You selected the ankle & foot. Roll over and click an area for more details.
Achilles Repair
The Achilles tendon is the largest tendon in the human body. It connects the calf muscle to the heel bone. However, this tendon is also the most common site of rupture or tendonitis, an inflammation of the tendon due to overuse.
Achilles tendonitis is caused by overuse of the tendon and calf muscles.
Diagnostic procedures may include the following:
Symptoms
These are the symptoms associated with achilles pain:
- mild pain after exercise that worsens gradually
- stiffness that disappears after the tendon warms up
- swelling
Treatment
Treatment may include:
After Surgery/Recovery
Physical Therapy is a critical part of complete recovery. Our doctors recommend DMC's Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, with 30 convenient locations across southeastern Michigan. To find one near you, click here.
Ankle Fracture
These fractures may be serious and require immediate medical attention. Ankle fractures usually require a cast, and some may require surgery if the bones are too separated or misaligned.
Diagnostic procedures may include the following:
Symptoms
A common symptom of an ankle fracture is pain and swelling at the site of the fracture.
Treatment
After Surgery/Recovery
Physical Therapy is a critical part of complete recovery. Our doctors recommend DMC's Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, with 30 convenient locations across southeastern Michigan. To find one near you, click here.
Ankle Scope
Arthroscopy is a minimally-invasive diagnostic and treatment procedure used for conditions of a joint. Originally, arthroscopy was a diagnostic tool only, used primarily for planning a standard open surgery. However, because of the development of new instruments and advanced surgical techniques, many conditions can also be treated with arthroscopic surgery.
The following are the conditions most frequently discovered during an arthroscopic procedure:
Treatment
After Surgery/Recovery
Physical Therapy is a critical part of complete recovery. Our doctors recommend DMC's Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, with 30 convenient locations across southeastern Michigan. To find one near you, click here.
Bone Spur Correction
"Bone spur" is a general term used to describe a knobby, abnormal bone growth. Bone spurs are also known as osteophytes. Bone spurs occur because of osteoarthritis or when the body tries to heal itself after a trauma by replacing bone. The growth is usually small and often undetected.
A heel spur is a bone growth on the heel bone. It is usually located on the underside of the heel bone where it attaches to the plantar fascia, a long band of connective tissue running from the heel to the ball of the foot.
This connective tissue holds the arch together and acts as a shock absorber during activity. If the plantar fascia is over-stretched from running, wearing poor-fitting shoes, or being overweight, pain can result from the stress and inflammation of the tissue pulling on the bone.
Over time, the body builds extra bone in response to this stress resulting in heel spurs.
Treatment
Treatment options may include:
-
rest
-
cold packs
-
anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen
-
proper stretching prior to activity
-
proper footwear or shoe inserts
-
corticosteroid injections
-
surgery (for more severe, prolonged conditions)
After Surgery/Recovery
Physical Therapy is a critical part of complete recovery. Our doctors recommend DMC's Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, with 30 convenient locations across southeastern Michigan. To find one near you, click here.
Bunion Correction
A bunion (hallux valgus) is an enlargement of the bone or tissue around a joint at the base of the big toe or at the base of the little toe (in which case it is called a "bunionette" or "tailor's bunion"). Bunions often occur when the joint is stressed over a prolonged period.
They are nine times more common in women than in men, primarily because women may be more likely to wear tight, pointed, and confining shoes. Bunions may be inherited as a family trait. Bunions may also result from arthritis, which often affects the big toe joint.
Reasons to undergo bunion surgery may include severe foot pain that occurs even when walking or wearing flat, comfortable shoes. Surgery may also be indicated when chronic big toe inflammation and swelling does not subside with rest or medications.
Other reasons for surgery include toe deformity, a drifting in of the big toe toward the small toe, and an inability to bend and straighten the big toe.
Treatment
Initial treatment of bunions may include wearing comfortable, well-fitting footwear (particularly shoes that conform to the shape of the foot and do not cause pressure areas) or the use of splints and orthotics (special shoe inserts shaped to your feet) to reposition the big toe. For bunions caused by arthritis, medications may help reduce pain and swelling.
If non-surgical treatment fails, your physician may suggest surgery, which resolves the problem in nearly all persons. The goal of surgery is to relieve pain and correct as much deformity as possible. The surgery is not cosmetic and is not meant to improve the appearance of the foot.
After Surgery/Recovery
Physical Therapy is a critical part of complete recovery. Our doctors recommend DMC's Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, with 30 convenient locations across southeastern Michigan. To find one near you, click here.
Hammertoe Repair
A hammertoe is a condition in which the toe buckles, causing the middle joint of the affected toe to poke out. This condition is often aggravated by tight-fitting shoes that put pressure on the hammertoe. Often a corn develops at this site.
Treatment
Treatment for hammertoes may include:
- applying a toe pad specially positioned over the bony protrusion
- changing your footwear to accommodate the deformed toe
- surgical removal
After Surgery/Recovery
Physical Therapy is a critical part of complete recovery. Our doctors recommend DMC's Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, with 30 convenient locations across southeastern Michigan. To find one near you, click here.