Ankle and Foot Doctor in Anchorage, Alaska

When your ankle is in pain, it can be challenging to go about your day-to-day life. What’s more, pain, stiffness and/or swelling in your ankle can point to a serious underlying condition, which can only get worse if not treated promptly. A physician specializing in the ankle can provide the necessary care for any issue affecting the ankle or lower leg.

Our ankle specialist can pinpoint the cause of your ankle pain and provide a custom treatment plan – whether that’s ankle surgery or a less invasive form of ankle care. Additionally, as an orthopedic foot doctor, our foot and ankle specialist provides world-class treatment for foot pain and injuries and conditions of the feet, heels and toes, such as bunions and hammertoe. Whatever surgery or nonsurgical treatment you need, our surgeon has the expertise to help you.

When you see a physician or surgeon in our practice, the first step will be diagnosis. Our ankle doctor will want to examine your ankle and your foot and may take X-rays or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Our ankle surgeon sees patients for a wide range of ankle conditions, including:

• Achilles tendonitis
• Ankle deformities
• Ankle instability
• Arthritis
• Chronic lower leg pain
• Fractures
• Ligament damage
• Sports-related injuries
• Sprains
• Tendon damage

No matter the cause of your ankle pain, we can help point you toward an effective treatment. Whenever possible, our ankle specialist will attempt to avoid ankle surgery in favor of other orthopedic treatments, but the goal is always to get you back to normal activities as quickly as possible.

When the surgical route can be avoided, our ankle surgeon will provide healthy options for long-lasting pain relief. Sometimes, ankle conditions can be addressed with medicine, the use of an orthotic device, or physical therapy.

Surgical care is sometimes necessary to resolve chronic ankle issues. Your surgeon will be able to talk with you about how he intends to treat your injury. We offer arthroscopic ankle cartilage repair and other effective reconstructive surgeries to restore your mobility. We also offer total ankle replacement surgery for arthritis, and our board-certified ankle specialist has the highest level of expertise in ankle replacement surgery in Anchorage.

Ankle Replacement in Anchorage, Alaska

Our board-certified foot and ankle surgeons offer leading-edge options for patients with arthritis of the ankle joint. Ankle arthritis can be a debilitating issue. It can result from prior trauma, systemic conditions, or simply primary osteoarthritis from years of wear and tear. For the people here in Alaska, this can limit the ability to enjoy all the activities we love in this state.

Nonsurgical remedies are the first line of treatment for severe ankle arthritis, but oftentimes, the options do not yield complete relief of arthritic pain. Surgical options for end-stage arthritis of the ankle may be either a fusion or replacement. Ankle fusions result in a fixed ankle joint, preventing motion through the arthritic area.

Ankle replacement surgery consists of removal of the arthritic portions of the joint and replacement with metal and a plastic (polyethylene) insert. Ankle fusion remains the best option for some patients based on a number of factors. In the appropriately selected patients, the replacement option results in excellent outcomes, allowing patients to keep motion at their ankle and walk with a more normal stride.

Our physicians have received extensive and unparalleled training in ankle replacement surgery under the leaders in the field. As part of their dedication to keeping Alaska healthy and active, our foot and ankle doctors provide expert, comprehensive treatment plans with ankle replacement surgery for patients who meet the necessary criteria.

When To Seek Treatment from an Ankle Specialist

You may not need to see a doctor for minor ankle pain, but severe or chronic ankle discomfort can make it next to impossible to carry out your daily responsibilities. We recommend seeking care from a podiatric medicine professional if the pain in your ankle:

• Keeps you from carrying out work/home responsibilities
• Affects your foot or lower leg, or lasts for more than a couple of days
• Does not respond to basic home remedies
• Results from a traumatic injury, such as a sports injury or a car crash

Ongoing ankle pain is nothing to take lightly. There are many surgical and nonsurgical treatment options, and our board-certified surgeon can show you the best way forward.