Orthopaedic Specialities
Foot and Ankle Surgery
Specialized foot and ankle surgery for pain, injuries, deformities, and arthritis, helping restore mobility and improve daily comfort.
Introduction
With every step you take, your feet and ankles absorb a force several times greater than your own body weight. Multiply that by the thousands of steps in an average day, and it becomes clear why even a small problem in this part of the body can disrupt your walking, your workouts and even your sleep.
Surgical treatment for foot and ankle conditions has improved considerably over the past several years. Keyhole (arthroscopic) procedures, bone-conserving osteotomies, modern tendon repair methods and total ankle replacement now make it possible to treat most conditions through smaller incisions, with quicker healing and dependable long-term results.
If you are searching for foot and ankle surgery in Chennai, Medaura offers a team dedicated entirely to this area of orthopaedics. Our focus goes beyond correcting the structure of your foot. We aim to help you walk again with the same comfort and confidence you had before the problem started.
What Causes Foot and Ankle Problems
- Repeated mechanical strain: unsupportive shoes, long hours spent standing, or heavy running mileage without enough strength training
- Sports-related injury: sprained ankles, ruptured Achilles tendons, or stress fractures in the small bones of the foot
- Foot shape you were born with: flat feet, high arches, or a first metatarsal that makes you prone to bunions
- Arthritis after an old fracture: joint damage that shows up years after a break that seemed to heal well at the time
- Inflammatory arthritis: rheumatoid arthritis and gout frequently affect the small joints of the foot early on
- Nerve damage from diabetes: reduced feeling in the foot that allows minor injuries to go unnoticed
- Tendons wearing down with age: reduced elasticity and blood supply over time, especially in the Achilles and posterior tibial tendons
Who is More Likely to Need This Kind of Care
- A family history of bunions or flat feet
- Being female. Bunions occur more often in women, and footwear choices play a role
- Regularly wearing narrow, tight or high-heeled shoes
- Carrying extra body weight, which increases the load on the midfoot and ankle
- Playing sports that involve repeated impact, such as running, football or basketball
- A history of ankle sprains that were never fully rehabilitated
- Previous untreated ankle sprains
Signs Worth Paying Attention To
- Heel, foot, or ankle pain that gets worse when you walk more.
- Changes in foot shape, such as a bump near the big toe, bent or overlapping toes, or a flatter arch.
- Swelling that does not improve after a few weeks.
- Your ankle keeps giving way, especially on stairs or uneven ground.
- Shoes that feel uncomfortable even though you have worn them comfortably for years.
- Numbness, tingling, or a foot wound that does not heal, especially if you have diabetes.
When to Consult a Doctor
If foot or ankle pain has not improved after six weeks of rest, ice, supportive footwear and basic stretching, it is worth having a proper assessment rather than waiting any longer. Other signs that call for a specialist visit include an ankle sprain that still feels unstable weeks later, a bunion or hammer toe that is already limiting your choice of footwear, being unable to bear weight after an injury, and, for anyone with diabetes, any callus or ulcer that has not begun healing within two weeks. Foot problems rarely resolve on their own with time. Catching a deformity early usually means a simpler procedure and a shorter recovery than if you wait until it has progressed.
How We Diagnose the Problem
- Weight-bearing X-rays of the foot and ankle, taken while standing, which reveal deformity and alignment more accurately than images taken lying down
- MRI scans to assess tendons, ligaments and cartilage in detail
- Dynamic ultrasound to observe tendon movement in real time, particularly useful for Achilles and posterior tibial tendon issues
- Gait analysis and pressure mapping (pedobarography) to understand exactly how your foot bears load while walking
- Nerve conduction studies when neuropathy is suspected, especially in diabetic patients
- Vascular assessment to confirm adequate blood flow before any surgery on a diabetic foot
Treatment Options
Bunion (Hallux Valgus) Correction
Minimally invasive scarf or chevron osteotomies realign the bone through small incisions. This corrects the deformity while preserving joint movement and allows a quicker return to ordinary footwear.
Hammer Toe Correction
A combination of tendon rebalancing and, when necessary, small joint fusion straightens claw or hammer toes and relieves the pressure points responsible for corns and pain.
Ankle Arthroscopy
A keyhole procedure that uses a high-definition camera to treat cartilage damage, bony impingement, loose fragments and inflamed joint lining, causing minimal disruption to the surrounding tissue.
Ankle Ligament Reconstruction
For ankles that keep giving way, torn ligaments are repaired or rebuilt using suture anchors, or in more severe cases, tendon graft, restoring stability for sport and everyday activity.
Achilles Tendon Repair
Ruptures are treated using mini-open or percutaneous techniques. Chronic tendinopathy is managed by removing damaged tissue and reattaching the tendon where necessary.
Flatfoot Reconstruction
A combination of tendon transfer, corrective osteotomy, and in more advanced cases, selective joint fusion, tailored to rebuild the arch and restore balance to the foot.
Total Ankle Replacement
For patients with advanced ankle arthritis who are suitable candidates, replacement preserves joint movement as an alternative to fusion. This decision is made carefully and individually for each patient.
