Every step puts your full body weight through your foot and ankle. An injury here shows up fast in how you walk, work, and sleep. At AICA Orthopedics, we diagnose and treat the full range of foot and ankle problems, from fractures and torn ligaments to bunions, arthritis, and chronic heel pain. Most of what we see never reaches an operating room. When it does, our orthopedic surgeons choose the procedure that rebuilds the joint with the least disruption to your life. Same-day appointments are available at clinics across multiple Metro Atlanta.
A foot or ankle injury usually involves more than one structure, so your care draws on several specialists working from a single plan:
AICA’s team includes board-certified surgeons and neurosurgeons among 60+ doctors across specialties, which means the specialist your diagnosis calls for is already in the practice.
Each foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments. The ankle adds a hinge that has to stay mobile and stable at the same time while carrying your weight. Damage one ligament, or let a fracture heal a few millimeters out of position, and the whole structure loads differently.
A changed gait pushes force through your knee, hip, and lower back in ways they were not built to absorb, which is how a foot problem left alone becomes a back problem months later. Repairing the damaged part is only half the job. The other half is restoring the alignment that lets you walk normally again.
Surgery is not the first step, and for most patients it is never a step at all. It enters the conversation in three situations:
An evaluation is not a commitment to an operation. It is how you find out which of the three applies to you, if any.
AICA’s orthopedic specialists diagnose and repair the full range of foot and ankle injuries:
Most foot and ankle pain resolves without an operation, and we start there whenever the injury allows. Conservative options include:
When those steps stop producing progress, or the damage is too severe to heal on its own, we walk you through the surgical options that fit your diagnosis.
Small misalignments matter in a joint this compact, so an accurate picture comes first. We scan on site, which means no outside referral and no waiting between appointments. Our diagnostic tools include:
The procedure depends on which structure is damaged and how severe the injury is. Many repairs are done through small incisions, which usually means less pain and a shorter recovery. More extensive damage calls for open surgery.
Your care starts with a consultation where an orthopedic specialist reviews your imaging, explains what is damaged, and walks through every option before scheduling anything. Many of these procedures are outpatient, meaning you go home the same day. Depending on the repair, you may be under general anesthesia or a regional block that numbs the leg. Your surgeon explains the benefits, the recovery timeline, and the risks up front, so the decision stays yours.
Because you will be off the foot for a period afterward, preparation matters more here than with most surgeries:
Recovery here is measured in weight bearing. Most procedures start with a period of staying off the foot entirely, move to partial weight in a boot, and end with a return to full weight and normal shoes. Moving through those stages faster than your surgeon clears is the most common reason a sound repair fails. General timelines by procedure:
Physical therapy is central to all of it. Our physical therapists guide you through exercises that rebuild range of motion, strength, and balance while protecting the repair, and coordinate directly with your surgeon so your progress is tracked from the operating room to your last appointment.
For patients injured in an accident that wasn’t their fault, eligible care often comes with no out-of-pocket cost, because AICA bills the claim, not you. Transportation is available if you cannot drive, which matters when you are not cleared to put weight on the foot.
Orthopedic surgeons, physical therapists, pain management specialists, and neurologists work in the same practice at AICA, so your diagnosis, surgery, and rehabilitation run as one process instead of a chain of referrals. For patients hurt in a car accident, we document the injury thoroughly for your records and your claim. That care is backed by more than 15,000 verified Google reviews, 24/7 doctor access, and multiple Metro Atlanta locations.
If foot pain, ankle instability, or a recent injury is changing how you walk, the first step is finding out whether surgery is even necessary. Our Atlanta orthopedic team will diagnose the cause with on-site imaging and recommend the least invasive path back to full weight bearing. Schedule a consultation today or call (404) 855-2141.
Reviews from our Amazing patients
Was referred here by a friend but have been coming here after a recent accident and the service is always professional and the staff is absolutely the best. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone that has chiropractic needs.
