At the age of 50, Massachusetts resident Ron Lagasse began experiencing shooting pain in his right ankle and chalked it up to typical aches and pains. Quickly, the pain worsened and his active lifestyle of Warparticipating in outdoor activities was reduced to debilitating pain from solely bringing the trash down his driveway. Shortly after, his left ankle began to bother him just like his right. Ron was desperate to find a solution. He tried braces, anti-inflammatory medication and cortisone shots, but nothing worked.

Ron had been told by his first orthopedic doctor that ankle replacements were not an option, however, that all changed when he met Dr. Stephen Rogers of the Foot & Ankle Institute of New England. When Dr. Rogers first met Ron, he found that Ron’s ankles were completely deteriorated, rubbing bone on bone, and his bones had shifted so they were angular to each other rather than flat. After a complete examination, Dr. Rogers explained Ron’s treatment options and said that total ankle replacement was indeed an option for him. In March 2014, Ron had the INBONE® Total Ankle System placed in his right foot and then the left in February 2015. Now he is able to get back to normal life.

The opinions of Dr. Rogers and Ron Lagasse are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Wright Medical.

These results are specific to this individual only. Individual results and activity levels after surgery vary and depend on many factors including age, weight and prior activity level. There are risks and recovery times associated with surgery and there are certain individuals who should not undergo surgery.

Foot and ankle surgery specialist, Dr. Collin Ball, strives to bring the latest technology to his patients and community members living in the area of Laurel County, Kentucky. A groundbreaking procedure that he provides is the total ankle joint replacement, which is an alternative to joint fusion procedures. Dr. Ball explains that total ankle replacement is an option for those who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis or loss of joint motion, which causes a patient severe pain and bone-on-bone rubbing. In the past, patients suffering with this pain were faced with three options: pain medication, wearing a brace full-time or ankle fusion. With the introduction of ankle replacements, patients can significantly reduce their discomfort without sacrificing joint mobility.

Somerset resident, Scott Quillen, is a patient of Dr. Ball’s whose ankle was injured after a motorcycle test drive, which resulted in a compound dislocation to his right ankle. Over the years, Quillen’s pain worsened, and he considered amputation before being referred to Dr. Ball for a consultation. Quillen now has full rotation back in his ankle.

The opinions of Dr. Ball and Scott Quillen are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Wright Medical.

Any results are specific to this particular individual only. Individual results and activity levels after surgery vary and depend on many factors including age, weight and prior activity level. There are risks and recovery times associated with surgery and there are certain individuals who should not undergo surgery.

Christine Smith, 60, had badly sprained her ankle about 30 years ago, and over the years saw an increase in weakness and pain. She had gotten to the point where just taking a step hurt. Smith leads a very active lifestyle working with the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania nature program and as part of the Pennsylvania Wilderness Search and Rescue team where her specialty is visual man tracking. This work requires the ability to get up and down from the ground with ease—something that had grown very painful for her over the years. When Smith first sought out an orthopaedic specialist she was told that ankle fusion was her only option. That was until she met Dr. Benjamin Overley with the Coventry Foot and Ankle Surgery practice, a specialty recently formed by Pottstown Memorial Medical Center. Dr. Overley explained a more attractive option that would allow her to maintain more mobility-total ankle replacement.

In 2014 Dr. Overley implanted the INFINITY® Total Ankle System in Smith’s left ankle and she hasn’t looked back since. Smith recalls an easy recovery which culminated in her hiking the Appalachian Trail seven months after her procedure.

Dr. Overley said ideal patients are those suffering from post-traumatic arthritis with a history of sprains or fractures. Once recovered, patients can typically ride a bike, swim, walk recreationally and play golf (with a brace).

The opinions of Dr. Overly and Christine Smith are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Wright Medical.

Any results are specific to this particular individual only. Individual results and activity levels after surgery vary and depend on many factors including age, weight and prior activity level. There are risks and recovery times associated with surgery and there are certain individuals who should not undergo surgery.

