With age, the risk of developing various diseases increases, more often degenerative-destructive changes manifest themselves, including malfunctions in the musculoskeletal system.
Disease Description
Arthrosis of the ankle joint (ICD-10 code M19) is an inflammatory process in the articular cartilage that leads to tissue destruction. Because of this, over time, the cartilage becomes thinner, loses its plasticity, becomes more fragile, small cracks appear in the structure, in which the process of deposition of harmful calcium salts occurs. With further progression of the disease, cartilage particles can injure the bone surfaces even more, which leads to the appearance of pain and other symptoms.
Why is this happening? This joint experiences severe constant pressure throughout the body weight. Experiencing a constantly increased load, the ankle at some point may not withstand the impact, as a result of which arthrosis may develop. It should be noted that in practice this diagnosis is not so common, at risk are people with a full physique, with injured joints or with weak ligaments.
Factors causing the disease
There are a number of reasons leading to ankle osteoarthritis. The main one is the mismatch of the load on the joint and its ability to withstand this load. We list others:
- Age-related changes. According to statistics, the disease can occur in people of retirement age. Moreover, the disease develops more slowly, the less health problems a person had.
- High obesity. The increased load on the joint in overweight people leads to its faster than in people with a normal physique, wear.
- Professional athletes (soccer players, runners, etc.) are also prone to arthritic changes due to the constant load on the ankle joint.
- Metabolic disorders in the body and diseases that appeared against this background (for example, diabetes, gout, etc.).
- Footwear. Women are subject to the development of arthrosis due to the eternal pursuit of beauty - the constant wearing of “wrong” shoes: with stiletto heels or, conversely, with flat soles.
- The presence in the history of ankle fractures.
- Flat feet or deformity of the foot.
- If the family has one of the relatives with such a pathology, the risk of getting sick increases.
Arthrosis in children?
Arthrosis of the ankle joint can be diagnosed in children under the influence of such negative factors as dysplasia of joints and tissues, injuries with dislocations and fractures, inflammatory processes, as well as a hereditary predisposition. In addition, if a child is prone to obesity from childhood, then arthrosis may not wait for a serious age, but begin to manifest itself by the age of 20. By the way, with the manifestations of this disease, military service is impossible.
Symptoms of ankle osteoarthritis
The difficulty in recognizing early symptoms is the property of arthrosis at first practically not to manifest itself. Patients at rest are not bothered by anything, only periodically, after exercise, subtle pains appear with a tendency to intensify with time.
The crunch in the joints after physical exertion, rapid muscle fatigue and some stiffness should alert. After a while, if you do not pay attention to such seemingly insignificant symptoms, a perceived limitation in mobility appears, deformation of the ankle already affected by arthrosis develops. The joint can completely collapse and lead the patient to disability.
An experienced doctor can easily recognize the signs of ankle arthrosis by the characteristic clinical picture:
- The first sign is the so-called “starting” pain, which appears after prolonged sitting when trying to stand on the leg, manifested by the stiffness of movements in the joint. The pain goes away if you go a few steps.
- Painful sensations intensifying during exertion.
- The joints crackle, creak, swelling is noticeable, with movement there is some stiffness.
- Joint susceptibility to frequent dislocation.
- Atrophy of the muscles located near the injured joint may be observed.
- Hot feet to the touch.
Stages of the development of the disease
Manifestations of arthrosis of the ankle joint develop in stages:
I degree. Of the symptoms - only subtle morning stiffness. X-ray examination does not reveal any changes in the joint. Despite this, it is already necessary to begin treatment.
II degree of arthrosis of the ankle joint. The mobility of the limb is limited, there is a distinct crunch in the joint during movement, slight swelling is observed. X-ray reveals a slight decrease in the articular gap. Lameness may appear.
III degree. Strong muscle atrophy is observed, a clear deformation of the joint, an increase in size in the x-ray image, a significant restriction of movements is expressed. Painful sensations even in conditions of limb immobility.
IV degree. The joint gap in the picture is almost invisible, strong bone growths, joint mobility is severely impaired, subluxation is possible. Surgical treatment required.