Diabetic Foot Surgery
Wound debridement, correction of deformity, and reconstructive procedures focused on healing wounds and preventing amputation, carried out in coordination with vascular and diabetes specialists.
What the Procedure Actually Looks Like
Most foot and ankle surgeries at Medaura are performed as day-care or short-stay procedures. These are typically done under a regional ankle block with light sedation rather than general anaesthesia, which means less grogginess afterward and, in most cases, a same-day or next-day discharge.
A standard bunion correction takes roughly 45 to 60 minutes. The surgeon works through a small incision on the inner side of the foot, repositions the bone, and secures it with a small titanium screw before rebalancing the surrounding soft tissue. Ankle arthroscopy uses two or three tiny 5mm portals for the camera and instruments, small enough that most patients are surprised by how little scarring remains afterward. More involved procedures, such as Achilles repair, ankle replacement or major reconstruction, take longer and usually require one overnight stay for monitoring. Thanks to modern rehabilitation protocols, many patients are already walking in a protective boot within one to two weeks of surgery.
Expected Benefits of Treatment
- Walk and stand with less pain
- Wear your regular shoes comfortably again
- Have a more stable ankle with less risk of giving way
- Correct foot or ankle problems that have been getting worse
- Reduce the risk of falls, especially in older adults
- Return to sports, work, and travel sooner when appropriate
Recovery: What It Looks Like, Procedure by Procedure
Recovery time depends on the types of foot surgery you have. Before surgery, your doctor will explain what to expect. As a general guide, bunion surgery may require a flat surgical shoe for two to three weeks, with a return to regular shoes around six weeks. After ankle arthroscopy, many patients can walk comfortably within about a week. Achilles tendon repair usually requires a protective boot with a heel wedge for around six weeks, followed by physiotherapy. Returning to running may take around four to six months.
Ankle replacement and major foot or ankle reconstruction may require eight to twelve weeks of protected weight-bearing before more active rehabilitation begins. During recovery, our team helps coordinate physiotherapy, dressing changes, follow-up visits, and imaging when needed. This helps ensure your recovery is monitored at every stage.
Possible Risks and Complications
Foot and ankle surgery has some risks, and your doctor will explain them before treatment
- Infection or slow wound healing, especially in people with diabetes or those who smoke
- Temporary stiffness in the joints near the surgery area
- Numbness or nerve irritation around the incision
- The foot problem may return if post-surgery footwear advice is not followed
- The bone may take longer to heal or may not heal fully
- Blood clots in the leg, although this is uncommon after foot surgery
Preventing Future Foot Problems
- Choose shoes with proper support and a toe box wide enough that your toes are not compressed
- Build strength in your ankles and calves through regular, simple exercises. This genuinely helps prevent recurrent sprains
- Rehabilitate ankle sprains fully rather than simply walking them off. Incomplete rehabilitation is the leading cause of chronic instability that we see
- Keep your body weight in a healthy range to reduce the cumulative load on your joints
- If you have diabetes, check your feet daily and treat any wound as soon as you notice it
- Consider orthotics if you have flat feet or high arches and are beginning to develop pain
Why Patients Choose Medaura for Foot and Ankle Care
Our foot and ankle surgeons treat only this region of the body, with no broader general orthopaedic caseload competing for their attention. This means the surgeon planning your bunion correction or ankle reconstruction has performed hundreds of these specific procedures, trained at leading orthopaedic centres in India, and stays current with international foot-and-ankle guidelines rather than general orthopaedic protocols. Beyond the surgery itself, we take care of the logistics that usually fall on the patient, including imaging coordination, a clear written cost estimate before you commit to anything, and travel support for patients arriving from other cities or countries. The goal is simple. You focus on healing, and we handle the coordination around it.
Dedicated Foot and Ankle Specialists
Our surgeons focus only on foot and ankle problems.
Clear and Transparent Pricing
Get a written cost estimate upfront with no hidden charges.
Planned Recovery Care
Physiotherapy and follow-up care are included in your treatment plan from the beginning.
Book this treatment
Request a Consultation
A coordinator responds within one business day with next steps, costs and timeline.
Related Treatments
World-class hip and knee replacement with rapid-recovery protocols.
Restoring length, alignment and function after trauma, infection or deformity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find Answers to Your Healthcare Questions
Get quick, reliable information about treatments, appointments, services, and patient care.
Will bunion surgery leave a visible scar?
Minimally invasive surgery uses small incisions that usually fade over time and become less noticeable.
Will I need a wheelchair after foot or ankle surgery?
Most patients do not need a wheelchair. Depending on the procedure, you may walk with a surgical shoe, boot, or crutches.
How long will I stay in the hospital?
Most foot and ankle surgeries are done as day-care procedures or require only one night in the hospital.
Can a bunion come back after surgery?
Bunion recurrence is possible, but the risk can be reduced with the right surgery and proper footwear after recovery.
When can I return to running after surgery?
Recovery varies by procedure, but many patients can return to running within three to six months.
Can I have foot or ankle surgery if I have diabetes?
Yes, in many cases. Good blood sugar control and proper circulation checks before surgery can help reduce complications.
Is physiotherapy needed after foot and ankle surgery?
Physiotherapy is often an important part of recovery and can help improve movement, strength, balance, and walking.
