News & Articles

A surprisingly common and simple injury can cause ankle arthritis Ankle arthritis is less common that Hip and Knee arthritis. In fact, while Hip and Knee arthritis is commonly attributed to genetics and ‘wear and tear’ with increasing age, the ethology of ankle arthritis is often quite different.

Big toe arthritis (1st MTP joint) – What is new on the horizon! Big toe arthritis is a common condition that typically affects the 1st metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint. This frequently leads to pain and swelling in this area, and difficulty ‘pushing off’ when mobilising. Many women find it unmanageable to wear high heels due to limited motion of that joint. Thankfully, a new technique has recently become available in Australia.

Why Bunion surgery is not what it used to be. How far we have come? While I perform all aspects of foot and ankle surgery, one of the most common conditions that I manage is bunions. Patients present with bunion deformities for several reasons. These range from cosmetic concerns, difficulty with footwear, pain under the ball of their foot, or pain over the bunion itself.

What exactly have you injured when you sprain your ankle? Ankle injuries are extremely common. They occur in people of all ages, and the most common ankle injury is an ankle sprain. The term ‘sprain’ is frequently used to describe a ‘soft tissue’ injury, where the bones around the ankle have not fractured, however the ligaments and capsule that surround the joint are injured. With the ankle sprain being so common, it is time to take a look at what the ankle ligaments are, and which ones are frequently injured at the time of injury.

What causes bunion pain? Up to a third of the adult population have bunions, but not everyone experiences bunion pain. If you are one of the ‘unlucky’ ones to have these symptoms, you have probably often wondered what the cause of this bunion pain is. Dr. Smith takes a look at some of the common reasons that your bunions may be painful, and what you can do to help alleviate bunion pain.

When to have bunion surgery? It is estimated that up to a third of the population have bunions. Clearly, not all of these people will be bothered enough by this condition to consider surgery. However, a large proportion of patients with bunions, have been ‘putting up with them’ for many years. The surgical correction of bunions has come a long way in recent years, with minimally invasive, or ‘keyhole’ surgery now possible. Every individual has their own threshold at which they decide to seek advice regarding bunion treatment. While there is no ‘absolute’ indication for when to have bunion surgery, several reasons for seeking medical treatment are discussed below.

Will keyhole bunion surgery become the gold standard? There are many surgical techniques described for bunion surgery. Despite bunion surgery having been performed for over 100 years, there has yet to be a technique that has been considered as the ‘Gold Standard’. With over 100 different operations described, Surgeons perform this procedure differently all around the world. With the recent development of keyhole bunion surgery, one must watch this space with great interest.

Plantar Fasciitis Treatment – Myths Exposed Plantar fasciitis is a very common condition resulting in chronic heel pain. The condition represents irritation / inflammation of the plantar fascia. With progression, tears in the plantar fascia may develop. The pain is classically worse in the mornings or following long periods of rest. Given how common plantar fasciitis is, many myths have arisen surrounding this condition and plantar fasciitis treatment. Dr. Mike Smith discusses some of the more common misconceptions.

Bunions – Myths Exposed A bunion, also know as a ‘Hallux valgus deformity’, is a painful deformity that occurs at the base of the big toe (the 1st MTP joint). A complex mechanism results in a painful prominence forming on the inside of the great toe, and the toe itself begins to migrate towards the 2nd toe.

Dr. Mike Smith – Foot Surgeon in Adelaide Determining whether foot surgery is the best option for your condition can be a difficult decision. The foot is a complex mechanism that has many bone and joints that may be affected by arthritis and progressive deformity.

Orthopaedic Fellowship Dr. Mike Smith is currently undertaking sub-specialist training in knee surgery at Gold Coast University Hospital with Dr. Price Gallie. Focusing on all aspects of knee surgery, including minimally invasive arthroscopic reconstructions and navigated knee replacements, Dr. Smith is looking forward offering these techniques to his patients in Adelaide, when he returns in January 2018.

Royal Australasian College of Surgeons – Adelaide Dr. Mike Smith, orthopaedic surgeon, recently had the opportunity to attend the RACS Convocation ceremony in Adelaide. It was a great honour to convocate at the surgical conference in Adelaide. The RACS ASC is the largest annual surgical conference in Australia which is governed by the Australia College of Surgeons. Every year, Surgeons from around Australia and New Zealand congregate in a capital city to welcome the new surgical fellows into the college, and to present the latest in surgical research to their colleagues. Dr. Mike Smith was fortunate to be able to partake in this ceremony in his home town of Adelaide, where he will set up practice as an orthopaedic surgeon specialising in minimally invasive foot and ankle surgery, and knee surgery.