

If your feet or ankles have been causing you problems, 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.

Our Patient Liaison Officers are on-hand to offer advice and support throughout your journey with us at Woodlands. They can liaise with our foot and ankle surgeons to ensure you have all the information you may need ahead of any treatment or surgery. They are contactable on 01325 341786.

For peace of mind and expert care, please contact our friendly Outpatient Bookings team on 01325 341713 or book an appointment online with a specialist of your choice now.

Accessing private healthcare with us is easy, whether you choose to pay directly or use private medical insurance.

If you are paying for yourself, we can usually offer an upfront cost which you can then choose to pay in full or access one of our easy payment options.

If you have insurance, we can arrange direct settlement with your insurance provider, although you should check in advance to see if your treatment is covered. There are usually only three steps to accessing private treatment using insurance:

• Speak to your GP: Let your GP know that you have private medical insurance during your appointment with them. Ask them to refer you to Woodlands Hospital, and in you have already chosen which consultant you would like to see, let your GP know their name so they can give you a specific referral letter. The letter should include the hospital and consultant name, as well as the recommended treatment. Your GP can also give you a referral letter with no specified consultant.
• Speak to us: Once you have your referral letter from your GP, give our friendly Patient Liaison Officers a call on 01325 341786. If your GP gets in touch with us directly with your referral, we will be in touch with you.
• Speak to your insurer: After speaking to your GP, ensure that you call your insurer and activate your insurance. Have your insurance details to hand when you call, as they will need it to confirm that the treatment you need is covered by our policy. If the treatment is not covered but you would still like to go private, you can explore alternative methods.

For more information, visit our private medical insurance page.

Woodlands Hospital first opened in Darlington in 2001, and we have been treating patients from Darlington and the wider area ever since.

We are located on Morton Park Way, opposite Dunelm and Premier Inn and over the road from Morrisons. Darlington Train Station is approximately 3.5 miles away and there is a taxi rank at the station with cabs available throughout the day. We are also a short walk from numerous bus routes, with stops at Morrisons and on Yarm Road. We are a short distance from local attractions such as Hopetown, the brick train sculpture and the Hippodrome.

We have free parking available on-site, with 4 electric vehicle charging points. The hospital has an accessible entrance, however please do let a member of the team know if you require a wheelchair and one of our friendly porters can assist you into the building.

Each of our rooms feature an en-suite for added comfort and privacy. The rooms are spacious with a remote controlled TV and free Wi-Fi available during your stay. Our catering team are on-hand to serve breakfast, lunch and dinner at regular mealtimes. We offer a range of choices available, please do let us know of any special dietary requirements you have prior to your admission.

As well as offering surgery, we have a number of fantastic facilities on-site at Woodlands.

Our physiotherapy department consists of many experienced senior physiotherapists with a range of clinical interests including hand, women's health and men's health. We also have a fully equipped gymnasium, including an anti-gravity treadmill, exercise bike and numerous weights. The team will work closely with you to reach your goals, and you can self refer to book an appointment. If you're interested, please give the team a call on 01325 341712 and choose option 2.

We also have imaging facilities on-site, including a wide-bore MRI scanner, x-ray, ultrasound, fluoroscopy and access to a CT scanner. Please note: appointments for any imaging service at Woodlands Hospital can only be made once the department receives a referral from a GMC-registered consultant. For more information, please give our friendly enquiry team a call on 01325 968 195.