Previous studies of the Ilizarov procedure have concentrated on musculoskeletal assessments rather than the opinions of patients. In a prospective trial of 25 consecutive patients, we evaluated the effect of Ilizarov reconstruction of post-traumatic deformity on general health status using the SF36 and Nottingham Health Profile (NHP). The patients had very low preoperative scores, which remained low during treatment and correction, but increased postoperatively. The mean overall SF36 score improved from 36 +/- 3 to 58 +/- 7 (p = 0.031) and the NHP score from 39 +/- 11 to 67 +/- 10 (p = 0.002). The improvements in scores were not limited to the physical components and were equal or better than the improvements reported for other orthopaedic procedures, including total joint arthroplasty. Ilizarov-type reconstruction of deformity of the lower limb not only restores bony configuration, but also produces a large improvement in the general health status of patients.