From Sprains to Bunions: Making Sense of Common Foot & Ankle Issues

The human foot and ankle are astonishingly complex, and when they hurt, life shrinks fast. In this comprehensive episode of Aussie Med Ed, host and Orthopaedic surgeon Dr Gavin Nimon sits down with Dr Peter Stavrou, Adelaide-based foot and ankle specialist and past president of the Australian Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society, to unpack everything medical students, junior doctors, and GPs need to know about foot and ankle conditions.From the emergency department to the operating theatre, this episode covers the full spectrum of foot and ankle care - with practical, evidence-based guidance you can use in clinical practice today.We start with the realities of frontline care. Mechanism matters: inversion plantarflexion points to lateral ligament sprain, while dorsiflexion eversion sets off alarms for syndesmosis. You’ll learn how to use Ottawa rules wisely, why two to three weeks without improvement is the decision point, and when weight-bearing X-rays, MRI, or weight-bearing CT tip the balance toward referral. We demystify Achilles ruptures with simple bedside tests, compare nonoperative and surgical pathways, and outline honest timelines for walking, rehab, and return to sport.From there, we pivot to the elective landscape. Think bunions, hallux rigidus, plantar fasciitis, metatarsalgia, neuromas, adult acquired flatfoot, and ankle arthritis. We share clear strategies that work in real life: rocker-soled shoes, arch supports, ultrasound-guided injections, and joint-sparing options like cheilectomy. When surgery is on the table, we contrast fusion and total ankle replacement, highlight who benefits most from each, and bring in up-to-date registry insights on survivorship and outcomes. We also tackle stress fractures, the underestimated role of vitamin D, and why chronic ankle instability often needs both soft tissue repair and bony realignment to succeed.If you want practical, step-by-step thinking that helps patients move without fear and pain, this conversation delivers. Subscribe, share with a colleague who sees ankle pain every clinic, and leave a review to tell us the topic you want covered next. Heidi Health:- AI transcription SoftwareAI transcription with Heidi Pro. Students and trainees get free access-visit www.heidihealth.com/podDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.🎙️ Proudly Supported By Our SponsorsAussie Med Ed is independent and free — made possible by these amazing Australian organisations. Heidi Health — AI medical scribe built for Australian clinicians. Finish clinic on time and keep your focus on your patients. Visit Heidi HealthHealthShare — Australia's health information and referral platform, connecting GPs, specialists and patients. Visit HealthShareAvant Medical Defence Organisation — Protecting over 80,000 Australian healthcare professionals. Visit AvanteMedici -an Australian-made medical education platform for med students, junior doctors, and IMGs. Visit eMedici.com/MEDEDBetter Medical- GP clinics across QLD, SA, VIC and TAS – offering you the freedom to practise your way, backed by a strong support network. Visit BetterMedicalThanking the organisations that make Aussie Med Ed possible. Visit our full Sponsors page