Ankle Arthritis
The pain and stiffness you feel in your foot and ankle as you grow older could be arthritis. If left untreated, this nagging pain can grow worse, eventually becoming so excruciating that you can no longer walk even short distances. Severe arthritis can restrict your mobility and limit your quality of life, but with proper treatment, you can slow the development of arthritis and lead a more productive life.
Signs and symptoms of arthritis of the foot vary, depending on which joint is affected. Common symptoms include:
- Pain or tenderness
- Stiffness or reduced motion
- Swelling
- Difficulty walking due to any of the above
Types of Arthritis
Both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis can affect the ankle joint.
Osteoarthritis: A degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis is one of the oldest and most common forms of arthritis. The disease causes cartilage breakdown found in joints. This breakdown removes the buffer between bones and the resulting bone against bone friction causes pain and eventual loss of movement. Symptoms include joint pain or aching (often after exercise or extended periods of pressure on weight-bearing joints) and limited or eventual loss of range of motion.
Rheumatoid: In some types of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, the synovium becomes inflamed. This inflammation causes chemicals to be released that thicken the synovium and damage the cartilage and bone of the affected joint. This leads to inflammation of the synovium causing pain and swelling.
Also, a sudden and traumatic injury such as a broken bone, torn ligament, or moderate ankle sprain can cause the injured joint to become arthritic in the future.
Sometimes a traumatic injury will result in arthritis in the injured joint even though the joint received proper medical care at the time of injury.
How is Arthritis Diagnosed?
Proper treatment of foot and ankle arthritis addresses both pain and joint deformity. Pain develops when the joint is injured. Injury to the joint may result from swelling caused by inflammatory arthritis or from the loss of joint surface (cartilage), often caused by trauma. If left untreated, the foot and ankle may eventually become deformed.
If your doctor suspects you have arthritis of the foot and ankle, he/she will ask you to have a complete medical history and physical examination. X-rays and laboratory tests often can confirm the type and extent of the arthritis. Other tests such as a bone scan, computed tomography (CT) scan, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be used to evaluate your condition.
Treatment Options:
Non-Surgical
Once your doctor confirms you have arthritis, a treatment regimen which may include medications by mouth (anti-inflammatories), injections (steroids), physical therapy, weight loss, or orthotics such as pads in your shoes or custom-made braces may be recommended.
Surgical Options
If arthritis doesn’t respond to nonsurgical treatment, surgical treatment might be considered. The choice of surgery will depend on the type of arthritis, the impact of the disease on the joints, and the location of the arthritis. Sometimes more than one type of surgery will be needed.
Surgery performed for arthritis of the foot and ankle include:
- Arthroscopic debridement (joint is cleaned out)
- Arthrodesis (or fusion of the joints)
- Arthroplasty (total ankle replacement)
Click here to learn more about the surgical options available.
