Inflammation of bone and cartilage tissue is an urgent problem for people around the world living in modern society. Recently, the most commonly diagnosed disease of this type is arthrosis of the ankle joint.
Over time, the progression of the disease can cause limitation or complete loss of motor activity in the lower extremities, which often leads to extremely negative consequences - disability.
The severity of the consequences makes it important to understand the causes, as well as knowledge of the symptoms and features of the treatment of ankle osteoarthritis.
Ankle osteoarthritis – what is it?
Osteoarthritis of the ankle jointis a disease whose evolution is accompanied by the destruction of the cartilaginous tissue of the joint of the lower extremities, as well as the adjacent bones.
It is also important to note that osteoarthritis of the ankle joint is characterized by a chronic nature and an undulating course (systematic periods of exacerbations followed by remissions).
The disease is characteristic mainly of people of the older generation, but recently it has increasingly occurred in a situation where arthrosis is diagnosed in people under 45 years of age. According to statistical data, destruction of the cartilage tissue of the ankle is detected in 6% of candidates.
Timely diagnosis and a well-defined treatment plan for ankle osteoarthritis can completely cure the disease.
Main causes and principles of progression of ankle osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis of the ankle joint is a special disease that can be a primary or secondary phenomenon, in which the disease progresses after injury or inflammation.
Regardless of the type, arthrosis occurs mainly under conditions of disruption of the natural processes occurring inside the articular cartilage.
Considering the main factors in the development of the disease, it is worth highlighting:
- microtraumas, as well as serious injuries to the ankle joint;
- excess body weight;
- perform surgery on a joint;
- incorrectly selected shoes, abuse of high heels;
- excessive physical activity;
- metabolic disorders caused by various diseases (gout, hormonal imbalance);
- diseases of the musculoskeletal system;
- genetic predisposition;
- bad ecology.
Under conditions of normal metabolic processes, superficial articular tissues are characterized by softness and elasticity, ensuring unhindered sliding during movement.
When a joint is injured or metabolic processes are disturbed, the softness and elasticity of the tissues are lost, which causes friction and significantly worsens the consequences.
Types and degrees of ankle osteoarthritis
Today it is customary to distinguish two types of arthrosis located in the ankle joint:
- primary– development of pathological processes directly in healthy cartilaginous tissues;
- secondary (post-traumatic)– degenerative processes that occur during the development of various types of diseases/injuries.
In addition, modern medicine also distinguishes several degrees of degenerative diseases:
Arthrosis of the ankle joint 1st degree– the first stage of the development of the disease, accompanied by a clear manifestation of symptoms. Patients mainly complain of symptoms such as:
- increased fatigue;
- leg pain.
During diagnostic procedures, pathological processes are practically invisible, which makes the process of identifying the disease difficult.
Arthrosis of the ankle joint 2 degrees– manifests itself in severe pain that disturbs patients’ healthy sleep.
Visual signs of the disease appear. Inflammation of the joint becomes visually noticeable: a local change in skin color (redness) occurs, as well as an increase in its temperature. Additionally, swelling begins and movement is limited.
Arthrosis of the ankle joint 3rd degree– is accompanied by pronounced discomfort and severe pain, which is a sign of the beginning of the transformation of cartilage into bone tissue.
Joint mobility is limited or completely lost. Joint movements occur with a crunch.
The lack of the necessary treatment for arthrosis of the ankle joint in the later stages of the disease inevitably leads to the loss of working capacity and obtaining the status of "disabled".
Ankle osteoarthritis symptoms
Before understanding how and how to treat osteoarthritis of the ankle joint, it is important to identify its symptoms.
Considering the clinical picture of the disease, it is clear that the main symptoms of osteoarthritis located in the ankle joint are increased fatigue and intense pain. As the disease progresses, the situation worsens, which leads to increased pain that does not disappear even during periods of rest and prolonged sleep.
Over time, the motor activity of the affected joint is significantly limited and a rather severe deformation of the ankle is visually visible. However, in addition, symptoms of ankle osteoarthritis include:
- increased pain even with small efforts;
- discoloration of the skin and swelling of the tissues of the affected joint;
- foot swelling;
- characteristic crunch when moving the joint;
- loss of ability to freely move the ankle;
- local increase in temperature indicators.
The presence of just a few or even one symptom of ankle arthrosis should be a reason to urgently seek qualified medical help.
Which doctor should I contact and how to treat arthrosis of the ankle joint?
Doctors such as an orthopedic traumatologist and a rheumatologist treat ankle osteoarthritis. If you suspect the presence of a disease, avoid self-medication. Ignoring symptomatic manifestations can aggravate degenerative processes and lead to extremely negative consequences.
Arthrosis of the ankle joint grades 1 and 2 can be successfully treated. Therefore, when the first signs appear, it is important to contact your local doctor, who will refer you to a specialist for diagnosis.
Despite the complexity of the situation, grade 3 ankle arthrosis is also treatable, but mainly radical measures are used.
Today, several methods are used to treat ankle osteoarthritis, including non-drug and drug therapy.
Let's look at the available methods in more detail.
Physical Therapy for Ankle Osteoarthritis
Physiotherapyis a unique area of modern medicine that uses natural as well as artificially created physical capabilities for the prevention and treatment of various diseases.
Using physiotherapy as a treatment for ankle osteoarthritis makes it possible to significantly reduce the amount or completely eliminate the use of medications.
Physiotherapy methods help to significantly improve blood circulation in the affected joint, which ensures the activation and acceleration of recovery processes occurring inside the ankle.
