Ankle Arthritis: Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

As a person ages, the risk of spinal and joint disease increases. This is due to degenerative and destructive changes in the body. One of the common conditions is arthropathy of the ankle joint.

Ankle arthritis - what is it?

Ankle arthritis is a chronic condition that cannot be completely cured. According to statistics, 10% of people suffer from this malnutrition. People over the age of 40 are particularly susceptible to the disease. The disease can cause disability. Therefore, timely and effective treatment is required.The ankle joint is composed of the fibula, talus, tibia, two ankle bones and joint ligaments. As arthrosis develops, inflammation and destruction of joint cartilage occurs. As the pathology progresses, bone tissue becomes damaged and deformed.

ICD 10 code

ICD stands for International Classification of Diseases. In such a document, each disease is assigned a specific code. This code consists of letters and numbers and appears on the sick note at the time of diagnosis. Thanks to him, doctors in any country can understand the patient's condition and the location of the pathological lesions.The diagnosis of arthropathy consists of 5 headings and several subheadings. The ankle joint is classified as M19. This section is divided into 5 subsections. The symbol after the dot indicates the cause. Therefore, 0 – these are genetically determined degenerative changes, 1 – post-traumatic changes, 2 – dystrophic changes in the context of endocrine, vascular or inflammatory pathology, 8 – these are other specific causes, 9 – diseases of unknown origin. For example, code M19. 1 is ankle joint disease due to injury.

reason

Pathology develops for a variety of reasons. Predisposing factors for adult onset include:

• Increased load on joints. Doctors often observe degenerative changes in cartilage and bone tissue in obese patients and professional athletes (football players, bodybuilders, runners, and dancers).
• diabetes.
• Ankle injury.
• Wear uncomfortable shoes and walk in high heels.

In children, the pathology occurs for the following reasons:

• Thyrotoxicosis.
• Tissue dysplasia.
• Injuried.
• Genetic susceptibility.
• fracture.
• Inflammation of joints.
• dislocation.

symptom

The following are typical symptoms of ankle arthritis:

• pain. It appears after staying in one location. When a person tries to stand up and lean on his legs, he or she will feel tingling and stiffness of movement. After a few steps, the discomfort will disappear. Pain occurs during and after physical activity.
• The ankle joint makes a clicking or crunching sound when walking.
• Movement restrictions.
• Swelling below the ankle.
• The ligamentous apparatus atrophies and becomes weak.
• Joint deformity (typical of advanced disease).

degree

There are several degrees of arthrosis. Many years pass between the first signs of degenerative changes in the joint and the loss of mobility. If you start treatment on time, you have a chance of stopping the progression of the disease. The success of treatment depends on the stage at which the pathology is detected. Degree of arthritis in the ankle:

• First. The degenerative process is just beginning to develop and does not cause much discomfort. The only symptoms were temporary morning stiffness, fatigue and mild pain in the legs. There is a crunching sound when the foot is bent and straightened. No pathological changes were found in X-ray examination. The prognosis with medical treatment is good.
• second. Symptoms of the disease worsen. Morning stiffness will disappear in about an hour. Pain occurs when you first start walking. After only walking a distance of 1 kilometer, people feel that their legs are very tired. When the ankle moves, it makes a crunching sound. X-rays show osteophytes, which are collections at the ends of bones. Surgical treatment is required.
• third. Pain syndrome occurs not only during exercise but also at rest. Without anesthesia, a person cannot work or rest normally. The patient is unable to move independently. X-ray images show cracks, flattening of the joint surface, osteophytes, and subluxation. Treatment options include surgery and medication.
• fourth. Manifestations of this disease are mild. The pain is gone. But stiffness of movement does not allow a person to walk. In stage four, the cartilage has been completely destroyed. X-rays show joint space healing.

diagnosis

During the diagnostic process, doctors determine the extent of the disease and identify worsening conditions. For this purpose, laboratory and hardware techniques are used:

• Blood test (details).
• Rheumatoid test.
• ultrasound.
• CT.
• CRP test.
• Radiography.
• MRI.

treat

Treatment should be comprehensive and include medication, physical therapy, and therapeutic physical exercise.The patient is prescribed the following medications:

• Anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal drugs.
• Chondroprotectant.
• painkiller.
• Corticosteroid hormones.

Joint mobility is restored through manual therapy and surgery using special instruments. Physical therapy speeds regeneration of affected joints and stimulates blood circulation. Electrical stimulation, laser therapy, and ultrasound therapy are all effective. If significant dystrophic changes occur, endoprosthetic treatment is performed.

prevention

You can prevent ankle joints by following these rules:

• Keep your weight within a normal range.
• Strengthen your spine with special exercises.
• Avoid injury.
• Correct congenital joint structural abnormalities.
• Stop smoking and drinking.
• Prompt treatment of endocrine and vascular diseases.
• If you are genetically predisposed to this disease, get regular preventive tests.