Inflammation of bone and cartilage tissue is an urgent problem for people living in modern society around the world. Recently, the most frequently diagnosed such disease has become arthrosis of the ankle joint.
Over time, the progression of the disease can cause the limitation or complete loss of motor activity of the lower limbs, which often has extremely negative consequences - disability.
Due to the seriousness of the consequences, it is important to understand the causes, as well as the symptoms and treatment features of osteoarthritis of the ankle.
Ankle arthrosis - what is it?
Osteoarthritis of the ankle jointa disease whose progress is accompanied by the destruction of the cartilage tissue of the joints of the lower limbs, as well as the adjacent bones.
It is also worth noting that osteoarthritis of the ankle joint is characterized by a chronic nature and an undulating course (systematic periods of exacerbation followed by remission).
The disease is mainly characteristic of the older generation, but lately it is occurring more and more frequently in situations where arthrosis is diagnosed in people under 45 years of age. According to statistical data, the destruction of the cartilage tissue of the ankle is detected in 6% of the applicants.
A timely diagnosis of ankle arthrosis and a well-defined treatment plan can completely cure the disease.
The main causes and principles of the progression of osteoarthritis of the ankle
Arthrosis of the ankle joint is a special disease, which can be a primary phenomenon, but it can also be secondary, in which the disease progresses after injury or inflammation.
Regardless of its type, arthrosis mainly occurs when the natural processes taking place inside the articular cartilage are disrupted.
Considering the key factors in the development of the disease, it is worth highlighting:
- microtraumas, as well as serious injuries of the ankle joint;
- excessive body weight;
- performing surgery on a joint;
- improperly chosen shoes, abuse of high heels;
- excessive physical activity;
- metabolic disorders caused by various diseases (gout, hormonal imbalance);
- diseases of the locomotor system;
- genetic predisposition;
- bad ecology.
In addition to normal metabolic processes, superficial joint tissues are characterized by smoothness and flexibility, ensuring unhindered gliding during movement.
When a joint is injured or metabolic processes are disturbed, the smoothness and elasticity of the tissues are lost, which causes friction and significantly aggravates the consequences.
Types and degrees of osteoarthritis of the ankle
Today, two types of localized arthrosis in the ankle joint are distinguished:
- primary- development of pathological processes directly on healthy cartilage tissue;
- secondary (post-traumatic)– degenerative processes occurring during the development of different types of diseases/injuries.
In addition, modern medicine distinguishes several degrees of degenerative diseases:
Ankle joint arthrosis 1st degree- the first stage of the development of the disease, which is accompanied by a clear manifestation of symptoms. Patients mainly complain of the following symptoms:
- increased fatigue;
- leg pain.
During diagnostic procedures, pathological processes are practically invisible, which complicates the process of identifying the disease.
Arthrosis of the ankle joint is 2 degrees– manifests itself in severe pain, which disturbs the patients' healthy sleep.
Visual signs of the disease appear. Arthritis becomes visually noticeable: the color of the skin changes locally (redness) and its temperature rises. In addition, swelling begins, movements are limited.
Ankle joint arthrosis 3rd degree– is accompanied by pronounced discomfort and strong aching pain, which indicates 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 necessary treatment of arthrosis of the ankle joint in the later stages of the disease inevitably leads to the loss of working capacity and the acquisition of a "disabled" condition.
Symptoms of arthrosis of the ankle
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 can be noticed that the main symptoms of localized arthrosis in the ankle joint are increased fatigue and severe pain. With the development of the disease, the situation worsens, which leads to increased pain, which does not go away even during rest and long sleep.
Over time, the motor activity of the affected joint is significantly limited, and quite severe deformation of the ankle is visually visible. In addition, however, the symptoms of arthrosis of the ankle are as follows:
- increase in pain even with a minor load;
- discoloration of the skin and swelling of the tissues of the affected joint;
- swelling of the leg;
- characteristic crackle when moving the joint;
- loss of the ability to freely move the ankle;
- local increase in temperature indicators.
The presence of only a few or even one symptom of arthrosis of the ankle justifies the urgent use of qualified medical help.
Which doctor should I consult and how should I treat arthrosis of the ankle joint?
Doctors such as orthopedic traumatologists and rheumatologists treat osteoarthritis of the ankle. If you suspect the presence of the disease, you should refrain from self-medication. Ignoring the symptoms can aggravate the degenerative processes and lead to extremely negative consequences.
Grade 1 and 2 arthrosis of the ankle joint can be successfully treated. For this reason, 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 can also be treated, but mostly radical measures are used.
Today, various methods are used to treat arthrosis of the ankle, including non-drug therapy and drug therapy.
Let's take a closer look at the available methods.
Physiotherapy for ankle osteoarthritis
Physiotherapyis a unique field of modern medicine that uses both natural and man-made physical abilities to prevent and treat various diseases.
The use of physiotherapy in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the ankle makes it possible to significantly reduce or completely eliminate the amount of medication.
Physiotherapy methods significantly improve the blood circulation of the affected joint, which ensures the activation and acceleration of the recovery processes occurring inside the ankle.
