AO Trauma Course—Foot and Ankle Reconstruction
AO Trauma’s foot and ankle curriculum offers a wide range of competency-based activities and resources that support your educational needs. The Masters-level course is aimed at traumatologists, orthopaedic surgeons and other surgeons actively engaged in the treatment of foot and ankle fractures, who want to increase their level of specialization in lower limb treatment.
The courses are taught in a modular format. A limited number of evidence-based lectures cover the key information required. In practical exercises and cadaver workshops, participants are trained in the application of different techniques and approaches. Discussing cases in small groups helps participants to develop decision-making and management skills.
Why you should choose this course
Course content
Specimen 1
- Talar neck fracture approaches
- Talar dome exposure; fibular and medial malleolar osteotomies
- Gastroc slide (ensure long enough specimens)
- Lapidus
- Plantar plate repair
- Minimally invasive approach for calcaneal fractures
- Sustentacular approach for calcaneal fractures
- Pilon approaches
Specimen 2
- Posterior ankle scope
- Subtalar arthroscopy
- SPLATT
- Interosseous tibialis posterior tendon transfer
- Extensile lateral approach for calcaneal fractures
- Posterior bone block arthrodesis
- Compartment syndrome release (foot/leg)
- 1st metatarsal osteotomy for the correction of hallux valgus
- 1st MTPJ fusion
- FHL tendon transfer for Achilles or peroneal insufficiency
- FDL tendon transfer for flatfoot
*Some "Foot and Ankle reconstruction" course dates do not offer an Anatomical Specimen workshop, which will be made evident in the name of the course, and the description. Check your chosen place and date course for the full program.
- Module 1: Ankle arthritis
- Module 2:Hindfoot arthritis
- Module 3: Acquired flatfoot deformity
- Module 4: Cavus
- Special Module 5: Anatomical specimen workshops (full day workshops)*
- Recon Module 6: Tendon transfers/neuromuscular*
- Recon Module 7: Charcot*
- Recon Module 8: Midfoot reconstruction*
- Recon Module 9: The great toe*
- Recon Module 10: The lesser toes*
- Sports Module 11: Sports injuries*
*Up to 3 of these modules are taught per course, which varies by region. Check your chosen date and location for the full program.
- Ankle fusion anterior
- Ankle fusion transfibular
- Ankle fusion with SCOPE for anatomical specimen workshop
- Subtalar bone block arthrodesis (reorientating distraction fusion)
- Hindfoot Arthrodesis Nail
- Calcaneal tuberosity
- Midfoot fusion bolt*
- Midfoot Charcot deformity correction*
- 1st MTPJ fusion*
- Scarf osteotomy*
- Lapidus*
- Brostrom/lateral ligament reconstruction +/- graft*
*Up to 3 of these practical exercises are carried out per course, which varies by region. Check your chosen date and location for the full program.
Course details may be subject to change. Please check your chosen date and location for the detailed program.
Target audience
- Foot and ankle specialists early in their careers
- Generalists (orthopedics) spending about 20 percent of their time on trauma (including community surgeons)
- Foot and ankle experts
- Trauma surgeons
Course impressions
Competencies
The curriculum is based upon 8 competencies:
- Perform adequate clinical evaluation and workup
- Recognize the potential for higher complication rates in patients with comorbidities, and plan appropriately
- Apply appropriate timing and staging in the treatment of fractures and dislocations, including polytrauma
- Recognize the indications and goals for reconstruction and perform procedures or refer, subject to expertise
- Select and perform appropriate surgical procedures, including handling of soft tissue
- Apply the principles of internal fixation and bone healing, including minimally invasive surgery
- Educate the patient regarding rehabilitation and prescribe an appropriate program
- Recognize and manage early and late complications
What does competency-based curriculum development mean?
Resources
AO Surgery Reference
Explore the award-winning online repository for surgical knowledge, describing the complete management process from diagnosis to aftercare for fractures in a given anatomical region.
Book
Manual of Fracture Management—Foot and Ankle
Foot and ankle education task force
Lori Reed (US)
Term: 2022–2027
Husam Hussain Darwish (Saudi Arabia)
Term: 2026–2028
Alexandre Godoy-Santos (BR)
Term: 2024–2026
“This curriculum redesign promotes interactive learning and offers a robust and flexible framework to build education that improves health care delivery. I'm sure it will equip our surgeon learners with better tools for improving their patients' outcomes.”
Stefan Rammelt (DE), former member of the foot and ankle education taskforce
Not the right course?
Not the right course?
Find our list of all curricula courses here.