With the ongoing health push to try to walk at least 10,000 steps every day, we need to know that our knees, ankles and feet are up to the job. Add into that any number of sports where you are standing, walking, running, twisting or jumping – and you are asking a lot of your lower limbs.

Consultant Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgeon, Paul Parker, is inviting people to come along to a free open evening at the Woodlands Hospital Darlington, to hear how to resolve painful issues with their lower limbs.

“Our feet are very important and, hopefully, will keep us going for 70 or 80 years, but, as we get older, just through general wear and tear, we lose the elastic tissue,” explains Mr Parker.

The Northern Echo:

“Our feet also flatten, and because we may be standing for long periods, we can suffer from painful conditions, such as plantar fasciitis. Because feet also become broader, it can give rise to painful bunions, and once the bunion forms it just gets bigger and bigger.”

Mr Parker is the British Army’s most senior Consultant Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgeon. He qualified in Medicine from Queen's University Belfast in 1985. After overseas military service in Central America and Germany, he trained as an orthopaedic surgeon and became a consultant in 1998.

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Mr Parker has his own private practice [www.mrpaulparker.com]. At the event, he will be discussing a variety of lower limb issues involving the knee foot and ankle, and the procedures for correcting them, which may only involve simple, at-home remedies, such as icing, stretching, topical gels, insoles and splints for plantar fasciitis.

He is keen to reassure patients that surgery is not even the first resort if they are experiencing problems.

“Physiotherapy is the mainstay of our treatment, along with appropriate imaging, such as MRI and CT scans,” says Mr Parker. “Plantar fasciitis, for example, also responds very well to shockwave therapy and image guided injection therapy.”

There are occasions, however, when appropriate physio doesn’t work, so surgery would be required. Mr Parker adopts a ‘whole team’ approach, using ultrasound, injections, dry needling or surgery as necessary.

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Patients are also often under the impression that foot surgery is a very painful procedure, but Mr Parker explains that with modern anaesthesia and techniques, there is really very little pain.

“We do all sorts of operations for bunions, straightening toes, correcting joints, and we use tiny screws and staples,” he says. “A simple bunionectomy takes just seven to ten days to recover from, in a soft dressing.”

“We try to intervene before joint replacement is necessary,” he adds. “Our aim is to stabilise the joint, whether ankle, or knee ligaments; for example, where the anterior cruciate is ruptured, we will try to reconstruct it within three months, which stops the knee getting worse and also wearing out.”

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“Keeping mobile is so important, and people with active lifestyles do injure their ankle ligaments. We can reconstruct the ligament, as strong as it was originally, and with very good outcomes.

Members of the audience will have the opportunity to ask questions, and to speak to hospital representatives from the physiotherapy, nursing, and patient liaison teams.

If you would like to attend the event on Thursday, October 12th, from 6pm - 8pm, visit the event page on EventBrite to register your place, or call and speak with Woodlands Hospital Patient Liaison Officers on 01325 341784 or 341786, or Mr Parker’s Practice Manager on 07725118835.

Complimentary light snack and refreshments will be provided.

Visit circlehealthgroup.co.uk/consultants/paul-jeremy-parker to find out more information about the services that Mr Parker provides.

Woodlands Hospital, Morton Park, Darlington DL1 4PL.