Salem orthopedic surgeon Dr. Kelly McCormick has been performing ankle replacements for three years, and while people may not be familiar with the procedure, he says the procedure is fairly common. Dr. McCormick’s patient Mary Davis first damaged her ankle during a basketball game in high school nearly 50 years ago that resulted in several years of pain, torn ligaments and sprains. A surgery to repair the torn tendons and ligaments provided her some relief, but the pain reappeared around age 50. Mary tried to deal with the pain by taping the ankle to keep it secure, but over time the pain became too much and she went to see Dr. McCormick.

Dr. McCormick gave her the option of an ankle fusion or total ankle replacement. To test out the options, he provided Mary with a boot that simulated the mobility of a fused ankle, and after an hour of wearing it, she decided that a total ankle replacement would be the best choice for her.

Mary received the INBONE® Total Ankle System replacement from Dr. McCormick at Hope Orthopedics in October 2013, and after four weeks of recovery and six weeks of physical therapy, Mary was back on her feet, pain free.

The opinions of Dr. McCormick and Mary Davis are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Wright Medical.

Any results are specific to this particular individual only. Individual results and activity levels after surgery vary and depend on many factors including age, weight and prior activity level. There are risks and recovery times associated with surgery and there are certain individuals who should not undergo surgery.

Scott Quillen, a 55-year-old retired Air Force Master Sergeant, was ready to have his right leg amputated from the knee down due to excruciating ankle pain that had been developing from a motorcycle accident several years ago. Since the accident, he had undergone surgical treatment, cortisone shots and taken pain medication, but nothing seemed to help.

Dr. Collin Ball, a podiatric surgeon with KentuckyOne Health Orthopedic Associates, felt Quillen qualified as a good candidate for the INBONE® Total Ankle System procedure. Dr. Ball explains how the procedure and INBONE® Total Ankle System work, and finds it to be one of the top-of-the-line replacements. He explains how the device is being refined and upgraded, patient recovery time is a lot quicker, it preserves range of motion, and it allows a patient to continue to do most of their daily activities.

Since the surgery, Quillen sees receiving the INBONE® Total Ankle System as a blessing. Pre-surgery he dreaded getting out of bed, and now he is back to doing everything he loved to do, including walking 5k’s on the treadmill three times a week.

The opinions of Dr. Ball and Scott Quillen are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Wright Medical.

Any results are specific to this particular individual only. Individual results and activity levels after surgery vary and depend on many factors including age, weight and prior activity level. There are risks and recovery times associated with surgery and there are certain individuals who should not undergo surgery.

Dr. Simon Lee from Rush University Medical Center and Midwest Orthopedics in Chicago, Ill., discusses the evolution of total ankle replacements, and their recent increase in popularity as the technology and design has advanced, due in part to the evolution and from lessons learned from other joint replacement procedures like the knee and hip. He explains how ankle arthritis, mostly as a result of an injury, is extremely painful and one of the main reasons for patients to look to ankle replacement as a form of pain relief while retaining foot mobility. The previous standard of care included ankle fusion which greatly limits a patient’s mobility and can result in pain or arthritis developing in other parts of the body, such as the back.

Dr. Lee’s patient, Robert Corwin, was experiencing increasing ankle pain and was at the point that it was almost impossible to walk. Mr. Corwin explains that as an active judo instructor in Yorkville, Ill, having the ankle replacement surgery was the best option for him as it eliminated the pain, but also allowed him to keep his mobility and flexibility.

As patients go into recovery after the procedure, Dr. Lee outlines the time frame of being able to move the ankle within the first 6-8 week in physical therapy, and are about 3-4 months away from fully weight bearing and being able to do their routine actives.

The opinions of Dr. Lee are his alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Wright Medical.

Any results are specific to this particular individual only. Individual results and activity levels after surgery vary and depend on many factors including age, weight and prior activity level. There are risks and recovery times associated with surgery and there are certain individuals who should not undergo surgery.

Mary Davis injured her ankle while playing basketball in high school and it was never the same. It wasn’t treated properly, and years later, Mary’s ankle deteriorated to the point where she couldn’t participate in activities with her grandchildren due to the pain.

