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"Ankle Pain with Every Step, Is It Just Aging?": Ankle Joint Preservation Surgery by Director Hong-Joon Choi of Seoul Gunwoo Orthopedic Clinic

The joy of walking is a vital factor in determining one's quality of life. However, once ankle arthritis sets in, even a simple stroll becomes a painful ordeal. Ankle arthritis is a condition where the cartilage between joints wears down, causing bones to rub against each other, leading to inflammation and pain. Notably, unlike the knee, more than 70% of ankle arthritis cases are "traumatic arthritis" resulting from past ligament tears or fractures that were not properly treated. Seoul Gunwoo Orthopedic Clinic, located near Gangil Station in Gangdong-gu, Seoul, utilizes Harvard-level expertise and university-hospital grade diagnostic systems to provide honest and high-quality medical services to patients in the Gangdong, Hanam, and Misa areas.

Director Hong-Joon Choi of Seoul Gunwoo Orthopedic Clinic is an orthopedic specialist and Ph.D. in medicine from Korea University, boasting a unique career as a visiting researcher at the Foot and Ankle Research and Innovation Lab (MGH FARIL) at Harvard Medical School. He possesses cumulative clinical experience with over 80,000 patients and a record of performing more than 9,000 foot and ankle surgeries. Beyond mere numbers, his expertise from over 9,000 surgeries serves as a powerful foundation for identifying even the slightest misalignments in the ankle joint, allowing him to present the optimal path—whether surgical reconstruction or non-surgical preservation—that benefits the patient most. Director Choi’s sharp diagnosis based on Harvard-level expertise is the primary reason local patients trust Seoul Gunwoo Orthopedic Clinic.

The first step in treating ankle arthritis is a three-dimensional analysis of the joint's wear and alignment. The clinic’s foot-specific CT creates 3D images of microscopic damage to the joint surface and bone spur formation, which are difficult to identify with standard X-rays. Additionally, a real-time gait analysis system scientifically quantifies which part of the ankle bears excessive weight during walking. Based on advanced diagnostic protocols established during his time at Harvard, Director Choi practices honest medical care by providing detailed explanations while reviewing imaging data with every patient.

Seoul Gunwoo Orthopedic Clinic prioritizes "treatments that preserve one's own joints as much as possible." For early and mid-stage arthritis patients, non-surgical programs are prioritized without over-treatment. Cryotherapy using sub-zero vaporized gas rapidly alleviates inflammatory pain within the joint, while high-performance extracorporeal shock wave therapy assists in regenerating damaged tissue and promotes blood circulation. Furthermore, the clinic employs ultrasound-guided methods during injection therapy to precisely deliver medication to the target area, maximizing effectiveness.

In cases where arthritis has progressed beyond the limits of conservative treatment, "Ankle Joint Preservation Surgery," incorporating Director Choi’s know-how from 9,000 surgeries, is performed. Supramalleolar Osteotomy (SMO), which corrects bone alignment so that weight is placed on healthy, pain-free cartilage, is a high-difficulty procedure that helps delay the need for joint replacement or allows patients to use their own joints for a lifetime. Following surgery, patients receive meticulous 24-hour care from professional medical staff in a hotel-grade inpatient ward equipped with rooms ranging from private to four-person occupancy. The pleasant and clean ward facilities are designed to allow patients to focus entirely on recovery, and the spatial configuration that respects privacy is a special consideration unique to Seoul Gunwoo Orthopedic Clinic.

True recovery is completed through rehabilitation, where normal gait is restored after the pain has disappeared. The clinic’s rehabilitation center features skilled manual therapists who conduct one-on-one customized sessions according to Director Choi’s prescription. These sessions restore the joint’s range of motion in stages and strengthen the muscles around the ankle to improve gait stability. In particular, the process of educating patients from Hanam and Misa on correct posture and exercise methods so they can manage their own ankle health upon returning to daily life is the pinnacle of the medical values pursued by the clinic.

Seoul Gunwoo Orthopedic Clinic, a hub for orthopedics near Gangil Station, is a space where Director Choi’s Harvard-level expertise and patient-centered honest medical philosophy meet. The definitive skills proven by the legend of over 9,000 surgeries, advanced university-hospital grade equipment, and clean ward facilities that care for patients like family are a reliable promise to protect your ankle health. If you are losing the joy of walking due to ankle arthritis, we encourage you to find an honest answer at Seoul Gunwoo Orthopedic Clinic, which prioritizes the patient’s daily life over numbers. We will help you regain your light footsteps through the care of a foot and ankle specialist covering Hanam and Misa.

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