If you’ve injured your foot or ankle or some disorder is affecting them, visit a podiatrist. These medical specialists have trained extensively in treating foot and ankle problems. At Best Foot Forward in Festus and St. Louis, Missouri, Franklin Harry, DPM, ABMSP, and Tim Davydov, DPM, ABPM, diagnose and treat disorders of the foot and ankle so you can recover quickly. Use the online booking tool or call Best Foot Forward today to schedule an appointment.
Foot and ankle surgery is an orthopedic and podiatry specialty focused on procedures that treat and repair injuries or conditions affecting your feet or ankles. Each foot and ankle contains muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments, and bones. These all come together to form 33 joints. Treating any of these complex areas can include foot, ankle, or toe surgery.
Patients visit Best Foot Forward for many problems involving their feet or ankles. The most common foot and ankle surgeries or procedures include:
Ankle replacement surgery replaces a diseased or damaged ankle joint with an artificial joint made of metal, porcelain, or plastic.
Foot and ankle tendon and ligament reconstruction repairs or reconstructs weak or torn ligaments. Achilles tendon surgery is a standard reconstruction procedure.
Ankle arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure to diagnose and treat common ankle problems, including weak or torn ligaments and bone fractures.
If part of a bone in your foot or ankle has broken, or a bone in the ankle is dislocated, foot and ankle dislocation surgery is often needed to fix it.
Orthopedic surgeons, foot and ankle surgeons, and podiatrists regularly perform foot and ankle surgeries if other noninvasive procedures fail to manage your problems. Orthopedic surgeons treat, prevent, and rehabilitate joint and bone problems with surgery and other medical approaches.
Most foot and ankle surgeries are done in a hospital or surgical center. The surgeons can use an open surgery technique or a minimally invasive procedure. Some foot and ankle treatments are outpatient surgeries. But most are done using general anesthesia to keep you comfortable throughout the procedure.
Most foot and ankle surgeries require that you wear a cast or walking boot for several weeks after surgery. Crutches, walkers, or knee scooters help keep weight off the foot and ankle during the healing process.
Physical therapy is a standard treatment after foot and ankle surgeries to restore foot and ankle movement and regain strength. Full recovery can take several months, even a year, depending on your specific condition and the surgery you had.