Symptoms of ankle arthrosis need to be able to recognize on time.
How to diagnose?
A patient with complaints of the above signs needs a complete examination and the choice of the optimal method of therapy. First of all, you need to get an appointment with narrow specialists - a traumatologist and orthopedist, in the future, you may need to consult a surgeon. Diagnosis of arthrosis, as well as many other diseases, is based on a detailed survey of the patient and the data obtained as a result of a full examination. The doctor listens to the patient’s complaints, analyzes them and records them on the medical record.
As a rule, the patient is assigned the following studies to detect deforming arthrosis of the ankle joint :
- Roentgenography. It is necessary to obtain information about the exact location of the axis of the diseased joint, about the location of existing cartilage lesions, and also to determine the degree of damage to neighboring joints. The study is carried out at the time of loading on a sore leg. Radiography data help the doctor find out the cause of the pathology.
- Magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography. With arthrosis, the load on the legs is unevenly distributed, the location of the bones is modified - MRI allows you to evaluate the dynamics of this process.
- Clinical, biochemical blood tests.
- Ultrasound of the legs or less often arthroscopy.
Most often, these studies are enough to confirm the diagnosis of arthrosis or arthritis, and the doctor is already selecting the necessary treatment.
Treatment of ankle arthrosis
The treatment process is aimed at improving the functioning of the joint, at reducing painful manifestations, as well as at preventing further development of destructive changes in the cartilage.
When the diagnosis is already confirmed, treatment should be started immediately to prevent the development of complications. At the discretion of the doctor, medication or surgery is prescribed.
Standard therapy for arthrosis:
- relieving pain;
- neutralization of the inflammatory process;
- resumption of joint mobility;
- regeneration of damaged cartilage tissue;
- restoration of metabolic processes in all tissues of the diseased joint and adjacent areas;
- slowing down the development of dystrophic changes;
- rehabilitation for those who have been recommended surgical intervention.
Conservative treatment of ankle arthrosis: all drugs are divided into 2 categories:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These are quick-acting drugs that contribute to the rapid, complete or partial elimination of pain. This is their plus. But a serious minus is the negative effect of such drugs on the mucous membrane of the digestive system, and with prolonged use, the development of such gastrointestinal pathologies as gastritis or ulcers is possible. Therefore, the use of non-steroidal painkillers is possible only in short courses and is mandatory as directed and under the supervision of the attending physician. NSAIDs include: Ibuprofen, Nise, Diclofenac, Aceclofenac, Nimesulide and others. Ointments for arthrosis of the ankle joint are also necessary.
- Preparations of the so-called delayed action, or chondroprotectors. Appointed to restore damaged cartilage of lost properties, contribute to the synthesis of cartilage tissue. The most commonly used chondroprotectors include hyaluronic acid, glucosamine and chondroitin.
Exercises for arthrosis of the ankle joint are discussed below.
Gymnastics
The pool is visited at will, and joint development should be mandatory and regular. Below is a set of exercises that you can perform at home:
- hand rotate the ankle joint in the ankle; sharp jerks are unacceptable, all movements are neat and do not cause discomfort;
- circular ankle movements, first clockwise, then back;
- twisting the foot with your fingers inward;
- rise and fall slowly on socks;
- walking on the pyramidal steppe;
- put your feet on a plastic bottle of water, move them back and forth;
- movements imitating cycling performed by feet;
- Shallow squats without taking your feet off the floor;
- sitting raise and lower the feet up and down.
Prevention
If you follow the simple recommendations for prevention, you can avoid such a disappointing diagnosis. How can you help your body prevent arthrosis?
- Keep weight under control, perform moderate exercises recommended by your doctor.
- Adhere to proper nutrition, enrich your diet with proteins and amino acids, take vitamin-mineral complexes.
- Monitor your health and timely respond to body signals, immediately treat and eliminate metabolic disorders and other failures.
- Avoid situations that are injurious to the joint, wear shoes with comfortable, stable heels.