In today`s healthcare culture, the importance of the patient perspective is increasingly recognised. Therefore, it becomes important to pay attention to which issues are important for patients and to collect relevant data. However, clinical studies have predominantly assessed surgeons` perception of outcome. Several patient-derived questionnaires have been developed and tested for hip, knee, shoulder and spine surgery. There are currently no standardised scales to measure patients` expectations of foot and ankle surgery, and a high percentage of patients (25-33%) remain dissatisfied at follow- up, even with improvement in hallux valgus angle and reduction in pain. Patients are often dissatisfied with surgical outcomes because they do not express their expectations. Patients whose expectations are met more often report significantly higher satisfaction. Expectations are the best predictors of patient satisfaction. When planning surgery, it is important to understand patients` preoperative expectations and the relative importance of these expectations.