Ankle Sprains, Arthritis, Fusion vs Total Ankle Replacement with Lea Gunnell, MD

Dr. Lea Gunnell discusses her career change from engineering to orthopedics, ankle sprains, arthritis, and fusion vs total ankle replacement. Arthritis is inflammation that may cause pain and stiffness of one or more of your joints, it is common in the smaller joints of the foot and ankle. Ankle fusion, also known as arthrodesis, is a procedure to fuse the bones of the ankle into one piece. Total ankle replacement, also known as arthroplasty, is a procedure to replace the damaged articular surfaces of the ankle.  

About Lea Gunnell, MD

Dr. Lea Gunnell joins DMOS Orthopaedic Centers with years of foot, ankle, and lower extremity surgical experience, practicing orthopedics in Michigan and Texas. She started her educational journey with an undergraduate degree in engineering from North Carolina State University. She then attended the University of Rochester School of Medicine in New York, where she earned her Doctor of Medicine degree in 2011. After completing a five-year residency at Michigan State, Dr. Gunnell traveled to the University of Washington to complete her fellowship at the Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Dr. Gunnell’s long list of medical, teaching, and leadership experiences has prepared her to handle simple and complex foot, ankle, and lower extremity procedures. Her undergraduate degree in materials science and engineering gives her a unique perspective on the mechanics and force of bone, muscle and ligament injuries. This distinctive viewpoint, combined with her many years of medical experience, helps her deliver the highest comprehensive care for patients with foot, ankle, and lower extremity pain, injury, or trauma.

Outside of work, Dr. Gunnell, an animal lover, founded the Great Escapes Horse Rescue and Sanctuary, which provides care, training, and homes for over 40 horses and donkeys. She loves to travel worldwide, including hiking in Patagonia, road trips across Brazil, and train trips in Europe. However, she can comfortably enjoy weekend trips to the family lake house or spend time reading.

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