Foot & Ankle Surgery

Foot & Ankle Surgery at UVM Health

Your feet and ankles are complex structures made up of small bones, ligaments, tendons and muscles. They take you where you need to go while supporting the weight of your entire body. When you have an injury or condition affecting your ankle or feet, it can significantly interfere with your day-to-day function and quality of life.

At University of Vermont Health, you have access to fellowship-trained foot and ankle orthopedic surgeons and podiatrists across Vermont and northern New York. Our team works together to provide a comprehensive range of treatment options for foot and ankle problems.

A medical provider points to an x-ray of a foot while a patient looks on.

Why Choose UVM Health?

We use advanced techniques that help you get back on your feet as quickly as possible, with less pain. As one of the leading orthopedic programs in the region, we offer:

Full-spectrum treatment: We offer comprehensive treatments to meet your needs. Our foot and ankle surgeons and podiatrists perform an entire range of surgeries, from minor in-office procedures to complex foot and ankle reconstruction.
Patient-centered approach: We take time to listen to your needs and preferences. Your personalized care plan prioritizes nonsurgical treatment — we only recommend surgery when it’s the most effective option.
Research emphasis: As part of a health system anchored by an academic medical center, our physicians are active researchers at the forefront of research into foot and ankle care and our specialists have published numerous studies.

Conditions We Treat with Foot & Ankle Surgery

Many foot and ankle conditions improve without surgery. But in some cases, surgery is the most effective option for long-term symptom relief. You may need foot or ankle surgery to treat:

Ankle and foot injuries: Tendon or ligament tears, fractures or sprains
Ankle arthritis: Inflammation, pain and swelling in your ankle joint
Congenital deformities: Irregularities in your foot’s structure that are present at birth
Diabetes-related foot conditions: Nerve damage or non-healing wounds
Flatfoot: A collapsed arch that causes pain and instability
Foot pain: Chronic (ongoing) discomfort affecting the middle and front part of your foot
Heel pain: Chronic (ongoing) discomfort affecting the back part of your foot

Types of Foot & Ankle Surgeries

There are many types of foot and ankle surgeries, ranging from minor in-office procedures to complex reconstructions. Our team provides the full range of surgical options, including:

Ligament & Tendon Repair

Our surgeons use advanced techniques to repair torn ligaments or tendons. The most common of these procedures is Achilles tendon surgery, to repair the thick band of tissue running from your calf muscles to your heel. The most common ligament injuries that require treatment are those that occur around the ankle.

Tendon Transfer

Your surgeon takes a tendon from elsewhere in your body or uses a donor tendon and places it in your foot or ankle. You may need a tendon transfer to treat nerve damage, tendinitis or a severe sprain.

Osteotomy

In an osteotomy, your surgeon re-aligns or re-shapes one or more of your bones. You may need an osteotomy to treat a bunion or correct other foot deformities.

Joint Fusion

This procedure joins two or more of your ankle or foot bones with plates or screws. As the bones heal, they fuse into one, similar to how a fracture heals. Fusion can relieve pain and swelling if you have arthritis.

Total Ankle Replacement

In a total ankle replacement, your surgeon removes a damaged ankle joint and replaces it with artificial parts. Ankle replacement may be an effective treatment for some patients with severe ankle arthritis.

Foot & Ankle Surgery