The foot consists of 27 bones and a large number of stabilizing ligaments, tendons and muscles. The ankle joint, also called the foot joint or ankle, connects the lower leg to the foot. The ankle joints serve the fluid gait of humans. While the upper ankle joint moves the foot up and down, the lower ankle joint serves to balance outward and inward unevenness.
Complaints of the foot can be as numerous as there are bones, ligaments and tendons in the foot. Sometimes it only takes one wrong step and it can happen: the ligaments are torn or the ankle joint overstretched. Other ailments develop over years, such as arthrosis in the ankle joint and the big toe or hallux valgus.
Our orthopedics team treats injuries and wear and tear of the foot and ankle joints in an interdisciplinary team and in close cooperation with physiotherapy.
Common complaints
- Hallux valgus
- Hammer toes
- Claw toes
- Ankle joint arthrosis
- Osteoarthritis big toe (hallux rigidus)
- Foot deformities
- Buckling flat foot
- Tendon and ligament injuries of the ankle joint
- Nerve bottleneck syndromes
Diseases and conditions of the foot and ankle joint
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Achilles tendon rupture
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The Achilles tendon is of great importance for normal walking. If the Achilles tendon tears, walking is significantly more difficult and the strength in the calf is greatly reduced. The Achilles tendon tears most frequently in the middle area. In addition, there are tears of the tendon from the heel bone and tears in the transition from the tendon to the calf muscle.
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Osteoarthritis of the big toe (hallux rigidus)
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Osteoarthritis is the wearing away of joints, in this case the cartilage narrows, until in the final stage bone rubs against bone. This can be very painful. In addition, it can cause restriction to movement. In the case of hallux, this is particularly noticeable when rolling or tiptoeing. Wear and tear is accelerated by risk factors. In addition to genetic factors, body weight, stress on the joint during sports and pre-existing deformities play a role, among other things.
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Ankle fracture
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The ankle joint is formed from the external malleolus of the fibula and the internal malleolus and the posterior edge of the tibia. These bony structures are connected by important ligaments. Dislocation of the ankle joint can result in injuries of varying severity, depending on the accident. Ankle fracture is a typical sports injury. It also occurs frequently in wet or icy weather, it can however also occur in the falls of elderly people.
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Overload fracture (stress fracture)
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Repeated overloads can cause bones to fracture. Such an overload or fatigue fracture often announces itself in the preliminary stages by pain.
