Most relevant
Under review
Equinus boot or brace with early protected weight-bearing and structured rehabilitation.
Key points
Evidence summary in preparation.
How it works
Each condition page lists the realistic treatment options, from non-operative care to the main operations. Each option links to a summary of the best current evidence, the size and quality of that evidence, and what it means in clinic.
A search of PubMed runs every week for every condition. New papers are screened, and summaries are updated and reviewed by a clinician before they appear here. Every figure links back to its source paper.
8
foot and ankle conditions in the pilot
0
evidence summaries
589
papers tracked, 56 marked as key papers
Weekly
automatic literature search
Elective foot and ankle
All elective Elective
End-stage ankle arthritis
Predominantly post-traumatic tibiotalar arthritis. Surgical options for end-stage disease are ankle arthrodesis (open or arthroscopic) and total ankle replacement; joint-preserving options (supramalleolar osteotomy, distraction arthroplasty) are used for asymmetric or earlier disease.
ElectiveHallux valgus
Lateral deviation of the hallux with medial deviation of the first metatarsal, causing a painful bunion and transfer symptoms. Footwear modification and orthoses relieve symptoms but do not correct deformity. Surgery corrects the deformity with distal or shaft osteotomies (chevron, scarf with Akin), first tarsometatarsal fusion (Lapidus) for severe or hypermobile deformity, or minimally invasive percutaneous osteotomies.
ElectiveHallux rigidus
Degenerative arthritis of the first metatarsophalangeal joint with dorsal osteophytes, pain and stiffness. Early disease is treated with footwear, orthoses and injections, or cheilectomy. Advanced disease is treated with first MTP arthrodesis, the established standard, or with motion-preserving options such as a synthetic cartilage implant or arthroplasty.
ElectiveInsertional Achilles tendinopathy
Degenerative pain at the Achilles insertion, often with a Haglund deformity, retrocalcaneal bursitis and intratendinous calcification. First-line care is load management and loading exercise programmes, with extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) for persistent symptoms. Surgery (debridement, Haglund resection and reattachment, with or without FHL transfer) is reserved for failed non-operative care.
Foot and ankle trauma
All trauma Trauma
Ankle fractures
Malleolar fractures range from stable isolated Weber B fibular fractures to unstable bimalleolar, trimalleolar and syndesmotic injuries. Stable fractures are treated non-operatively with short immobilisation and early weight-bearing. Unstable fractures are usually treated with open reduction and internal fixation; in older adults close contact casting is an alternative. Syndesmotic injuries are stabilised with screws or suture-button devices.
TraumaAchilles tendon rupture
Acute rupture of the Achilles tendon, typically in middle-aged recreational athletes. Options are non-operative treatment with functional rehabilitation, open repair, or minimally invasive repair. Early weight-bearing in a functional brace has largely replaced prolonged plaster immobilisation.
TraumaCalcaneal fractures
Displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures usually follow a fall from height and carry a risk of subtalar arthritis, heel widening and soft-tissue complications. Options are non-operative treatment with early mobilisation, open reduction and internal fixation through an extensile lateral approach, minimally invasive or sinus tarsi fixation, and primary subtalar fusion for severely comminuted fractures.
TraumaLisfranc (tarsometatarsal) injuries
Injuries to the tarsometatarsal joint complex, from purely ligamentous sprains to high-energy fracture-dislocations. Stable, non-displaced injuries are usually treated non-operatively. Unstable injuries need anatomical reduction and stabilisation: open reduction and internal fixation (transarticular screws or dorsal bridge plating), primary partial arthrodesis of the medial column, or, for isolated ligamentous (C1–M2) injuries, flexible fixation with a suture-button device such as TightRope.
Most relevant options
Most relevant
Under review
Arthroscopic joint preparation with percutaneous screw fixation.
Key points
Evidence summary in preparation.
Most relevant
Under review
Manipulation under anaesthesia and a minimally padded, moulded below-knee cast for unstable fractures in adults over 60.
Key points
Evidence summary in preparation.
Subspecialties
Foot and ankleLive in the pilot
ShoulderComing soon
ElbowComing soon
Hand and wristComing soon
HipComing soon
KneeComing soon
SpineComing soon
Paediatric orthopaedicsComing soon