Raymond Walls, MD

Growing up in Ireland, I was fortunate to excel at Irish dance. This art form involves many intricate foot and ankle movements, and several dancers I knew—including myself—experienced injuries such as ankle sprains, fractures, and overuse tendinitis. In high school, I became interested in biomechanics and, with my dance experience, a career in orthopedic surgery seemed like a natural fit.

While I admit I am biased, I believe foot and ankle is the most complex orthopedic specialty. There is an elaborate interplay between the various joints and tendons that allow a person to walk, dance, and run effortlessly. Our bodies are finely tuned machines, but over time, even a subtle imbalance can cause disease and deformities.

Conditions I commonly treat include ankle arthritis, flatfoot deformities, and Achilles tendon injuries. I also manage ankle instability, ankle cartilage injuries, lower limb fractures, bunions, hammertoes, and complex lower limb deformities.

Having performed thousands of procedures over the years, I have developed expertise in total ankle replacement, advanced ankle arthroscopy, and lower extremity deformity correction. When appropriate, I augment surgery with orthobiologics, such as platelet-rich plasma injections and stem cell therapy. These modalities enhance the body’s natural ability to heal and help relieve my patients’ symptoms.

Many conditions can be successfully managed without surgery, so I explore all options with my patients to help them choose the right treatment for them. I work closely with physical therapy and podiatry colleagues to ensure patients achieve the best possible outcomes.  

I consider it essential to carefully evaluate every patient to determine exactly how their condition can be resolved. No two patients are the same, so I work with each person to develop an individualized treatment plan.

As a world champion Irish dancer and former lead performer in Riverdance, I know how important it is to be able to do the things you enjoy most. I have two simple goals for all patients: relieve pain and restore function. The most rewarding aspect of being an orthopedic surgeon is seeing a patient put on their shoes and leave the office pain-free.

In addition to caring for patients, I conduct research to enhance patient outcomes. NYU Langone has a world-renowned research team, and we are developing a unique foot and ankle database, which will ultimately help us determine the best treatment options for our patients.

During my residency, my research received an award from the British Association for Surgery of the Knee. Patients who have joint replacement surgery typically lose 60 percent of their muscle strength. I conducted a study that showed that neuromuscular electrical stimulation before knee replacement surgery can strengthen patients’ quadricep muscles and accelerate recovery. I am currently conducting research to determine whether this therapy can also accelerate patients’ recovery after foot and ankle surgery.