Inflammation of bone and cartilage tissue is an urgent problem for people all over the world living in modern society. Recently, the most commonly diagnosed disease of this type has become arthrosis of the ankle joint.
Over time, the development of the disease can lead to the limitation or complete loss of motor activity in the lower part of the legs, which often leads to very negative consequences - disability.
The severity of the consequences makes it important to understand the causes, as well as awareness of the symptoms and treatment features of osteoarthritis of the ankle.
Ankle arthrosis - what is it?
Osteoarthritis of the ankle jointis a disease whose progress is accompanied by the destruction of the cartilage tissue of the lower leg joints, as well as 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).
This disease is mainly characteristic of people of the older generation, but recently it is increasingly occurring in situations where arthrosis is diagnosed in people under the age of 45. According to statistical data, destruction of ankle cartilage tissue was detected in 6% of applicants.
Timely diagnosis and a clear treatment plan for ankle arthrosis can completely cure this disease.
The main causes and principles of the development of osteoarthritis of the ankle
Arthrosis of the ankle joint is a special disease that can be a primary phenomenon, or it can be secondary, where the disease develops after injury or inflammation.
Regardless of the type, arthrosis occurs mainly in the state of disruption of the natural processes that occur in the articular cartilage.
Considering the main factors in the development of this disease, it is necessary to highlight:
- microtraumas, as well as major injuries to the ankle joint;
- overweight;
- perform surgery on joints;
- improperly chosen 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 normal metabolic process conditions, the superficial articular tissue is characterized by smoothness and elasticity, ensuring smooth gliding during movement.
When the joint is injured or the metabolic process is disturbed, the smoothness and elasticity of the tissue is lost, which causes friction and worsens the consequences.
Types and degrees of ankle osteoarthritis
Today, it is customary to distinguish two types of arthrosis localized in the ankle joint:
- main- the development of pathological processes directly on healthy cartilage tissue;
- secondary (post-traumatic)– degenerative processes that occur during the development of various types of diseases/injuries.
In addition, modern medicine also distinguishes several stages of degenerative diseases:
Arthrosis of the ankle joint degree 1– the first stage of the development of the disease, accompanied by the manifestation of clear symptoms. Patients complain mainly about symptoms such as:
- increased fatigue;
- leg pain.
During the diagnostic procedure, the pathological process is practically invisible, which complicates the process of identifying the disease.
Arthrosis of the ankle joint 2 degrees– manifests itself in severe pain that disturbs the patient's healthy sleep.
Visual signs of disease appear. Inflammation of the joint becomes visually noticeable: a local change in the color of the skin (redness) occurs, as well as an increase in its temperature. In addition, swelling begins, movement is limited.
Ankle joint arthrosis grade 3– accompanied by obvious 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 movement occurs with spasms.
The lack of necessary treatment for arthrosis of the ankle joint in the final stages of the disease inevitably leads to the loss of the ability to work and the acquisition of the "disabled" status.
Symptoms of ankle arthrosis
Before understanding how and how to treat osteoarthritis of the ankle joint, it is important to identify its symptoms.
Considering the clinical picture of this disease, one can see that the main symptom of localized arthrosis in the ankle joint is increased fatigue and severe pain. As the disease progresses, the condition worsens, leading to increased pain that does not go away even during periods of rest and long sleep.
Over time, the motor activity of the affected joint is very limited, and a rather severe deformation of the ankle can be seen visually. However, in addition to this, the symptoms of ankle arthrosis include:
- increased pain even with small efforts;
- skin discoloration and swelling of affected joint tissue;
- leg swelling;
- characteristic dryness when moving joints;
- loss of ability to move the ankle independently;
- local increase in temperature indicators.
The presence of only a few or even one symptom of ankle arthrosis should be a reason to immediately seek qualified medical help.
Which doctor should I contact and how to treat arthrosis of the ankle joint?
Doctors such as orthopedic traumatologists and rheumatologists treat ankle osteoarthritis. If you suspect the presence of a disease, you should refrain from self-medication. Ignoring the manifestation of symptoms can worsen the degenerative process and lead to very negative consequences.
Grade 1 and 2 ankle joint arthrosis can be treated successfully. 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 condition, grade 3 ankle arthrosis can also be treated, but mostly radical measures are used.
Today, various methods are used to treat ankle arthrosis, including non-drug and drug therapy.
Let's look at the available methods in more detail.
Physiotherapy for ankle osteoarthritis
Physiotherapyis a unique area of modern medicine that uses natural and artificial physical capabilities for the prevention and treatment of various diseases.
The use of physiotherapy as a treatment for ankle osteoarthritis makes it possible to reduce the amount or completely eliminate the use of drugs.
Physiotherapy methods help significantly improve blood circulation in the affected joint, which ensures the activation and acceleration of the recovery process occurring in the ankle.
