Tell ankle pain to take a hike. If you’ve been suffering with serious and painful ankle issues, you may be candidate for Total Ankle Replacement surgery (also called “TAR” or “ankle arthroplasty”). Ankle replacement surgery is designed to relieve pain and preserve motion in the arthritic ankle joint by replacing the joint with a prosthesis. TAR may be a good option for you if you suffer from traumatic arthritis, end stage arthritis or other issues of your ankle.