Foot and ankle surgery and hand microsurgical reconstruction: How are problems with walking or grip assessed?
Compare osteotomy for bunions, ankle fusion and ankle replacement, and learn about nerve repair and hand therapy after an old injury. Choose a foot and ankle or hand microsurgery team in China based on problems with weight-bearing, walking or grip.
Free initial inquiryContentsWhat does a doctor need to know when foot or ankle pain affects walking?
- 1.What does a doctor need to know when foot or ankle pain affects walking?
- 2.What can reconstruction address when an old hand injury limits grip?
- 3.Hospitals and care coordination
- 4.Stay and rehabilitation after foot, ankle or hand treatment
- 5.What records should I bring to a foot and ankle or hand appointment?
- 6.SinoCareHub service prices
- 7.Frequently asked questions
- 8.Make an inquiry
- 9.Sources
What does a doctor need to know when foot or ankle pain affects walking?
Tell the foot and ankle team exactly where it hurts and how wearing shoes, bearing weight and walking are affected. The doctor uses the examination, previous images and your activity needs to identify the source and decide whether to obtain weight-bearing images.
- Bunions or ankle arthritis make weight-bearing difficultCompare footwear, osteotomy, fusion and replacement.
- Numbness or trouble bending, straightening or gripping after an old hand injuryLearn about nerve repair, tendon treatment and hand therapy.
- Looking for a foot and ankle or hand microsurgical reconstruction teamChoose a subspecialty based on the affected area and function.
Bunions or forefoot pain
A wide toe box or a protective pad can reduce local pressure. If pain continues to limit walking and non-surgical care has provided too little relief, bunion surgery may be discussed. Osteotomy changes bone alignment. The choice of procedure also depends on the deformity and the degree of arthritis.
Ankle arthritis
In early stages, discuss adjusting activities, footwear or bracing. With advanced arthritis, fusion or replacement may be assessed. Fusion holds the ankle joint still to relieve pain, with loss of motion in that joint. Replacement can preserve some motion, but bone stock, soft tissues and implant-related risks must be assessed.
What can reconstruction address when an old hand injury limits grip?
First ask the hand surgery team which structures are responsible for reduced movement or changes in sensation. After a tendon injury, the tendon, joint stiffness and earlier repairs all affect the plan for further hand therapy or reconstruction.
Describe the movements you struggle with
Record whether you can pinch a key, hold a cup, straighten or bend the fingers, where you feel numbness and which task you most want to regain. Include any operation notes, images and hand therapy records.
Hand nerve repair
A severed nerve may be stitched directly if the ends can be joined without tension. If there is a gap, reconstruction such as a nerve graft may be needed. Recovery of sensation or strength depends on where and when the injury happened and which structures were involved.
Hand therapy after tendon repair
Early splinting and controlled movement must match the strength of the repair. The therapist follows the surgical team's restrictions to protect the tendon and reduce adhesions and stiffness as far as possible.
Choosing between foot and ankle correction and hand microsurgical reconstruction in China
Foot and ankle surgery focuses on weight-bearing and alignment. Hand microsurgical reconstruction focuses on nerves, tendons and tissue defects. Choose the team based on the injured structures and the function you want to regain.
Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine
Comprehensive hospitalCore StrengthsOrthopedics (trauma and replantation of amputated limbs), Endocrinology and metabolism (diabetic foot), Otolaryngology
Union Shenzhen Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (Nanshan Hospital)
Regional medical centerCore StrengthsPain Medicine, Neurosurgery, Hand and Microsurgery, Otorhinolaryngology
Foot and ankle surgery
Bring any weight-bearing images for foot or ankle pain. Ask which joint is causing pain, whether alignment is abnormal and when you can bear weight and change footwear after correction.
Hand microsurgery and hand therapy
For an old hand injury, share the original operation notes, areas of sensation and the ability to bend and straighten the fingers. If considering reconstruction, ask whether it addresses the nerve, tendon or joint and get written instructions for splinting and ongoing hand therapy.
What can SinoCareHub help with?
- Organizing and translating medical records so the hospital understands your questions.
- Contacting relevant departments and doctors based on your diagnosis and treatment goals.
- Coordinating video consultations, appointments, invitation documents and in-person medical interpreting, depending on the services you select.
- Discussing documentation, follow-up and continuity of care after you return home. Confirm what will be provided in writing first.
What does the hospital decide?
- Diagnosis, tests, treatment plans and follow-up requirements.
- Individual risks and recommendations for admission, discharge and return travel.
- Whether the hospital can take your case, the schedule and the hospital’s quote.
Stay and rehabilitation after foot, ankle or hand treatment
Ask the hospital to explain the initial assessment, treatment, and wound or fixation reviews separately, and to assess whether you can travel home. Plan ahead for any inability to bear weight or manage daily activities with one hand, or the need to work with a therapist.
Steps for travel home and handing over care
Confirm when discharge and return travel are suitable
Check with the treating team about wound or fixation checks, mobility aids and assistance during travel, and when fitness to travel will be assessed.
Take home your weight-bearing or hand-use restrictions and follow-up plan
Ask for written instructions on weight-bearing or hand use, bracing, follow-up dates and contact details. Give the plan to your local foot and ankle or hand surgeon and rehabilitation team.
What records should I bring to a foot and ankle or hand appointment?
Bring existing original images and reports. Note the dates, the affected side and when the injury or surgery occurred. Write down the specific movements you want to regain.
Expand the medical records checklist
- Add records of previous immobilisation and rehabilitation
If available, include operation summaries, records of insoles or splints, and changes in walking, grip or sensation recorded by a therapist.
SinoCareHub service prices
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to arrange weight-bearing X-rays for foot or ankle pain before travelling?
Share your existing images with the receiving team first. Ask the doctor whether new views are needed and what position is suitable.
Can I ask which clinic to contact for an old hand injury if I only have wound photos?
Describe when the injury happened, which finger or area is affected, and current changes in movement and sensation. The hand surgery team can determine what other records or examinations it needs.