Dr. Rahul Upadhyay in the News

Dainik Bhaskar reported that 12.5 per cent of children in Rajasthan are overweight, and that if they do not reduce weight, the likelihood of ankle and joint problems by young adulthood is very high — to the point of affecting careers in sports or the defence services.

Quoted in the report, Dr. Rahul Upadhyay said that around 40 per cent of people in India have some degree of flat foot, where the arch of the sole flattens out, and that obesity is a major contributing cause. Where obesity begins in childhood, the likelihood rises considerably. As a flat foot becomes more severe, he explained, the pain begins to travel up to the knee and lower back, and the patient’s walking pattern itself changes.

Read more: Flat foot treatment in Jaipur · Children's foot problems

On the closing day of SIFAM 2023, Dainik Bhaskar reported the panel’s warning that taking steroid injections simply to escape pain after an injury damages the joints over time. The doctors’ view: consistent, properly guided stress exercise and expert treatment can fix the problem permanently instead.

Dr. Masato Takao (Japan) explained that sharp heel pain on standing after long periods in one position is typically plantar fasciitis, and that most patients end up having steroid injected into the heel — which is harmful for the whole ankle. Dr. Leif Ryd (Sweden) noted that many young people in India train for defence jobs by running without proper shoes on poor surfaces, risking “silent injuries” that can surface later in service.

Read more: Heel pain & plantar fasciitis treatment

Several papers carried the conference’s explanation of how worn ankle cartilage is now treated. Excessive load erodes the cartilage in the ankle, causing severe pain. Where the erosion is small, a microfracture technique is used; where it is more advanced, a stem cell technique can be used. Both are done through keyhole surgery, so patients recover quickly and return to normal routine.

Dr. Lucky Jeyaseelan described treating older ankle injuries: with limited erosion, small holes are drilled around the affected area so the body’s own repair cells fill it in; where erosion is greater, a cartilage sample is grown in the lab using stem cells and then used to fill the damaged area. Speaking as Organizing Secretary, Dr. Rahul Upadhyay said the conference brought together over 200 experts from different cities along with eight international speakers, and that a cadaver workshop on the first day gave hands-on training to 24 selected doctors.

Read more: Ankle arthritis & instability · Total ankle replacement

The most widely syndicated story from the meet: athletes with small ligament injuries of the foot no longer need to rely on strapping. Minor injuries that have become troublesome can be treated with a radiofrequency shrinkage technique, and complex ankle surgery can now be done with modern arthroscopic methods.

Small ligaments in the ankle often take minor injuries that leave a persistent ache — a problem known as anterior impingement. Rather than strapping the joint, radiofrequency shrinkage tightens the loosened ligament, resolving the ongoing pain at an early stage. Dr. Rahul Upadhyay, Organizing Secretary of the conference — held in India for the first time — said four live surgeries were performed on the final day. Sessions were delivered by Dr. Ajay SM on conservative management, Dr. Pradeep on hindfoot fixation, Dr. Christian Ortiz on the future of foot and ankle surgery, and Dr. Pascal Denis on sports injuries.

Read more: Foot & ankle sports injuries · Minimally invasive surgery