FNB · DrNB · PDCC
30 Foot and Ankle Surgery Thesis Topics
Academic session 2026-2027 · 30 topics
This page lists 30 foot and ankle surgery thesis topics for FNB, DrNB and PDCC candidates in India for the 2026-2027 academic session. Foot and ankle surgery research has a naturally measurable endpoint: validated foot-specific functional scores before and after surgery, combined with pedobarographic or gait analysis findings where available.
The foot and ankle surgery thesis topics below are built on those measures. They cover hallux valgus and bunion surgery, flatfoot and cavus deformity, ankle instability, ankle arthritis and arthroplasty, Achilles and tendon conditions, diabetic foot surgery, and the common operative outcome questions of a procedural fellowship.
Click any topic to open it in the protocol generator with the title already filled in.
- A cross-sectional study of the clinical and radiological profile of patients with hallux valgusGet protocol
- An observational study of the functional outcome at six months following hallux valgus correctionGet protocol
- A study of the radiological correction achieved and its correlation with functional outcomeGet protocol
- An observational study of the complication rate and its classification after hallux valgus surgeryGet protocol
- A cross-sectional study of the clinical and imaging profile of patients with adult acquired flatfoot deformityGet protocol
- An observational study of the functional outcome of surgical correction for flexible flatfootGet protocol
- A study of the clinical profile and operative outcome of patients with cavus foot deformityGet protocol
- An observational study of the functional outcome of calcaneal osteotomy for hindfoot deformityGet protocol
- A cross-sectional study of the clinical and stress radiograph findings in chronic ankle instabilityGet protocol
- An observational study of the functional outcome following anatomical ankle ligament reconstructionGet protocol
- A study of the recurrence of instability and its determinants after ankle stabilisation surgeryGet protocol
- An observational study of the clinical profile and outcome of ankle arthroscopyGet protocol
- A cross-sectional study of the radiological grading of ankle arthritis and its functional correlationGet protocol
- An observational study of the functional outcome and complication rate of total ankle arthroplastyGet protocol
- A study of the clinical and radiological profile of patients with ankle arthritis managed by arthrodesisGet protocol
- An observational study of the Achilles tendon rupture profile and outcome of operative repairGet protocol
- A cross-sectional study of the clinical assessment and treatment outcome of plantar fasciitisGet protocol
- An observational study of the outcome of surgical management of chronic Achilles tendinopathyGet protocol
- A study of the clinical profile and outcome of patients with tibialis posterior tendon dysfunctionGet protocol
- An observational study of the clinical profile of patients with Morton neuroma and treatment outcomeGet protocol
- A cross-sectional study of the diabetic foot ulcer profile and its classificationGet protocol
- An observational study of the wound healing outcome and its determinants in diabetic foot ulcersGet protocol
- A study of the microbiological profile of diabetic foot infections and antimicrobial susceptibilityGet protocol
- An observational study of the outcome of offloading devices in diabetic foot wound healingGet protocol
- A cross-sectional study of the Charcot neuroarthropathy profile and its management outcomeGet protocol
- An observational study of the outcome of minor amputation in patients with diabetic foot diseaseGet protocol
- A study of blood supply assessment and its influence on management in diabetic footGet protocol
- An observational study of pain scores and functional outcome after lesser toe deformity correctionGet protocol
- A cross-sectional study of the outcome of surgery for metatarsalgiaGet protocol
- An observational study of patient satisfaction and functional improvement after foot and ankle surgeryGet protocol
Choosing a Foot and Ankle Surgery thesis topic
Which outcome instruments are standard in foot and ankle research?
The American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society score for site-specific outcomes, the Manchester-Oxford Foot Questionnaire for patient-reported outcome, the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score, and the Visual Analogue Scale for pain. Apply before surgery and at three and six months after, and state the instrument version precisely.
Is the diabetic foot a productive research area in this fellowship?
Yes, and it is particularly relevant in India. The management of diabetic foot osteomyelitis, Charcot arthropathy, wound care and the role of offloading in healing are all within the foot and ankle fellowship scope and produce findings directly applicable to a large patient population.
What sample size is realistic?
A unit performing three or more foot and ankle procedures a day supports eighty to a hundred and fifty cases over twelve months for common operations. Ankle arthroplasty and complex reconstruction cases accumulate more slowly.
Thesis and protocol questions
How is a thesis topic different from a thesis protocol?
The topic is the title — the question a study sets out to answer, together with the population and the design. The protocol is the full document built around it: background, review of literature, aims and objectives, inclusion and exclusion criteria, sample size calculation, methodology, statistical plan, ethics considerations, consent documents and references. A topic is agreed with a guide first; the protocol is written afterwards and submitted to the institutional ethics committee.
When does a postgraduate thesis have to be submitted?
For most Indian postgraduate programmes the protocol is submitted within the first six months of joining, and the completed thesis is submitted at least six months before the final examination. Exact deadlines are set by the university, so the departmental circular for the current session takes precedence over any general timeline.
How is sample size decided for a postgraduate thesis?
Sample size follows from the primary objective, not the other way round. A prevalence study is powered from an expected proportion and an acceptable margin of error; a comparative study is powered from the expected difference between groups, the standard deviation, alpha and desired power. The figure should then be checked against the institution's actual case load for the study period, because a statistically ideal sample that cannot be recruited in the time available is not a workable plan.
Does a thesis topic need ethics committee approval?
Yes. Every postgraduate thesis involving human participants, human data or human samples requires clearance from the institutional ethics committee before data collection begins. Approval is granted on the protocol rather than on the title, and the submission usually includes the protocol, the participant information sheet and the consent form in English and in the local language.
What makes a topic realistic for a three-year postgraduate programme?
A workable topic can be completed at a single centre, with equipment and investigations that are already available in routine practice, within roughly eighteen months of data collection. Topics that depend on external funding, specialised assays, multicentre coordination or long follow-up tend to stall. Choosing a condition the department already sees in volume matters more than choosing a novel one.
Can a thesis be published as a research paper afterwards?
Yes, and it is generally expected. A thesis is usually condensed into a paper of around three to four thousand words, restructured into the standard introduction, methods, results and discussion format, with the review of literature shortened considerably. Journals differ in their requirements, and the ethics approval number from the original thesis is normally cited in the methods section.