Research and publications

Alongside my clinical work, I have published research on foot and ankle conditions since 2007, from heel pain and Achilles problems to fractures, ankle replacement and complex reconstruction. Some of it started with questions patients ask me in clinic, such as whether their implant will set off airport security.

Below I have picked out the studies most relevant to patients, with a plain-English summary of what we found and what it means for you. The full list follows, grouped by condition. Some of my older papers are published under the spelling Abbassian.

Featured research

When an ankle replacement fails

Custom 3D-printed titanium implants, designed from each patient’s CT scan, to fuse the ankle after a failed replacement.

Heel pain that won’t settle

How releasing a tight calf muscle can help long-standing plantar fasciitis, without operating on the heel itself.

Pain where the Achilles meets the heel

Results of surgery for insertional Achilles tendinopathy, and how soon you can walk afterwards.

Dancer’s fracture of the fifth metatarsal

In our study every fracture healed without surgery, and patients recovered faster in a stiff-soled shoe than in a boot.

The “sprain” that doesn’t settle

Fractures of the anterior process of the heel bone are easily missed. Why they matter, and how they are treated.

Will my implant set off airport security?

About half of our patients who flew set off the alarm, but very few were delayed.

All publications

Ankle replacement and complex reconstruction

• Lewis TL, Walker R, Alkhalfan Y, Latif A, Abbasian A. Custom patient-specific 3D-printed titanium truss tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis implants for failed total ankle replacements: classification, technical tips, and treatment algorithm. Foot & Ankle International 2024;45(9):950-961.
• Guha AR, Singh D, Zaidi R, Abbassian A. Talectomy and tibiocalcaneal arthrodesis in adult complex hindfoot reconstruction. Techniques in Foot & Ankle Surgery 2013;12(3):158-162.

Heel pain and Achilles problems

• Abbassian A, Kohls-Gatzoulis J, Solan MC. Proximal medial gastrocnemius release in the treatment of recalcitrant plantar fasciitis. Foot & Ankle International 2012;33(1):14-19.
• Lewis TL, Srirangarajan T, Patel A, Yip GCK, Hussain L, Walker R, Singh S, Latif A, Abbasian A. Clinical outcomes following surgical management of insertional Achilles tendinopathy using a double-row suture bridge technique with mean two-year follow-up. European Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery & Traumatology 2023;33(4):1179-1184.
• Lewis TL, Yip GCK, Robertson K, Groom WD, Francis R, Singh S, et al. Health-related quality of life in patients with Achilles tendinopathy: comparison to the general population of the United Kingdom. Foot and Ankle Surgery 2022;28(7):1064-1068.
• Naidu V, Abbassian A, Nielsen D, Uppalapati R, Shetty A. Minimally invasive paratenon release for non-insertional Achilles tendinopathy. Foot & Ankle International 2009;30(7):680-685.
• Abbassian A, Khan R. Achilles tendinopathy: pathology and management strategies. British Journal of Hospital Medicine 2009;70(9):519-523.
• Abbasian A. Isolated contracture and gastrocnemius recession. Foot & Ankle International 2013;34(2):307-308.
• Mushtaq N, Abbasian A, Cutts S, Obi N, Pasapula C, Chan W. Plantar fasciitis. Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England 2013;95(3):229.

Fractures and injuries

• Morgan C, Abbasian A. Management of spiral diaphyseal fractures of the fifth metatarsal: a case series and a review of literature. The Foot 2020;43:101654.
• Dhinsa BS, Latif A, Walker R, Abbasian A, Back D, Singh S. Fractures of the anterior process of the calcaneum; a review and proposed treatment algorithm. Foot and Ankle Surgery 2019;25(3):258-263.
• Abbassian A, Thomas R. Ankle ligament injuries. British Journal of Hospital Medicine 2008;69(6):339-343.
• Wong F, Mills R, Mushtaq N, Walker R, Singh SK, Abbasian A. Correlation and comparison of syndesmosis dimension on CT and MRI. The Foot 2016;28:36-41.
• Srirangarajan T, Abbasian A. Chronic fracture of the posteromedial tubercle of the talus masquerading as os trigonum syndrome. Case Reports in Orthopedics 2021;6637081.

Big toe and forefoot

• Latif A, Dhinsa BS, Lau B, Abbasian A. First metatarsophalangeal fusion using joint specific dorsal plate with interfragmentary screw augmentation: clinical and radiological outcomes. Foot and Ankle Surgery 2019;25(2):132-136.
• Kurar L, Nash W, Faroug R, Hussain L, Walker R, Abbasian A, Latif A, et al. Making things easier: a simple novel method to fix a dorsiflexion osteotomy of the first metatarsal. Journal of Medicine and Life 2020;13(2):160.
• Donaldson CJ, Harb Z, Hussain L, Walker R, Abbasian A. Freiberg’s disease of bilateral and adjacent metatarsals. Case Reports in Orthopedic Research 2020;3(1):25-33.

Hindfoot, flat feet and high arches

• Abbasian A, Zaidi R, Guha A, Goldberg A, Cullen N, Singh D. Comparison of three different fixation methods of calcaneal osteotomies. Foot & Ankle International 2013;34(3):420-425.
• Abbasian A, Pomeroy G. The idiopathic cavus foot – not so subtle after all. Foot and Ankle Clinics 2013;18(4):629-642.
• Dhinsa BS, Lidder S, Abbasian A. Atypical presentation of fibrolipomatous hamartoma of the superficial peroneal nerve. Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery 2016;55(5):1067-1068.

Everyday life with foot and ankle problems

• Abbassian A, Datla B, Brooks RA. Detection of orthopaedic implants by airport metal detectors. Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England 2007;89(3):285-287.
• Jones C, Abbassian A, Trompeter A, Solan M. Driving a modified car: a simple but unexploited adjunct in the management of patients with chronic right sided foot and ankle pain. Foot and Ankle Surgery 2010;16(4):170-173.

Research methods

• Zaidi R, Abbassian A, Cro S, Guha A, Cullen N, Singh D, Goldberg A. Levels of evidence in foot and ankle surgery literature: progress from 2000 to 2010? Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (Am) 2012;94(15):e112.

A full list of my publications is on Google Scholar.

I see patients at Guy’s Hospital and in private practice in London. Book a consultation.