Bring Your Tough Cases Here: AOFAS’s Annual Meeting

If foot and ankle is your jam, then get ready to lace up your oxfords and head south—because the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS) is hosting its annual meeting in Savannah, Georgia, from September 10–13, 2025, and it’s shaping up to be anything but routine.

With a rich mix of complex case debates, minimally invasive techniques, and southern hospitality, this year’s meeting promises to be as educational as it is energizing. From hands-on sessions to riverside socials, AOFAS 2025 is where the nation’s top orthopedic minds will gather to push the limits of foot and ankle care.

Complex, Complicated, and Seriously Interesting

“This year’s theme is all about complex and complicated cases,” shared Tonya L. Dixon, M.D., MPH, one of this year’s program chairs, in an interview with Orthopedics This Week. “We want attendees to really dive into the gray areas—when something doesn’t go as planned, or when the patient doesn’t read the textbook.”

Expect to hear presenters bring their trickiest cases and complications to the podium—not to boast, but to spark honest discussion and shared learning. “Nothing is better for robust discussions,” said Dixon, who believes this interactive format will be especially valuable for early-career surgeons eager to learn from real-world challenges.

MIS to the MAX (and Beyond)

The meeting kicks off with the pre-meeting course, cheekily titled “Small Incisions, Big Results: MIS to the MAX.” If you’re into minimally invasive surgery, this is your jam. And the good stuff doesn’t stop there—educational sessions are tailored for everyone from medical students and researchers to advanced practitioners and practicing surgeons.

And yes, there’s plenty of time carved out for networking and social events too—including the crowd-favorite “Celebrate Savannah” evening at the Hyatt Regency, right on the riverfront.

Hot Topics? Total Ankles Take Center Stage

One of the most buzzworthy topics this year? Total ankle replacements.

“Talking about total ankles is always a hot topic,” said Dixon, “but we’re going deeper, focusing on how to deal with complications and the kinds of complex problems that keep surgeons up at night.”

You’ll also want to check out Caio A. Nery, M.D., one of the meeting’s four guest speakers and a prominent foot and ankle surgeon from Brazil. “He’ll be diving into the role of deltoid and spring ligaments in Progressive Collapsing Foot Deformity (PCFD),” Dixon noted. “It’s a talk many of us are really eager to hear—and I anticipate it will generate a lot of discussion.” He’ll also cover plantar plate pathology in lesser toes, a small structure that causes big headaches for surgeons.

New This Year: Customizable Concurrent Sessions

In another exciting twist, AOFAS 2025 will feature more concurrent sessions than ever before, giving attendees the chance to customize their conference experience.

“This is the first year where we’re packing so much content into the meeting,” said Dixon. “We wanted to offer more symposia, more posters, and more chances for participants to pick what fits their learning goals.”

And if you miss a session? No sweat. The entire meeting will be available OnDemand, so you can catch up on your own schedule.

Can’t-Miss Program Highlights

Wednesday, September 10

• 8:00 – 9:00 AM: Symposium 2: The Rest of the Forefoot: What No One Wants to Deal With (Bring your patience—and your pearls.)
• 1:30 – 2:30 PM: Symposium 5: MIS Fusion and Beyond (More than just tiny incisions.)

Thursday, September 11

• 9:00 – 9:45 AM:Kenneth A. Johnson Symposium: Controversies in Foot and Ankle Surgery
  • Featuring Caio A. Nery, M.D., on PCFD and ligament mechanics
• 2:00 – 3:30 PM:Practice Management Forum: The First 10 Years in Practice
  • Real-world tips on coding, monthly reports, and surviving your first year.

Friday, September 12

• 10:30 – 11:00 AM:Keynote Address by Valerie Montgomery Rice, M.D.
  • “The Changing Landscape of Medical Education and the Importance of Leadership and Mentorship”
• 11:15 AM – 12:15 PM:Symposium 5A: The Talus Is So Frustrating I: Osteochondral Lesions
  • (Yes, the talus is still annoying—but we’re getting better at fixing it.)

Final Tip From the Top

Dixon’s advice for first-timers or returning attendees? “Go to the sessions that interest you most, but don’t worry about missing something. With OnDemand access, you can watch everything later. Just be present, engage with people, and learn.”

So, whether you’re an MIS maven, a total ankle aficionado, or someone still figuring out what to do with the plantar plate, Savannah’s the place to be this September. It’s where the foot and ankle world comes together to share, learn, and maybe enjoy a mint julep or two by the river.

For more information about this year’s meeting visit aofas.org.