Dr. Kelly McCormick of Hope Orthopedics in Salem, Ore., recommended the INBONE® Total Ankle System, and now Mary can play basketball with her grandchildren and get back on the tennis courts that she loves with no pain. Dr. McCormick explains that ankle replacements have improved based on key learnings from knee and hip replacements over the years, and although it is a very complex procedure, it has enabled Mary to live a life without pain.

The opinions of Dr. McCormick and Mary Davis are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Wright Medical.

Any results are specific to this particular individual only. Individual results and activity levels after surgery vary and depend on many factors including age, weight and prior activity level. There are risks and recovery times associated with surgery and there are certain individuals who should not undergo surgery.

Aspiring skiing Olympian, Cathy Smithers, sustained multiple fractures to the tibia and fibula of her right leg before the age of 19 and forcing her to cease participating in the sport altogether or risk injury and never being able to walk again.

Cathy tried to keep a positive attitude after having to stop skiing and began working with special needs children—but she continued to experience pain in her ankle that progressively got worse as she got older. Smithers consulted with multiple doctors until she scheduled an appointment with Dr. Steven Haddad of IBJI in Glenview, Ill. Dr. Haddad rebuilt her foot and performed a total ankle replacement. Smithers is now able to return to the slopes 50 years later and ski with her grandchildren.

The opinions of Dr. Haddad and Cathy Smithers are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Wright Medical.

Any results are specific to this particular individual only. Individual results and activity levels after surgery vary and depend on many factors including age, weight and prior activity level. There are risks and recovery times associated with surgery and there are certain individuals who should not undergo surgery.

Williamsburg, Virginia residents Elaine Evans and Vivian Stull share their personal stories of living with long-standing ankle pain. Sixty-nine year old Elaine received a steroid injection in her ankle which led to decades of deterioration. Vivian struggled to do even the simplest tasks like grocery shopping due to her severe genetic arthritis. Both consulted several physicians who discussed ankle fusion as a method to end their long-term, nagging ankle pain. Neither was thrilled with this option given the limited mobility that would result. They thought they were out of options until consulting Dr. Matthew Hopson, an ankle specialist at TPMG Orthopedics and Sports Medicine and Tidewater Orthopaedics. Dr. Hopson determined that both women were candidates for total ankle replacement procedures.

After receiving their total ankle replacements, Elaine and Vivian are both now living pain-free and are able to reassume their active lifestyles.

The opinions of Dr. Hopson, Elaine Evans and Vivian Stull are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Wright Medical.

Any results are specific to these particular individuals only. Individual results and activity levels after surgery vary and depend on many factors including age, weight and prior activity level. There are risks and recovery times associated with surgery and there are certain individuals who should not undergo surgery. Please consult your doctor to discuss whether surgery is right for you.

Dr. Justin Daigre, orthopedic surgeon with the Surgery Center of Decatur (Decatur, Ala.) was featured in a segment discussing ankle replacement options and the progress the procedure has made over the years. The story focused on the advancement in technology for joint replacement and how ankle replacements are now an option for patients with severe arthritic or problematic ankles.

Dr. Daigre explains that while reliable, ankle fusion procedures reduce range of motion. Like with a knee replacement the surgeon looks for bone on bone degeneration during an X-ray consultation. He states if a patient’s ankle is bone on bone they may be a candidate for total ankle replacement. According to Dr. Daigre “The ideal patient would be someone who is a little bit older, but is still active. It’s that patient that wants to reserve their motion so they can still do those activities.”

The opinions of Dr. Daigre are his alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Wright Medical.

Any results are specific to this particular individual only. Individual results and activity levels after surgery vary and depend on many factors including age, weight and prior activity level. There are risks and recovery times associated with surgery and there are certain individuals who should not undergo surgery.

Grayslake Ill, resident, Dan Chesman, shares his personal story of living with ankle pain and complications for over 40 years, after shattering his right ankle in the 1970s during a sledding accident. He underwent several procedures and treatments throughout the years and while some treatments provided relief, it was only temporary. He found himself having to give up most forms of physical activities and would easily become exhausted. In October 2013, Dan was referred to Dr. Vora at Illinois Bone & Joint Institute, who told him about all the latest advancements in ankle replacement technology and that he was a candidate for the INBONE® Total Ankle System.

