Neuromuscular
reconstruction

 

Dr Symes is passionate about lower limb neuromuscular and spasticity reconstruction and deformity correction in order to help his patients achieve improved function and quality of life. He offers a collaborative and holistic service in conjunction with a multidisciplinary team including neurologists, rehabilitation specialists, carers and allied health care providers to treat a wide range of neurological conditions. He works across all stages of the rehabilitation journey from the acute injury to long term management, as well as assisting in the transitional care of patients from paediatric to adult health care services.

common neuromuscular conditions

Dr Symes treats and has experience in a variety of neuromuscular conditions and their associated foot and ankle deformities including:

  • Hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP)

  • Charcot-Marie Tooth (CMT)

  • Acquired brain injury

  • Stroke

  • Spinal Cord Injury

  • Foot Drop

  • Cavovarus deformities

  • Equinovarus deformities

  • Planovalgus deformities

Treatments and Goals

 

Treatments offered by Dr Symes include botox injections and surgery such as tendon releases and transfers and bony correction and reconstruction.

Neuromuscular conditions and deformities are highly specific to each patient, so Dr Symes works with each individual patient to address their own goals. In general, the aim is to relieve pain and pressure areas, improve transfer abilities, standing tolerance and wheelchair comfort and function, minimise reliance of splints, improve quality of life and reduce carer burden.

Neuromuscular locations

 

Due to the unique and complex nature of these conditions and the need for an experienced multidisciplinary team, Dr Symes prefers to see his neuromuscular patients at his St Leonards rooms with surgery being performed at Royal North Shore Public and North Shore Private Hospitals. Due to the complex nature of neuromuscular and spasticity related foot deformities Dr Symes performs most of his reconstructions in collaboration with his colleague Dr Andrew Ellis, another orthopaedic surgeon with over 20 years experience in neuromuscular and spasticity disorders and deformities.