Unlike earlier time, no longer are orthopedic concerns such as joint pains the case among only elderly. Owing to improper nutritional intake, increased tobacco & alcohol consumption, and sedentary lifestyles with very little to zero physical activity, youngsters are prone to conditions such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension which are now known to be among the major root causes for diverse orthopedic problems. As a result, there has been a sharp increase in the number of orthopedic cases countrywide lately, with a recent study estimating the Indian orthopedics market which stood at $780 million in 2024 to further grow to $1.69 billion by 2034, exhibiting a CAGR of eight percent during the forecast period.

While these numbers are indeed a welcome sign to the industry, it also highlights the seriousness of the issue at hand. Emerging as the true lifesavers by helping the country to efficiently battle this health crisis are medical professionals such as Dr Anuj Chawla who are not only skilled at performing complex orthopedic surgeries, but also possess deep subject matter expertise that helps them understand the root cause of those problems.

Strong Educational Qualification & Experience

Having completed his MBBS from Maulana Azad Medical College, Dr Anuj took-up MS in Orthopedics from Safdarjung Hospital, followed by a 3-year Senior Residency in Lok Nayak Hospital. To further enhance his clinical skills, he then shifted to Singapore where he was exposed to foot & ankle surgery, which he started practicing in Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Dr Anuj then tookup fellowship from Infanta Leonor University Hospital in Spain, cleared MRCS & FRCS in trauma & orthopedics, followed by foot & ankle fellowship from Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopedic Hospital, UK. Later, he returned to India and set up his own clinic named Sian Ortho & Foot clinic named in 2020.

“The quality of training in Singapore was not only very structured, but it also exposed me to the concept of specialty-based practice where you focus on one particular specialty and any other case that comes your way is referred to the expert in that specialty rather than you trying to treat everything as a general orthopedic surgeon. Thus, I took-up foot & ankle surgery as my specialty, did fellowships in that area, and then returned to India because the difference that I could make here was much than in other countries”, says Dr Anuj.

Key Areas of Specialization

Currently serving as the Consultant Foot & Ankle Specialist at CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, he is also the only foot & ankle surgeon in the city today. The key orthopedic conditions that he provides treatment to include Charcot’s arthropathy & diabetic feet, foot & ankle arthritis, flat feet, high arched feet, bunion, complex and neglected foot & ankle fractures, Achilles tendon ruptures, ankle sprains, sports injuries in foot & ankle region, and many others. Additionally, some of the noteworthy treatments and services that patients can avail through his Sian Clinic include orthopedic consultations, low radiation digital X-rays, joint injections, and minor dressings and procedures. However, what positions Dr Anuj a class apart from other orthopedic surgeons is the extensive overseas experience that he holds, being trained and handled cases across three countries for seven years.

“Getting trained abroad has enabled me adopt a unique approach to treating patients, where I formulate the treatment plan on a thorough clinical examination & assessment of the patient and not just based on their MRI or X-ray findings. Additionally, I have also imported best-in-class machinery and instruments from globally renowned companies like Arthrex & Synthes, ensuring precise diagnosis and enhanced patient experience”, Dr Anuj proudly explains.

What positions Dr Anuj a class apart from other orthopedic surgeons is the extensive overseas experience that he holds being trained and handled cases across three countries for seven years

Patient-centricity at the Core

To ensure that his patients get the best quality care, Dr Anuj regularly reads online journals and attends more than 10 national and international conferences each year to stay updated with the latest industry dynamics and tech advancements in orthopedics. Additionally, he also visited Germany in 2023 to get trained in minimally invasive foot surgery and is now using this new technique to provide better treatment outcomes for his patients. Dr Anuj is actively engaged in creating awareness about foot & ankle surgery among general orthopedic surgeons and is also part of an online teaching platform named Conceptual Orthopedics, through which he’s also teaching basic foot & ankle pathologies using conceptual orthopedics to young orthopedic surgeons. Further, he has also created a YouTube channel comprising 200+ videos in ‘Hinglish’ (Hindi + English), explaining about various foot & ankle conditions for the general public.

“We recently got a 26-year patient with a condition called Spine Bifida where the feet initially become numb and then get deformed. Adding on to this, she also had a wound in her feet which was infected with pus oozing out. As a result, she was unable to walk for around 10- 15 years, was in constant pain and was put on antibiotics since she was developing urine infection and fever. When she was referred to me after showing no signs of recovery despite undergoing four surgeries, I explained the whole treatment process to her, starting with eradication of the infection, operating it, to finally reconstruction/alignment of the foot. 5-6 months into postoperative period now, she’s not only able to walk, but is also planning to get into civil services”, proudly says Dr Anuj, reminiscing a recent case.

The Path Ahead

Owing to such exceptional track record and backing of strong educational & professional expertise, Dr Anuj is also a member of the Indian Foot & Ankle Society and was even conferred with Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s Award for excellence in foot & ankle surgery in 2024. Going forward, Dr Anuj’s primary focus will be on improving himself as a specialized foot & ankle surgeon and enhance the quality of orthopedics care being provided to the patients by training more undergraduates. Additionally, he is also planning to start fellowships to train orthopedic surgeons similar to the West, i.e. letting the trainees perform the surgeries themselves so that they get the much needed hands-on experience.