Who is the best foot and ankle surgeon in Melbourne?
It is one of the most common things people type into Google before they book a foot or ankle specialist, and it is the wrong question — or at least an incomplete one. Melbourne has a number of well-trained foot and ankle surgeons, and none of them is the best for every problem. The surgeon you would want for a keyhole bunion correction is not automatically the one you would want for a complex ankle reconstruction or a badly broken heel, and the reverse is just as true.
This article explains what actually separates one foot and ankle surgeon from another, how to work out who is right for your problem, and where Dr Janan Chandrananth fits — so you can judge him by the same test.
Why there is no single best foot and ankle surgeon
The foot and ankle is a specialty within a specialty. Every orthopaedic surgeon in Australia completes the same core training — medical school, years as a junior doctor, then an accredited program of at least five years ending in the Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, FRACS (Orth) — and that training covers the foot and ankle as one part of the whole skeleton.
Surgeons who focus on the foot and ankle then complete a fellowship in it: a year or more of dedicated training, usually at a high-volume centre and often overseas. Even within that group, practices differ. Some concentrate on the forefoot — bunions, lesser toes, keyhole techniques. Others on the hindfoot and ankle — instability, arthritis, ankle replacement and fusion, Achilles problems. Some do a lot of trauma and sports injury; some do very little. So the useful question is not “who is the best?” but “who does my problem, and does a lot of it?”
What to look for in a foot and ankle surgeon
Fellowship training in the foot and ankle, not orthopaedics alone. Plenty of orthopaedic surgeons do occasional foot surgery. Ask where the surgeon did their foot and ankle fellowship, and how much of their week is foot and ankle work.
Credentials you can check. Every surgeon in Australia is on the public AHPRA register, which shows their specialist registration. FRACS, membership of the Australian Orthopaedic Association and membership of the Australian Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society are the standard marks.
Where they operate. Hospitals credential surgeons for specific procedures, so a surgeon who operates at accredited private hospitals and holds a public hospital appointment is being reviewed by both.
A willingness to say no. Most foot and ankle conditions are treated without surgery first — footwear, orthotics, physiotherapy, injections. A surgeon who explains those options, and tells you when an operation is not the right answer, is worth more than one who books you in on the first visit.
Honesty about recovery. Foot and ankle surgery recovers slowly: weeks off the foot and months of swelling are normal. A surgeon who tells you that plainly is more useful than one who promises you will be back in your shoes in a fortnight.
Transparency about fees. You should be told what a consultation and an operation will cost, in writing, before you commit — including your out-of-pocket amount after Medicare and your health fund.
Access and communication. How long is the wait, who do you ring after hours, and does your GP get a letter after every visit?
Questions worth asking at your first consultation
Is surgery my only option, and what happens if I wait?
How many of these operations do you do each year?
Would you do this keyhole or open, and why?
What are the main risks for someone like me, and how do you manage them if they happen?
What will it cost in total, and can I have that in writing?
When can I realistically walk, drive, work and return to sport?
What to bring and what to expect are covered on the initial consultation page.
Where Dr Janan Chandrananth fits
Dr Janan is an Australian-trained orthopaedic surgeon whose practice is concentrated on the foot and ankle, alongside knee surgery and general orthopaedic trauma. Measured against the list above:
Training. University of Melbourne medical graduate; FRACS (Orth) through the Australian Orthopaedic Association’s accredited program; then two foot and ankle fellowships — at North Bristol NHS Trust in the United Kingdom and in Tokyo under Professor Satoru Ozeki, past president of the Japanese Society for Surgery of the Foot — and a paediatric orthopaedic fellowship at the Shriners Hospital for Children in Portland, USA. Full details are on the credentials and research page.
Appointments. Visiting medical officer at Frankston Hospital, where he manages orthopaedic trauma and supervises surgical trainees, and operating rights at St John of God Berwick and Mulgrave Private.
Memberships. The Australian Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society, the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, the Australian Orthopaedic Association, the European and Japanese foot and ankle societies and the AMA.
Range. Bunions and keyhole forefoot surgery, ankle instability and ligament reconstruction, ankle arthritis including fusion and ankle replacement, Achilles problems, flat foot reconstruction, and sports injuries and fractures of the foot and ankle.
Non-operative first. Many of the patients he sees are treated without an operation. Where surgery is needed, he uses keyhole and minimally invasive techniques where they are appropriate, and open surgery where they are not.
Fees. Consultation and surgical fees are published on this website, and every patient receives a written quote before surgery.
Access. Rooms in Mulgrave, Berwick and Pakenham; new patients are usually seen within a couple of weeks, and urgent injuries are prioritised. GPs can refer by HealthLink or Medical-Objects — see the referrals page.
The team. He founded the Collaborative Orthopaedic Group so that patients whose problem sits outside his areas — the hip, the shoulder and upper limb, or the medical side of preparing for surgery — can see the right colleague under the same roof.
He does not claim to be the best foot and ankle surgeon in Melbourne, and you should be wary of anyone who does. What he can say is this: if your problem is in the foot or ankle, the knee, or is a fracture, you will be seen by a surgeon whose training and daily work are focused on exactly that. If your problem is something else, he will tell you so and point you to a colleague who does it every week.
Not sure whether your problem is one Dr Janan treats?
Book a consultation, or ask your GP to refer you. If it is outside his area, the rooms will say so and help you find the right surgeon.
Request an Appointment
FAQs
Should I see an orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeon or a podiatric surgeon?
Both operate on feet in Australia, but the training pathways are different. An orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeon is a medical doctor who has completed orthopaedic surgical training (FRACS) and then a fellowship in the foot and ankle, and treats the whole limb, including the ankle, fractures and the leg above the foot. A podiatric surgeon is a podiatrist who has completed further surgical training and is registered with the Podiatry Board. Medicare rebates apply to surgery by a medical practitioner but not to podiatric surgery, so out-of-pocket costs can differ substantially — ask about the full cost and where the operation would be done before you commit.
How can I check that a surgeon is properly qualified?
Look them up on the AHPRA register of practitioners, which is public and free. It shows whether they hold specialist registration in orthopaedic surgery and whether any conditions apply. FRACS after their name means they have completed the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons fellowship. Then check their own website for foot and ankle fellowship training and hospital appointments — and if any of it is hard to find, ask at the consultation. A surgeon who is proud of their training will not mind the question.
Do I need a referral to see a foot and ankle surgeon?
You need a referral from a GP or another doctor to claim the Medicare rebate on the consultation. A GP referral is valid for twelve months and a referral from another specialist for three. If you were seen in an emergency department, ask for the referral before you leave.
How do I know if Dr Janan is the right surgeon for me?
If your problem involves the foot or ankle (bunions, ankle instability, arthritis, Achilles problems, sports injuries), the knee (arthritis, meniscal and ligament injuries, kneecap instability, knee replacement) or a fracture, it sits squarely in his area. For hip, shoulder or upper limb problems, the Collaborative Orthopaedic Group has colleagues who focus on those, and the rooms will direct you to the right one. Read more on his profile page or the foot and ankle surgeon Melbourne page.
