Orthopedics Today reports on the findings of an HSS study which indicate patients undergoing foot and ankle surgery have higher expectations than their surgeons.

Researchers analyzed 202 patients undergoing foot and ankle surgery. Diagnoses included hallux valgus, ankle arthritis, hallux rigidus, adult-acquired flatfoot deformity and chronic tendon injury. Preoperatively, patients reported sociodemographic data and completed the HSS Foot & Ankle Surgery Expectations survey and the Patient-Rated Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) survey.

Results showed 66.3 percent of patients had higher expectations than their surgeons, 21.3 percent had similar expectations and 12.4 percent had lower expectations. The greatest differences in patient and surgeon expectations came from patients with worse PROMIS scores in physical function, pain interference, pain intensity, global physical health and depression.

The researchers wrote, “These results emphasize the importance for foot and ankle surgeons to adequately educate patients regarding realistic postoperative outcomes.”

Read the full article at Healio.com/news/orthopedics.