Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 11, 2026

Treatment of Ankle Osteoarthritis with Total Ankle Replacement Through a Lateral Transfibular Approach
Published on: January 24, 2018
Physician and patient based outcomes following surgical resection of Haglund's deformity
John Brunner1, John Anderson, Martin O'Malley
1Hospital for Special Surgery, Department of Foot and Ankle Surgery, New York, NY, 10021, USA.
Insights
Calcaneal ostectomy provides reliable results for Haglund
Area of Science:
- Orthopedic Surgery
- Podiatric Medicine
Background:
- Haglund's syndrome is often treated with calcaneal ostectomy.
- Previous studies show unpredictable outcomes for this procedure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the reliability and predictability of calcaneal ostectomy for Haglund's deformity.
- To assess outcomes using validated scoring systems.
Main Methods:
- Thirty-six patients (39 feet) with Haglund's deformity underwent calcaneal ostectomy.
- Outcomes were assessed using the AOFAS score and SF-36v2 questionnaire.
- Mean follow-up was 51 months.
Main Results:
- Post-surgery mean AOFAS score was 86/100.
- Post-surgery mean SF-36v2 score was 144/152.
- Six patients cited prolonged recovery as a reason not to recommend the procedure.
Conclusions:
- Calcaneal ostectomy yields good-to-excellent results for Haglund's deformity with adequate bone resection.
- Patients should be informed about the 6-month to 2-year recovery period.
Abstract:
Calcaneal ostectomy is the benchmark for definitive surgical treatment in patients with Haglund's syndrome, despite conflicting and unpredictable study results. The current study's hypothesis is that when adequate bone is resected and outcomes are evaluated using validated scores, calcaneal ostectomy can give reliable and predictable results. Thirty six consecutive patients (39 feet) underwent calcaneal ostectomy for Haglund's deformity between 1998 and 2002. All patients were evaluated with the AOFAS score and SF-36v2 questionnaire. The mean time to follow-up was 51 months. The mean AOFAS score following surgery was 86/100 points; the mean SF-36v2 score following surgery was 144/152. Six of the 36 patients interviewed, however, would not recommend the procedure to others, citing mainly prolonged recovery time. Calcaneal ostectomy achieves good-to-excellent results in the treatment of Haglund's deformity when appropriate amounts of bone are excised. However, patients must be made aware of the necessary time to recovery, between 6 months and 2 years.