If you are struggling with foot or ankle problems, our team of experienced specialists at The London Independent Hospital can diagnose and treat your symptoms quickly and effectively. Book your appointment online today. Taking your next step shouldn’t be painful.
At your consultation at The London Independent Hospital, our foot and ankle surgery specialists will first perform a physical assessment to establish the cause of your symptoms.
After a diagnosis has been confirmed, you might be offered pain relief medication or steroid injections to alleviate your symptoms. Your Orthopaedic Surgeon will also work with a Physiotherapist at The London Independent Hospital to relieve pain and encourage movement in your foot or ankle. However, if these initial treatment options do not improve your symptoms, your Orthopaedic Consultant could advise having foot or ankle surgery.
Foot surgery allows your feet to be surgically corrected to improve movement and relieve pain. The type of surgery that you have will depend on your diagnosis. Your surgery could involve surgically placing the joints in your feet back into their correct position, straightening your toe or changing the shape of a bone in your foot.
Bunion surgery is an operation to remove a bony lump on the side of your foot called a bunion. Your bunion surgery could also involve releasing or tightening any ligaments (tissue that attaches one bone to another) in your foot, realigning the bones in your big toe and straightening one or more of your toes. At The London Independent Hospital, your Orthopaedic Surgeon will explain what your operation will involve.
If you have a bone infection in your toe or severe toe deformity where it is not possible to surgically straighten your toes, your Orthopaedic Surgeon might suggest toe amputation surgery. This could involve surgically removing one or more toes and debriding (removing) any affected tissue. If you require toe amputation surgery, your Surgeon will provide you with more information about what will happen during this operation and whether a prosthetic toe could be offered following your surgery.
Toe fusion surgery can be used to treat hallux rigidus, a condition where your first metatarsophalangeal joint (the joint in your big toe) becomes damaged due to arthritis. Toe fusion surgery can relieve pain from hallux rigidus by stiffening this joint. It can also be performed to treat rheumatoid arthritis in your feet.
During your toe fusion surgery, your Orthopaedic Surgeon will create an incision (around 5cm) at the top of your big toe. Your Surgeon at The London Independent Hospital will then remove the damaged cartilage in the surface of your first metatarsophalangeal joint and trim any bony lumps around this joint. Your first metatarsal (the long bone in your forefoot) and proximal phalanx (big toe bone) are placed into their correct position and secured together with screws. A metal plate could also be used to fix these bones together.
An ankle arthroscopy is a keyhole operation, whereby a few small incisions (about 1cm) are made at the front or back of your ankle to enable an arthroscope (a thin tube with a camera) to be passed into one of these incisions. This allows your Orthopaedic Surgeon to view the inside of your ankle on a video monitor.
An ankle arthroscopy can be used to diagnose arthritis or damage to the structures inside your ankle, for example your ligaments or joint surfaces. In addition to diagnosing your symptoms, an arthroscopy can be performed to wash out any loose cartilage or bone in your joint, remove bone spurs (growths) and reconstruct any torn ligaments in your ankle.
*This is a guide price for treatment when paying for yourself. The initial consultation and diagnostics are not included in the price. Prices are confirmed in writing after initial consultation with a Consultant Specialist. Aftercare may vary depending on your treatment. Further terms and conditions apply.
Your Orthopaedic Consultant at The London Independent Hospital could advise having foot or ankle surgery to treat the following conditions:
At your initial consultation at The London Independent Hospital, your Orthopaedic Surgeon will discuss your medical history and symptoms, including when your symptoms first started and how they have been interfering with your ability to perform your daily activities. They will also perform a physical examination of your ankle and foot.
Your Consultant might want to investigate your symptoms further by performing an X-ray, MRI or CT scan. These are quick and painless scans that can help confirm a diagnosis by allowing the inside of your foot or ankle to be seen. While an X-ray allows your Surgeon to identify any abnormal changes in your bones, an MRI can provide 2-D images of your muscles, joints, nerves and blood vessels. Alternatively, a CT scan uses a computer and X-rays to generate detailed images of different parts of your body.
After a diagnosis has been made, your Orthopaedic Consultant will discuss whether you could benefit from foot and ankle surgery and what this will involve. But before this is considered, your Orthopaedic Surgeon will see how your ankle or foot condition responds to alternative treatment such as pain relief medication, steroid injections or physiotherapy.
Prior to your foot or ankle operation, you may need to attend a preoperative assessment at The London Independent Hospital. A member of our nursing team will perform your preoperative assessment. This will consist of a general health check, where your blood pressure, weight and heart rate could be measured and a sample of your urine or blood might be taken.
You will also be asked about any medication that you are taking and may suggest making the following lifestyle changes ahead of your operation:
The type of foot or ankle surgery that you will need at The London Independent Hospital can vary depending on your diagnosis. This will be discussed with you by your Consultant.
You could be discharged from our hospital the same day of your operation. But this will depend on your recovery and the procedure that you have had. If you need to remain overnight, our dedicated nursing team at The London Independent Hospital will take care of your needs throughout your stay. Our Nurses deliver around-the-clock care for our patients and will offer refreshments and pain relief medication following your surgery to minimise any pain or discomfort (if required).
You will also be seen by a Physiotherapist who will demonstrate a series of exercises that you can do to support your recovery. At your follow-up appointment, you with receive further physiotherapy sessions at our private and fully equipped rehabilitation gym.
In addition to receiving personalised Consultant-led care, there are several benefits to having private foot and anke surgery at The London Independent Hospital. These include:
At The London Independent Hospital, our flexible price packages allow you the spread the cost of your care interest free for the first 10 months. You can also pay for the cost of your treatment through private medical insurance. If you would like to learn more, please visit our payment options page.
Set in the bustling heart of London, The London Independent Hospital has delivered compassionate healthcare for more than 25 years.
As well as caring for the healthcare needs of its patients located in London, The London Independent Hospital has treated patients that have travelled further afield from other parts of the UK and abroad.
With more than 96% of our patients likely to recommend our hospital to their loved ones, there are many benefits to having treatment with us, including:
