(vii) Clinical examination of the foot and ankle

Examination of the foot and ankle can appear to be highly complicated, but if broken down into the component parts of “look, feel and move” supplemented with some simple special tests then it is often possible to arrive at a sound clinical diagnosis. The foot is a dynamic structure, therefore weight bearing and in particular gait is an essential part of the examination, as is an assessment of lower limb neurology. Remember to pay particular attention to a patient’s footwear and any orthoses they may use.