Hi, and welcome to my website. Thanks for stopping by.
There is a lot of misunderstanding caused by the fact that the words “foot” and “ankle” are in my job title. There are, in fact, quite a few different medical specialties that deal with symptoms and problems in the ankle and foot; just none of them have the anatomic names mentioned in their job titles.
So, what does an ORTHOPAEDIC Foot & Ankle Surgeon do?
Orthopaedic Surgery is a surgical specialty rooted in physics and mechanics. All orthopaedic treatments are aimed at addressing deficiencies or diseases of structural mechanics of the human body.
In plain language, an Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Surgeon is “the structural engineer who fixes broken or broken-down feet”.
Specifically, conditions that might fall under the care of an Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Surgeon include:
fractures
sports injuries
instability of the ankle
stiffness or arthritis of joints of the ankle or foot
deformities (pathologic flatfoot, high arch, bunions)
degenerative tendon problems
Understanding this is important in correct utilisation of the healthcare services.
The true value of seeing a fellowship-trained Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Surgeon is that you get to see a doctor who can help you make the best treatment decisions for a known structural foot or ankle problem, and who is well-trained to carry out any needed treatments.
Thanks again. I look forward to helping you in my practice.