In the treatment of ankle osteoarthritis, the following are used:
- laser irradiation;
- ultrasonic influence;
- electrical stimulation.
The treatment of ankle osteoarthritis is determined according to the symptoms that appear and the intensity of the disease.
Massage and ankle arthrosis
Massageis a complex of mechanical and reflex techniques, the use of which ensures increased blood circulation, which significantly accelerates the restoration of affected tissues.
Treatment of ankle osteoarthritis with massage, in addition to reducing the rate of disease progression, helps prevent the likelihood of its exacerbation.
Only a specialist who knows the structural characteristics of the joints can perform a massage to treat osteoarthritis of the ankle joint. It is important to note that the duration of the massage must be at least 25 minutes.
Using massage in conjunction with exercises for arthrosis of the ankle joint will ensure that you obtain the most effective results in a relatively short time.
Exercises and exercise therapy for ankle osteoarthritis
Despite the fact that many consider physiotherapy (physiotherapy) for arthrosis to be ineffective, physical activity is the key to getting rid of hated pain and significantly improving well-being.
Correctly selected exercises for arthrosis of the ankle joint lead to:
- eradication of the feeling of stiffness when walking;
- activation of blood circulation in the internal tissues of the joint;
- slow down and, in some cases, even completely stop the course of the disease;
- restoration, improving the quality of life.
It is important to note that with osteoarthritis of the ankle, exercises are selected exclusively in accordance with the recommendations of the attending physician.
Surgical intervention for osteoarthritis of the ankle joint
In a situation where conservative treatment of ankle osteoarthritis does not give the desired results, a more radical method of eliminating the disease comes to the rescue - surgery.
Today, the following types of surgical intervention are possible:
- endoprosthesis– total ankle replacement;
- arthroscopy– elimination of excessive formations inside the ankle;
- arthrodesis– immobilization of the ankle preserving cartilage remains.
Surgery falls into the category of last resort methods for treating ankle osteoarthritis. Timely diagnosis and a well-structured treatment plan can avoid the need for radical measures.
To consolidate the postoperative result and accelerate the recovery of the joint, experts prescribe a series of exercises for osteoarthritis of the ankle joint.
Treatment of ankle osteoarthritis with medication
Drug treatment of ankle arthrosis is part of complex therapy, providing the opportunity to alleviate unpleasant symptoms and stop degenerative changes.
Treatment of arthrosis of the ankle joint can only be determined by a specialist who knows the characteristics of the diagnosed disease. Self-medication with medication can cause irreparable damage to the body.
All drugs for the treatment of ankle osteoarthritis are divided into several groups, each of which differs not only in the principles of action, but also in the degree of effectiveness.
Let's look at some of them in more detail.
Anti-inflammatories and analgesics
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the ankle joint are used at various stages of the development of the disease.
The main focus of this type of action is to relieve pain and alleviate inflammation in the joint.
Today, the medicine market offers anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs not only in the form of gels and ointments, but also in the form of tablets, patches and injections.
Antispasmodics-muscle relaxants
Medications for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the ankle joint, such as antispasmodics and muscle relaxants, are prescribed as active aids in combating spasms of the muscles adjacent to the affected joints.
Antispasmodics provide muscle relaxation and pain relief. .
Chondroprotectors
Chondroprotectoris a medicine for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the ankle joint, which stimulates the production of a sufficient amount of intra-articular fluid, which ensures accelerated tissue regeneration and saturation with essential vitamins and minerals.
Possible complications
In the absence of comprehensive treatment for ankle arthrosis, the probability of complete recovery is reduced to almost zero.
Self-treatment and ignorance of the symptoms of the disease inevitably lead to immobilization and disability of the limbs.
In the presence of symptoms and insufficient treatment of arthrosis of the ankle joint, the progress of destructive processes provokes the appearance of osteophytes (growths in bone tissue), which negatively affects the person's quality of life.
Constant swelling of the tissues of the affected joint can also cause the development of pathological processes in the blood vessels, in particular, deterioration of blood circulation, decreased blood flow.
Long-term destructive processes developing in the joint lead to immobilization of the ankle, which increases the risk of concomitant diseases and injuries.
Basic principles of dietary nutrition for ankle arthrosis
According to numerous studies, it was found that osteoarthritis occurs mainly in people who do not follow the diet.
Following a diet and taking into account certain nutritional principles speeds up the treatment of many diseases, including osteoarthritis.
The fundamental principle of nutrition for osteoarthritis is balance. Additionally, criteria such as:
- regularity of meals;
- variety of food products;
- correspondence between nutritional value and intensity of energy expenditure.
During the period of treatment and rehabilitation, the patient's diet should consist mainly of dishes prepared with gelatin. In addition, it is important to give preference to foods enriched with vitamins from different groups and other beneficial microelements.
To speed up recovery, it is also recommended to avoid consuming sugary carbonated drinks and alcohol.
Prevention of ankle osteoarthritis
The best treatment for ankle osteoarthritis isprevention.
To minimize or completely eliminate the likelihood of degenerative-dystrophic processes in the ankle, experts around the world recommend adhering to the simplest principles:
- constant monitoring of the diet;
- tracking and control of ideal body weight;
- caution and prevention of injuries to the lower extremities;
- reserve enough time for a good warm-up before physical activity;
- timely treatment of inflammatory diseases;
- maintain an ideal balance of microelements in the body.
Compliance with the simplest preventive recommendations will eliminate the likelihood of symptoms of ankle arthrosis and limit the need to treat diseases of this type.
Remember, seeing a doctor when you notice the initial symptoms of osteoarthritis of the ankle joint ensures your timely diagnosis and successful, high-quality treatment.