Dan received the INBONE® Total Ankle System in January 2014, and a year and a half later, he is living an active and nearly pain-free life.

The opinions of Dr. Vora and Dan Chesman are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Wright Medical.

Any results are specific to this particular individual only. Individual results and activity levels after surgery vary and depend on many factors including age, weight and prior activity level. There are risks and recovery times associated with surgery and there are certain individuals who should not undergo surgery.

Donna Castle, a 55 year old resident of Essex, London, experienced months of pain with her ankle after tripping on a curb. She was diagnosed with possible arthritis and x-rays confirmed the diagnosis. Her doctor suggested that the trip on the curb may have aggravated arthritis in her ankle that developed from an accident that occurred decades earlier. In this article, Castle shares her experience identifying the Arthritis and selecting the correct treatment option for her. At the recommendation of her physician Dr. Andrew Goldberg, orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeon at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in London, Castle was implanted using the PROPHECY® INFINITY® Total Ankle System. Dr. Goldberg is a consultant for Wright Medical.

Donna received the PROPHECY® INFINITY® Total Ankle System in February 2015, and six months later, no longer needs leg support or painkillers to navigate her life. She is seeing improvements in her daily mobility.

The opinions of Dr. Andrew Goldberg and Sophie Goodchild are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Wright Medical.

Any results are specific to this particular individual only. Individual results and activity levels after surgery vary and depend on many factors including age, weight and prior activity level. There are risks and recovery times associated with surgery and there are certain individuals who should not undergo surgery.

Salem, Oregon patient Mary Davis shares her personal story of living with severe ankle pain beginning when she was a high school basketball player. After undergoing surgery for torn ligaments at 17, her ankle continued to deteriorate and limited her ability to participate in a wide range of sports that she enjoyed. Now 67, Davis enjoys normal range of motion and is actively keeping up with her grandchildren.

The opinions of Mary Davis are hers alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Wright Medical.

Any results are specific to this particular individual only. Individual results and activity levels after surgery vary and depend on many factors including age, weight and prior activity level. There are risks and recovery times associated with surgery and there are certain individuals who should not undergo surgery.

Edina, Minn.—based Dr. Lance Silverman and his patient, Charles Soto, who was implanted with the INBONE® Total Ankle System, are featured in this story on ankle replacements. Soto shares his story of falling off a ladder at work which resulted in a broken ankle. He was given the choice by Dr. Silverman to fuse the ankle or receive an ankle replacement, and he decided ankle replacement would be the best option for him.

Dr. Silverman explains how the technology and sophistication of ankle replacements has been increasing over the years and for certain patients how ankle replacements can provide a great deal more mobility than ankle fusions. Charles recounts the process of his recovery post ankle replacement. He is now happy to be living his life pain free again, and recently enjoyed a vacation where he was able to be active again.

The opinions of Dr. Silverman and his patient are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Wright Medical.

Any results are specific to this particular individual only. Individual results and activity levels after surgery vary and depend on many factors including age, weight and prior activity level. There are risks and recovery times associated with surgery and there are certain individuals who should not undergo surgery.

Chicago, Ill.—based Dr. Anand Vora and his patient, Dan Chesman, who was implanted with the INBONE® Total Ankle System, are featured in this story on ankle replacements. Dan Chesman shares his story of struggling for more than 40 years with ankle pain, after shattering his right ankle at the age of 21 in a toboggan accident. He dealt with the pain for many years because he wanted to avoid having an ankle fusion, which was the latest surgical treatment at the time. He eventually met Dr. Vora in 2013, who told him about ankle replacements, and decided this was the best option.

Dr. Vora explains ankle replacements are options for someone with end-stage or advanced ankle arthritis, and provides a detailed overview of what an ankle replacement procedure entails, as well as the benefits over ankle fusion.

Today, Dan is enjoying the “new life” his ankle replacement has given him, free from pain.

The opinions of Dr. Vora and Dan Chesman are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Wright Medical.

Any results are specific to this particular individual only. Individual results and activity levels after surgery vary and depend on many factors including age, weight and prior activity level. There are risks and recovery times associated with surgery and there are certain individuals who should not undergo surgery.