The following are used to treat osteoarthritis of the ankle:
- laser irradiation;
- ultrasonic effect;
- electrical stimulation.
The treatment of ankle arthrosis is determined based on the appearing symptoms and the intensity of the disease.
Massage and ankle arthrosis
Massagea complex of mechanical and reflex techniques, the use of which ensures increased blood circulation, which significantly speeds up the recovery of the affected tissues.
In addition to reducing the progression of the disease, treating osteoarthritis of the ankle with massage helps to prevent the likelihood of its worsening.
Only a specialist who knows the structural characteristics of the joints can perform massage for the treatment of arthrosis of the ankle joint. It is important to note that the duration of the massage should be at least 25 minutes.
The combined use of massage and arthrosis exercises for the ankle joint ensures the most effective results in a relatively short time.
Exercises and gymnastics therapy for ankle arthrosis
Despite the fact that many people are of the opinion that physical therapy (physiotherapy) for arthrosis is ineffective, physical activity is the key to getting rid of the hated pain and significantly improving the well-being.
Exercises selected in accordance with arthrosis of the ankle joint lead to the following:
- eliminating the feeling of stiffness when walking;
- activation of blood circulation in the internal tissues of the joint;
- slowing down the course of the disease, and even stopping it completely in some cases;
- restoration, improvement of quality of life.
It is important to remember that in the case of arthrosis of the ankle joint, the exercises are selected only in accordance with the recommendations of the attending physician.
Surgical intervention in osteoarthritis of the ankle joint
In a situation where conservative treatment of osteoarthritis of the ankle does not bring the desired result, a more radical method of eliminating the disease is surgery.
Today, the following types of surgical interventions are possible:
- endoprosthesis– complete ankle replacement;
- arthroscopy– elimination of excessive formations inside the ankle;
- arthrodesis– immobilizing the ankle while preserving the cartilage remains.
Surgery belongs to the category of final methods used in the treatment of arthrosis of the ankle. Timely diagnosis and a well-constructed treatment plan can prevent the need for radical measures.
In order to consolidate the postoperative result and speed up the restoration of the joint, specialists prescribe exercises for arthrosis of the ankle joint.
Treatment of ankle arthrosis with drugs
Drug treatment of arthrosis of the ankle is part of the complex therapy, providing an opportunity to relieve unpleasant symptoms and stop degenerative changes.
The 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 drugs can cause irreparable damage to the body.
All drugs for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the ankle joint are divided into several groups, each of which differs not only in the principle of action, but also in the degree of effectiveness.
Let's look at some of them in more detail.
Anti-inflammatory and pain relievers
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the ankle joint are used at different stages of the development of the disease.
The main goal of this type of operation is to relieve pain and arthritis.
Today, the pharmaceutical market offers anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving agents 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 to actively help fight muscle spasms near the affected joints.
Antispasmodics provide muscle relaxation and pain relief. .
Chondroprotectors
Chondroprotectora drug for the treatment of arthrosis of the ankle joint, which stimulates the production of the appropriate 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 of ankle arthrosis, the probability of complete recovery is reduced to almost zero.
Self-treatment and ignoring the symptoms of the disease inevitably leads to immobilization and disability of the limbs.
In the case of symptoms of arthrosis of the ankle joint and insufficient treatment, the progress of destructive processes causes the occurrence of osteophytes (growths on the bone tissue), which negatively affects the quality of life of a person.
The constant swelling of the tissues of the affected joint can also cause the development of pathological processes in the blood vessels, especially the deterioration of blood circulation and blood flow.
Long-term destructive processes 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 many studies, it has been found that arthrosis occurs mainly in people who do not follow their diet.
Adhering to a diet and following certain nutritional principles accelerates the treatment of many diseases, especially arthrosis.
The basic principle of arthrosis nutrition is balance. In addition, criteria such as:
- regularity of meals;
- various foods;
- correspondence between the nutritional value and the intensity of energy use.
During the treatment and rehabilitation period, the patient's diet should consist mainly of foods made from gelatin. In addition, it is important to give preference to foods enriched with vitamins and other useful microelements belonging to various groups.
In order to speed up healing, it is also recommended to avoid sugary carbonated drinks and alcohol.
Prevention of osteoarthritis of the ankle
The best treatment for osteoarthritis of the ankle isprevention.
In order to minimize or completely eliminate the likelihood of degenerative-dystrophic processes of the ankle, experts around the world recommend following the simplest principles:
- continuous monitoring of the diet;
- monitoring and control of optimal body weight;
- caution and avoiding injuries to the lower limbs;
- take enough time for a good warm-up before physical activity;
- timely treatment of inflammatory diseases;
- maintaining the optimal balance of microelements in the body.
Adherence to the simplest preventive recommendations eliminates the likelihood of ankle arthrosis symptoms and limits the need to treat such diseases.
Remember that, when observing the initial symptoms of arthrosis of the ankle joint, consulting a doctor guarantees its timely diagnosis and high-quality, successful treatment.