As the orthopedic industry continues to embrace personalized medicine, foot and ankle procedures represent a fast-growing segment with unique challenges and opportunities. Innovative technologies are proving essential to successfully scale complex patient-specific solutions in this segment.

We sat down with Enhatch's co-Founder and president Michael Phipps to discuss the developments in the foot and ankle market and how the right planning tool are critical for scaling patient-specific solutions.

Michael brings over 20 years of experience in developing innovative products for the medical device industry. Before Enhatch, he held leadership roles in research and development at medical device companies such as Stryker and Tornier. His extensive background in medtech and product development positions him at the forefront of advancing patient-specific approaches in orthopedics.

Q: Why is the foot and ankle market an exciting space right now?

Michael: The foot and ankle devices market is experiencing remarkable growth. According to a recent market report by Precedence Research, it was valued at $5.06 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to nearly $9.90 billion by 2034, with a CAGR of 6.94%.

In North America, the market exceeded $2.53 billion in 2024 and is growing at a CAGR of 6.97%. These numbers signal strong clinical demand and increasing adoption of new technologies.

What makes this space particularly interesting is that foot and ankle represents one of the  frontiers in orthopedics with substantial room for innovation. While knee and hip replacements have been refined over decades, foot and ankle solutions are still evolving rapidly, creating great opportunities for forward-thinking companies.

Q: What is driving the growth of this market?

Michael: Several key factors are fueling this growth. There's been a significant increase in awareness about foot and ankle health, with people more actively seeking treatment rather than living with pain or limited mobility.

Sports injuries are another major driver as more people participate in athletics at all ages. The aging population plays a critical role too, as older adults commonly experience conditions like arthritis affecting the foot and ankle joints.

The rise in chronic diseases can also lead to foot complications requiring specialized treatments. Technological innovation is also transforming options with advanced materials, new surgical techniques, and digital planning tools.

Q: In areas like knee arthroplasty, we have seen patient-specific solutions being adopted for some time. What is the current state of patient-specific solutions in the foot and ankle space?

Michael: Patient-specific solutions in this market are gaining momentum, though they're still in earlier stages compared to knee replacements. The complexity of foot and ankle anatomy makes personalized approaches particularly valuable, and several leading companies have recognized this opportunity.

Exactech entered with their Vantage Ankle PSI technology, featuring 3D-printed instruments (personalized cutting guides) that match the patient's specific anatomy.

Smith+Nephew recently introduced their TOTAL ANKLE Patient-Matched Guides. This solution represents an important step forward in delivering precise, personalized care. Stryker, Paragon 28 and Conmed are other companies that have products in this space.

While still emerging, these solutions are rapidly gaining adoption as surgeons recognize the benefits of customized approaches for these complex anatomical structures.

Q: What are the current challenges in scaling patient-specific solutions in the foot and ankle space?

Michael: Scaling patient-specific solutions efficiently presents several significant challenges. Unlike standard implants, personalized solutions require individualized planning, design, and manufacturing for each patient, introducing complexity throughout the process.

Workflow efficiency is a primary challenge. Each case requires imaging, design work, approvals, manufacturing, and delivery coordination. Without streamlined systems, these steps become bottlenecks, leading to longer lead times.

Maintaining consistency and quality across growing volumes is difficult. As companies scale, ensuring each personalized solution meets the same standards becomes challenging without proper systems. For example, manual segmentation processes can potentially create variability as well as increase delivery lead-times.

Data management is another hurdle. Patient-specific solutions generate large amounts of data from imaging to manufacturing specifications that must be managed securely and efficiently.

The solution lies in streamlining preoperative planning and integrating technologies like AI. Advanced platforms can automate tasks, standardize workflows, and maintain quality as volumes increase. Companies that invest in the right technological infrastructure will succeed in scaling these solutions while maintaining quality and reducing lead times.

Q: What are the key trends that you see in this market in the near future?

Michael: Several exciting trends will shape the foot and ankle space in the coming years. We'll continue to see the rise of minimally invasive surgical techniques that reduce tissue disruption, minimize scarring, and accelerate recovery times.

Patient-specific solutions will likely grow in popularity as surgeons and patients recognize potential benefits. While standard implants will continue to have their place, personalized approaches offer advantages in complex anatomical areas like the foot and ankle.

We'll see greater adoption of cutting-edge technologies to streamline processes and increase efficiency, including advanced imaging, AI-assisted planning, 3D printing, and integrated digital workflows connecting all stakeholders.

Companies that embrace these trends and focus on delivering more personalized, efficient solutions will capture market share as this sector continues to grow.

Q: How are Enhatch's solutions helping companies in this space?

Michael: Enhatch's preoperative and 3D planning solutions help companies streamline and scale their foot and ankle offerings. Our platform serves as the technological backbone allowing medical device companies to efficiently deliver and scale patient-specific solutions.

Our platform addresses the scaling challenges by streamlining everything from initial imaging to final approval.We leverage cutting-edge technologies like AI to accelerate 3D anatomical modeling. This significantly reduces the time needed to create accurate patient-specific models.