Clinical and Radiological Examination of the Foot and Ankle: The Path to Definitive Diagnosis

The foot and ankle are among the most complicated anatomical regions of the human body, making their examination challenging. The perfect equilibrium between bones, tendons, ligaments, and other anatomical structures can be disturbed by pathological processes leading to complex disorders. The path to definitive diagnosis passes through a comprehensive clinical and radiological examination. However, the sources focusing on examining the foot and ankle pathologies are limited.

Hence, this book aims to cover all aspects of clinical and radiological examination of the foot and ankle, including basics, general approach, and a closer look at the different foot and ankle pathologies. It will include the most up-to-date diagnostic methods, special tests, and radiological evaluations and give clues about the various situations that should be considered before going into surgery. With a broad range of clinical and radiological images, the path to diagnosis gets simpler! Chapters provide a systematic approach to evaluating various foot and ankle problems such as instabilities, tendinopathies, deformities, trauma, neuropathies, cartilage disorders, impingement, heel pain, etc. Moreover, it includes a chapter emphasizing the emerging technologies used for more precise clinical evaluation.

This book will aid foot & ankle surgeons, podiatrists, and general orthopedic surgeons in understanding clinical and radiological examination for improved diagnosis, as well as fellows, residents, and medical students interested in foot and ankle pathologies.

Dr. Siddhartha Sharma, MS, FRCS, is an Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research, Chandigarh, India. He trained and Government Medical College, Jammu, and PGIMER, Chandigarh, India. He gained international surgical experience at orthopedics centers of reputation in Japan, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, the USA, and Austria. His subspecialties include Foot & Ankle Surgery and Limb Lengthening and Deformity Correction. He is faculty for the prestigious AO Trauma and has served as international faculty on several foot and ankle courses, most recently in the Philippines, Vietnam, and Ghana. He has authored over 100 research publications and contributed several book chapters in international textbooks.

Dr. Bedri Karaismailoglu (MD, FEBOT) graduated from Hacettepe University, Ankara, and completed his residency in Orthopaedics and Traumatology at Istanbul University, Cerrahpasa Medical School of Turkiye. He is a European Board-certified orthopedic surgeon and works as a foot and ankle surgeon and assistant professor of Orthopaedics and Traumatology at Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa. He is also a research fellow in FARIL (Foot and Ankle Research and Innovation Laboratory) at Mass General Hospital - Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA. Dr. Karaismailoglu has more than 40 peer-reviewed international publications & book chapters and has delivered invited lectures and oral presentations in different international & national meetings where he won several best presentation awards.

Dr. Soheil Ashkani-Esfahani, MD, Ph.D., is the Director of the Foot & Ankle Research and Innovation Laboratory, Department of Orthopedic Surgery at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, USA. He has several publications published in high-ranked journals that are cited highly. As the Director of the foot and ankle research and innovation lab (FARIL), he focuses on developing more accurate, faster, and less invasive diagnostic technologies for foot and ankle illnesses. He is involved with several biomechanical projects and projects involving the newly developed dynamic weight-bearing CT scan and portable ultrasound. Moreover, his work has focused on novel surgical techniques, including minimally invasive surgeries and new arthroscopy methods. He serves on the editorial board of several journals of repute, including the Spine Journal and Foot and Ankle International. He has also trained medical students, residents, and fellows.