A red, swollen, painful big toe joint is often assumed to be gout, but it is not always. In one primary care study, GPs diagnosed gout in 98% of people with an inflamed big toe joint, yet only 77% turned out to have it. A uric acid blood test cannot settle the question on its...
Category: Foot Surgery
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Are High Heels Bad for Your Feet? What the Evidence Actually Says
Between now and the new year, many people will spend more time in heels than they have all year — and every January we see the results in clinic. The research on heels is clearer than for most shoe questions: a review of 18 studies linked them to bunions, aches and pains and injuries, but...
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Are Carbon Plate Running Shoes Bad for Your Feet?
Carbon-plated “super shoes” started out as elite racing shoes and are now a common sight at parkrun — and running patients often ask me whether the thing that made them faster could be what is making their foot hurt. The research shows the performance benefit is real and well measured, while the injury concern rests...
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Why Is My Foot and Ankle Pain Worse in Winter?
The clocks go back this weekend, and winter is coming. Every year at this point I start to see patients whose foot or ankle has been fine for months but has suddenly become harder to live with — and they nearly always ask whether it is the cold or whether something is getting worse. The...
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Weight-Loss Injections and Foot & Ankle Surgery: What You Need to Know in 2026
Many people now take a weight-loss or diabetes injection such as Ozempic, Wegovy or Mounjaro, and two questions come up in clinic: will it help my foot, and do I need to stop it before my operation? The first studies looking at the foot and ankle, published in 2025 and 2026, are largely reassuring –...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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.
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Flat Feet: When Do They Actually Need Treating?
Most flat feet need no treatment at all — a low arch you’ve always had is simply a foot shape, not a disease. But when an arch that used to be there starts to flatten, usually on one side and usually in midlife, that’s a different, progressive condition, and one that responds far better to...
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