FOOT & ANKLE INJURIES
Our Bone & Joint Centre physicians treat a wide range of foot and ankle conditions such as:
ANKLE SPRAINS AND INSTABILITY: this ‘inversion injury’ frequently occurs when the foot is quickly rotated with the sole pointed inwards. After healing, the ankle may remain unstable and vulnerable to new injuries. In certain circumstances, physiotherapy to strengthen the joint can be used to treat this without surgery. If the ankle does not return to normal, you may be given surgical or arthroscopic surgery to address joint damage.
ACHILLES TENDON PAIN AND TENDINITIS: the Achilles tendon is a large tendon that links the calf muscle to the heel bone at the rear of the ankle. Changes in exercise intensity, as well as arthritis or other inflammatory illnesses, can also produce pain. Doctors will normally use an MRI scan to diagnose the problem and, in many cases, it can be treated without surgery through rest and physiotherapy. However, in certain circumstances, tendon replacement surgery may be recommended.
ACHILLES TENDON RUPTURE: this occurs when the Achilles tendon is partly or fully torn as a result of rigorous training or due to tendon weakness. Urgent treatment for a full rupture includes surgery, which can increase the likelihood of a successful recovery.
ARTHRITIS: the smooth cartilage that lines the bones inside the ankle joint might wear out with age or as a result of a prior injury. The more you move these joints, the more painful friction between the bones is produced. This often worsens with time, interfering with your daily activities. An ankle arthroscopy can treat the deteriorated joint and help restore your usual movement. Your physician might also recommend ankle joint replacement or joint fusion. Arthritis can also affect other foot joints, such as the big toe, midfoot, and hindfoot. Some patients suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic auto-immune condition that can cause arthritis in the foot and ankle.
BUNIONS: these can form on the joint that joins the big toe to the foot and is diagnosed as part of a disease known as hallux valgus, which occurs when the big toe joint bends towards the little toes. It is usually caused by an injury, although it can be exacerbated by ill-fitting shoes or high heels. It can be treated non-surgically using toe spacers or cushioned insoles, or surgically to rectify the deformity.
FLAT FEET: this condition can be caused by a problem with the tendons that support the arch of the foot or by arthritis in the joints surrounding the heel. Tibialis posterior tendon dysfunction or rheumatoid arthritis in the mid or back foot can potentially cause it. Your surgeon may recommend surgery, depending on the severity of the condition.
FRACTURES OF THE ANKLE: including stress fractures and 5th metatarsal fracture.
FREIBERG’S DISEASE: affects the misshapen 2nd metatarsal foot bone.
HEEL PAIN (plantar fasciitis): caused by inflammation in the fascia, the thick lining of the sole of the foot
GANGLIONS: harmless fluid-filled lumps
INGROWN TOENAILS
MORTON’S NEUROMA: caused by minor swelling, normally between the third and fourth toes
PERONEAL TENDON CONDITIONS
SESAMOIDITIS: inflammation of the sesamoid bones (under the big toe joint)
TAILOR’S BUNION: a lump at the base of the little toe on the outside of the foot
TARSAL TUNNEL SYNDROME: compression of the posterior tibial nerve, on the inside of the ankle.
TOE DEFORMITIES: hammer, mallet and claw toe.
TIBIALIS POSTERIOR DYSFUNCTION: a condition that causes flat foot.
