The feet and ankles are highly flexible, complex structures containing multiple bones, tendons and ligaments. Our foot and ankle team treat all conditions ranging from bunions, bone deformity and arthritis to painful ligament and Achilles tendon injuries.
The foot is divided into three parts:
The ankle is formed of the talus bone, which supports the tibia (shin bone) and fibula in the leg. The tibiotalar joint (ankle joint) allows the foot to move up and down. The lateral malleolus is the bony protrusion on the outer ankle, formed by the distal end of the fibula. The medial malleolus is the inner ankle bone, formed by the distal end of the tibia.
Cartilage cushions the bones and allows them to glide smoothly over one another. Tendons connect muscles to bone to provide support. The Achilles tendon, which wraps around the heel bone, is the largest and strongest tendon in the body. Bursae, small sacs that contain synovial fluid, help to decrease friction between tendons and bones or skin.
Ligaments connect bones to other bones. The plantar fascia is the longest foot ligament, acting as a shock absorber and supporting the foot arch. Other ligaments include the talo-fibular and calcaneo-fibular ligaments.
There are 20 muscles in the foot, categorised as intrinsic (responsible for toe movement) and extrinsic (located in the lower leg and responsible for foot movement).
An Achilles tendon rupture can be treated non-surgically or surgically repaired. Your consultant will discuss..
Ankle fusion surgery is frequently performed on patients with arthritis or an ankle fracture, where the cartilage in the joint..
Joint distraction uses the body’s natural healing processes to repair damaged cartilage in the ankle. During minimally..
Ankle ligament reconstruction surgery is used to treat lateral ankle instability and sprains. The objective is to prevent..
Ankle keyhole surgery or arthroscopy is the process of inserting a small telescope and instruments through miniscule..
Usually a day case procedure, this type of surgery treats big toe arthritis, and is performed under a general anaesthetic..
Scarf osteotomy and chevron osteotomy are two of the most well-known types of bunion surgery. They are usually day..
Cheilectomy is a surgical procedure involving the removal of a bony lump which occurs above the main joint of the big toe..
This surgery is designed to correct the foot’s alignment, ease any pain and ensure even weight distribution when..
The aim of foot fusion surgery is the permanent fusion of separate bones in the foot. This procedure is used to treat flat..
Morton’s neuroma surgery is a procedure to remove the part of the damaged nerve or to take the pressure off the nerve by..
This procedure is performed to straighten the joint or joints of the toe. Surgery is normally a day case procedure, performed..
The Achilles tendon, located at the back of the ankle and linking the calf muscle to the heel bone, is the body’s largest tendon and..
Strong ligaments keep the bones of the ankle joint together, and these, combined with the muscles attached to the foot’s bones ..
A bunion or hallux valgus is a bony lump that appears at the bottom of the big toe, causing the toe to bend inwards. This lump is created..
There are several common foot conditions including: flat feet, ganglions, and ingrown toenail. Whilst they can often be painful, if..
There are several foot and toe pain problems including: Freiberg’s disease, Morton’s neuroma, plantar plate problems and..
Arthritis occurs when the cartilage encasing the bones, which aids fluent movement in the joint, is damaged, resulting in friction. Any..
Foot and ankle fractures, or breaks in the bone, come in many different varieties: ankle fracture, heel bone fracture, metatarsal fracture,..
The normal cause of heel pain is damage to the plantar fascia, the band of tissue in the foot. Typically, the pain intensifies over time..
OCLs (osteochondral lesions of the talus) consist of damage or minor fractures to cartilage’s surface on the lower bone..
Footballers, ballet dancers, gymnasts and fast bowlers (due to the impact on their leading leg), are among those frequently affected by..
Sporting injuries are common and generally occur as the result of accidents or collisions, failing to warm up or stretch sufficiently...
The most common foot tendon to tear include the posterior tibial tendon, the peroneal tendons and achilles tendon...
Mallet toe, claw toe and hammer toe are all deformities relating to the smaller toes...
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