What does one think about when told they have arthritis? You may think of creaky knees, stiff hip, or swollen fingers. Arthritis in the ankle does not occur very often, unlike other joints in the body. However, despite its uncommon occurrence, it can affect your mobility and deny you a quality lifestyle.
Ankle arthritis can cause severe pain, inflammation, deformity, and instability in the joints of the ankle. The ankle otherwise known as the tibiotalar joint is the joint between the shin bone (tibia) and the anklebone (talus).
Arthritis in the ankle is usually rare, and it frequently happens in those with old traumatic injuries. A prior injury to the ankle may aggravate and lead to complications like arthritis. Ankle arthritis is capable of causing severe pain and can change your healthy way of walking.
There are various symptoms associated with ankle arthritis. The primary symptom caused by ankle arthritis is severe pain around the ankle joint. The main reason why patients seek treatment is the pain experienced in this condition. Here are other symptoms associated with ankle arthritis.
Having a simple understanding of the different types of arthritis helps understanding of the treatments better. The different kinds of arthritis have specific medications and typical treatments for each of them. The following are the common types of arthritis that affect the ankle.
Your doctor will ask for your medical history to determine a diagnosis if ankle arthritis is suspected. They will ask you various questions like the time you observed the symptoms and where you are feeling pain. Then, they will examine your ankle and check if there are any signs of arthritis mentioned above.
Imaging tests like X-ray can be conducted on your ankle to examine the severity, the type of arthritis, and the possible treatments.
There is no reversible cure for ankle arthritis, but there are treatments for this condition. The treatments are meant to relieve pain and improve the function of the joint.
Medications are an important tool in treating ankle arthritis. They majorly provide relieve for the pain.
Surgery may be the last resort if your ankle pain still persists and is not relieved with nonsurgical treatments.
There are different kinds of surgery, depending on the severity of your ankle arthritis. They are: