About me
Dr. Ali Rahnama, DPM, is a board certified, fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeon affiliated with MedStar Washington Hospital Center and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, and is an Assistant Professor at the Georgetown University School of Medicine.
Dr. Rahnama sees patients for all conditions of the foot and ankle, with a special focus on reconstructive surgery as well as minimally invasive and arthroscopic surgery for the treatment of athletic injuries, which include ligamentous and tendon injuries as well as fractures of the ankle, talus, calcaneus, and Lisfranc joint. Dr. Rahnama also treats and specializes in diabetic Charcot reconstruction of the lower extremity.
Dr. Rahnama is board certified in Foot and Reconstructive Rearfoot and Ankle Surgery by the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery.
Dr. Rahnama’s clinical interests include sports-related injuries, fracture management, Charcot reconstruction, bunion and hammertoe correction, and first metatarsal phalangeal joint arthritis. His research interests include elective surgery in the diabetic population and exploring minimally invasive techniques for hallux valgus (bunion) surgery. He is dedicated to utilizing techniques that allow patients to get back on their feet as soon as possible without compromising care.
Dr. Rahnama completed his medical degree at Temple University in Philadelphia before completing a three-year surgical residency in foot and ankle surgery at the Wayne State University/Detroit Medical Center and the Children’s Hospital of Michigan. He then completed a one-year specialty fellowship in traumatic and reconstructive foot and ankle surgery with The Southeast Permanente Medical Group, Inc. in Atlanta, where he performed more than 1,000 surgical procedures.
Dr. Rahnama is the author of several book chapters and peer review research articles and regularly lectures at national conferences in foot and ankle surgery and is committed to research as well as teaching residents, fellows and peers with the goal of advancing the field of foot and ankle surgery.
Dr. Rahnama lives locally with his wife, who is undergoing her medical training in Washington, DC. They enjoy outdoor activities as well as trying new and different foods when they can.
Philosophy of Care
“Individualized treatment plans and patient-focused treatment are what provide the best results for patients, as each case is unique to that person and their body. A patient who is educated on their condition is best prepared to make informed decisions together with their doctor, allowing them to put together a plan of action that’s best suited for them. Despite the comprehensive nature of my surgical training, I’m an advocate for conservative treatment options if and when they’re appropriate. I don’t only operate because I’m a surgeon. I do what’s best for the patient. If something can be managed and treated conservatively without surgery, that’s what I’ll try every single time.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Ankle Fracture
- Foot Injury
- Foot Pain
- Hammer Toe
- Osteomyelitis
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Sports Related Foot Injury
- Toe Fracture
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Achilles Tendon Tear
- Achilles Tendonitis
- Ankle Arthritis
- Ankle Fracture
- Ankle Instability
- Ankle Sprain
- Bunion
- Charcot Foot
- Chronic Lateral Ankle Pain
- Foot And Ankle Disorders
- Foot Arthritis
- Foot Fracture
- Foot Injury
- Foot Pain
- Hammer Toe
- Heel Pain
- Ligament Injury
- Osteomyelitis
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Sports Related Foot Injury
- Tendonitis
- Toe Fracture
Procedures I perform
- Ankle Joint Replacement
- Arthroscopy Of Ankle
- Correction Of Bunion
- Foot And Ankle Tendon Lengthening
- Hammer Toe Repair
- Lower Extremity Reconstruction
- Minimally Invasive Achilles Tendon Surgery
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- Blue Choice Advantage & Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans/ UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans HMO, POS, PPO
- United Healthcare Options (PPO) (includes Empire PPO, GEHA, Compass Rose)
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv/Special Needs Plans
- UHC Community Plan of MD
- Private Health Care Systems (PHCS) (PPO)
- Medicare Fee for Service
- Kaiser Virginia Premier
- Kaiser PermanenteSelect-Added Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Signature-Added Choice
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus (Medicare Supplemental Plan)
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS
- Kaiser MD Medicaid MCO
- Cigna HealthSpring Medicare Advantage
- CFBCBS Federal Employee Program (Std/Basic PPO/Blue Focus)
- CFBCBS EPO
- Aetna Better Health of Maryland
- HealthyBlue PPO
- POS OA & OA Plus
- Open EPO Plus
- Innovation Health: Open Network Only Plus
- Open HMO
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- CFBSBC Blue Preferred PPO
- PPO and PPO Plus
- Open POS II
- CFBCBS Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Innovation Health: POS Plus
- Innovation Health: POS
- Network OA
- Innovation Health: Indemnity
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- CIGNA EPO
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- Choice Fund PPO
- Opoen HMO Option
- BlueChoice Open Access
- CIGNA HMO Open Access (OA)
- Aetna Innovations: HMO & EPO Plus
- Innovation Health: Open POS Plus
- Innovation Health: PPO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Choice POS & Choice POS II
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) & OCI Direct (HMO)
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- United Student Resources
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- MedStar Select (MedStar Associates' Plan)
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- Tricare for Life (Medicare Supplemental Plan)
- Tricare Prime
- FIRST HEALTH
- First Health PPO
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- CFBCBS (NCA) Indemnity
- CFBCBS Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- CFBCBS Maryland Point of Service Plan (MPOS)
- CFBCBS Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- CFBCBS BlueChoice HMO
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund) Innovation Health: Network Only Plus
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery, Foot and Ankle Surgery
Board Certification: American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery, Reconstructive Rearfoot and Ankle Surgery
Fellowship Program: Northside Hospital Atlanta (2018)
Residency Program: Wayne State University Hospitals (2017)
Medical School: Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine (2014)
Hospital affiliations
News and publications
Stowers JM, Black AT, Kavanagh AM, Mata K, Bohm A, Katchis SD, Weiner LS, Spielfogel W, Rahnama A. Predicting Nonunions in Ankle Fractures Using Quantitative Tibial Hounsfield Samples From Preoperative Computed Tomography: A Multicenter Matched Case Control Study. J Foot Ankle Surg. 2022 May-Jun;61(3):562-566. doi: 10.1053/j.jfas.2021.10.007. Epub 2021 Oct 22. PMID: 34819267.
Black AT, Stowers JM, Tenley J, Hu CY, Eshetu T, Spielfogel WD, Katchis SD, RahnamaVaghef A, Weiner LS. The Association Between Lateral Radiographs and Axial Computed Tomography of Posterior Malleolar Fractures as a Tool for Predicting Medial Malleolar Extension: A Multi-Center Retrospective Analysis. J Foot Ankle Surg. 2021 Mar 10:S1067-2516(21)00080-6. doi: 10.1053/j.jfas.2021.03.002. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33785238.
Zeeshan S. Husain, Ali Rahnama-Vaghef; Staged Surgical Management of Open Navicular Fracture Secondary to a Gunshot Injury. J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 1 May 2021; 111 (3): Article_21. doi: https://doi.org/10.7547/18-035