Ankle Arthritis
There are several types of arthritis that can also affect the ankle. These include Rheumatoid Arthritis, gout, and other systemic arthritis conditions as well as arthritis resulting from an injury.
Arthritis, which results from the wearing out of cartilage that covers the joint surfaces, leads to bone-on-bone grinding, loss of motion, and bone spurs formation (called osteophytes). It is these destructive changes along with loss of function that results in severe pain and usually limits normal activities.
How Is an Ankle Arthritis Evaluated?
Your physician will conduct a physical exam of your ankle, order x-rays, bone scans and possibly an MRI.
How Is an Ankle Arthritis Treated?
Nonsurgical Treatment
It is the early stages of traumatic arthritis when non-surgical options are used in the early stages of ankle arthritis. These may include:
- Anti-inflammatory medication
- Shoe modification
- Bracing
- Orthotics
Surgery
Arthroscopy may be indicated to remove the prominent bone spurs and reactive tissue that grows and clogs the joint cavity. Scoping a joint can be helpful in those cases where the spurs are scraping the opposing joint surface and leaving grooves or scratches in the remaining cartilage.
In severe cases patients may be offered additional surgical options such as ankle fusion (also called arthrodesis), total ankle replacement, and distraction arthroplasty.
For more information or to make an appointment please call
1-877-233-WELL (9355).