Ankle fusion and total ankle replacement are the two main operations for ankle arthritis that no longer settles with non-surgical treatment. Both can relieve pain well, and the better option depends on the individual: age and activity level, the health of the neighbouring joints, body weight, any deformity, the condition of the skin and circulation, and the type of work you do. This one-page infographic shows which way each of these six factors tends to point, and explains why no single factor decides on its own. View the infographic: Ankle Replacement or Fusion: Which Is Best for Me?
When Can I Drive After Foot and Ankle Surgery?
There is no set number of weeks in UK law before you can drive after foot or ankle surgery. What matters is whether you can control the car and do an emergency stop as quickly as normal. Braking studies show that after surgery on the right foot, most people can brake safely by 6 to 9 weeks – but not while the foot is still painful and stiff. Driving with your left foot is not a safe alternative, and if you drive a manual car, surgery on the left foot matters too. This article explains the law, what the research...
Fixing Lisfranc injuries – screws or tightropes?
When a Lisfranc injury in the middle of the foot needs surgery, the bones can be held in place with metal screws and plates, or with a TightRope – a strong braided cord with a small button at each end that works more like the original ligament. For injuries that affect only the ligament, current studies show similar results with either method at one year, and a TightRope usually avoids a second operation to remove metalwork. It is not suitable for every injury, though: broken bones, several damaged joints or a late diagnosis usually need screws, plates or a fusion....
Ankle Replacement in the UK: What the 2026 National Joint Registry Shows
The latest National Joint Registry report looks at nearly 13,000 ankle replacements carried out in England and Wales between 2010 and 2025. More are being done each year, the typical patient is around 69, and about 9 in 10 had not needed further surgery 10 years later. Younger patients, particularly younger women, are more likely to need a second operation. The report also shows why some ankle replacements are revised, which implants are used today, and what the figures cannot tell you about your own ankle. A plain-English guide to the findings: Ankle Replacement in the UK: What the 2026...
Pain Relief After Foot and Ankle Surgery: Is it going to really hurt?
Worry about pain is one of the most common reasons people put off foot and ankle surgery. Pain relief has changed a great deal, and for most operations a nerve block keeps the foot numb for around 24 to 36 hours — covering the period when pain would normally be at its worst. This guide explains your anaesthetic options, what a block feels like, what to expect when it wears off, and the simple step of taking regular painkillers before feeling returns, which in one study reduced the need for strong painkillers roughly fifteen-fold. Read the full guide: Pain Relief...
What Is the Right Age to Have an Ankle Replacement?
If you’ve been offered an ankle replacement — or been told you’re too young for one — it’s worth knowing what the evidence actually shows. No UK or international guideline sets a minimum age; the “over 50” rule many patients hear is a habit rather than a rule, based on results from implants no longer in use. The largest study to date, covering over 18,500 procedures across three national joint registries, shows that age does affect the chance of needing further surgery — but also that results have improved by nearly half since 2015, and that the alternative, ankle fusion,...
Injections for Ankle Arthritis: A Guide for Patients
If you’ve been offered an injection for ankle arthritis — or seen one advertised — it’s worth knowing what the evidence actually shows. In careful trials, people often improve by about the same amount whether they receive the real treatment or a dummy salt-water injection, which makes it hard to know which treatments genuinely help. What steroid, gel, PRP, Botox and stem-cell injections can (and can’t) do, and how to weigh up your options: Injections for Ankle Arthritis: A Guide for Patients.
Hammer Toes and Claw Toes: Why They Happen and What Can Be Done
A bent toe is rarely the whole problem — it's often a sign of a bunion, a torn ligament under the joint, or a tight calf pulling more weight onto the front of the foot. This article explains the difference between hammer, claw and crossover toes, when non-surgical treatment is enough, and what the evidence actually says about wires versus the newer internal implants.
The Midfoot Injury That Gets Missed: Lisfranc Explained
A twisted foot that gets diagnosed as a simple sprain does not always improve the way a sprain should. When the injury involves the ligaments and joints in the middle of the foot — the Lisfranc joint — a standard X-ray can look entirely normal, and the diagnosis is often missed until the joint has already started to wear out. What the warning signs are, why the X-ray can mislead, and when a weight-bearing CT changes the picture: The Midfoot Injury That Gets Missed: Lisfranc Explained.
Burning Pain in the Ball of Your Foot: Is It Morton’s Neuroma?
A burning or electric pain between the third and fourth toes, often described as walking on a pebble, is usually put down to a Morton’s neuroma. The evidence tells a more complicated story: nerve thickening shows up on scans in a large proportion of people with no pain at all, so a scan finding on its own should never be the basis for treatment. Our latest patient guide explains what is actually happening in the foot, why ultrasound and MRI so often over-diagnose the condition, and which treatments — from footwear changes to injections and surgery — genuinely help: Burning...