In the treatment of osteoarthritis of the ankle the following are used:
- laser irradiation;
- ultrasonic influence;
- electrical stimulation.
Treatment of ankle arthrosis is determined according to the symptoms that appear and the severity 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 recovery of affected tissues.
Treatment of osteoarthritis of the ankle with massage, in addition to reducing the rate of progression of the disease, helps prevent the possibility of worsening.
Only a specialist who knows the structural characteristics of the joint can perform a massage to treat arthrosis of the ankle joint. It is important to note that the duration of the massage should be at least 25 minutes.
Using massage in conjunction with exercises for arthrosis of the ankle joint will ensure the achievement of the most effective results in a relatively short time.
Exercise and exercise therapy for ankle arthrosis
Despite the fact that many people think that physical therapy (physical therapy) for arthrosis is ineffective, physical activity is the key to getting rid of the hated pain and significantly improving well-being.
Correctly selected exercises for arthrosis of the ankle joint lead to:
- elimination of stiffness when walking;
- activation of blood circulation in the internal tissues of the joint;
- delay, and in some cases even completely stop the course of the disease;
- recovery, improving quality of life.
It is important to note that for osteoarthritis of the ankle joint, exercises are selected exclusively according to the recommendations of the attending physician.
Surgical intervention for osteoarthritis of the ankle joint
In situations where conservative treatment of ankle osteoarthritis does not produce the desired results, a more radical method to eliminate the disease comes to the rescue - surgery.
Today, the following types of surgical intervention are possible:
- endoprosthetics– total ankle replacement;
- arthroscopy- elimination of excess formation in the ankle;
- arthrodesis– immobilization of the ankle while preserving the remnants of the cartilage.
Surgery belongs to the category of methods of last resort to treat ankle arthrosis. Timely diagnosis and a well-structured treatment plan can prevent the need for radical measures.
To consolidate the postoperative results and accelerate joint recovery, experts prescribe a set of exercises for osteoarthritis of the ankle joint.
Treatment of ankle arthrosis with drugs
Drug treatment of ankle arthrosis is part of complex therapy, providing an opportunity to relieve unpleasant symptoms and stop degenerative changes.
How to treat 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 harm 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 level of effectiveness.
Let's look at some of them in more detail.
Anti-inflammatory and pain reliever
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 relieve inflammation in the joints.
Today, the drug market offers anti-inflammatory and painkillers not only in the form of gels and ointments, but also in the form of tablets, patches and injections.
Antispasmodic - muscle relaxant
Medicines for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the ankle joint, such as antispasmodics and muscle relaxants, are prescribed as an active aid in combating muscle spasms adjacent to the affected joint.
Antispasmodics provide muscle relaxation and relieve pain. .
Chondroprotectors
Chondroprotectoris a drug for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the ankle joint, providing stimulation for the production of a sufficient amount of intra-articular fluid, which ensures accelerated tissue regeneration and is saturated with essential vitamins and minerals.
Possible complications
In the absence of comprehensive treatment for ankle arthrosis, the possibility 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 limb.
In the presence of symptoms and insufficient treatment of arthrosis of the ankle joint, the progress of the destructive process leads to the occurrence of osteophytes (growths on bone tissue), which negatively affects a person's quality of life.
Continuous swelling of the affected joint tissue can also cause the development of pathological processes in the blood vessels, in particular, the deterioration of blood circulation, impaired blood flow.
The long-term destructive process that develops in the joint leads to immobilization of the ankle, which increases the risk of diseases and concomitant injuries.
Basic principles of nutritional nutrition for ankle arthrosis
According to many studies, it has been observed that arthrosis mainly occurs in people who do not follow their diet.
Following a diet and taking into account certain nutritional principles accelerates the treatment of many diseases, especially arthrosis.
The main principle of nutrition for arthrosis is balance. In addition, criteria such as:
- regularity of eating;
- various food products;
- Correspondence between nutritional value and intensity of energy expenditure.
During the treatment and recovery period, the patient's diet should consist mainly of dishes prepared using gelatin. In addition, it is important to give preference to foods enriched with vitamins of various groups and other beneficial microelements.
To speed up your recovery, it is also recommended to avoid drinking sugary carbonated drinks and alcohol.
Prevention of ankle osteoarthritis
The best treatment for ankle osteoarthritis isprevention.
To minimize or completely eliminate the possibility of degenerative-dystrophic processes in the ankle, experts around the world recommend to adhere to the simplest principles:
- continuous monitoring of diet;
- optimal weight tracking and control;
- be careful and avoid injury to the lower part of the foot;
- allocate enough time for a good warm-up before physical activity;
- timely treatment of inflammatory diseases;
- maintain an optimal balance of microelements in the body.
Compliance with the simplest preventive recommendations will eliminate the possible symptoms of ankle arthrosis and limit the need to treat this kind of disease.
Remember, consulting a doctor when observing early symptoms of osteoarthritis of the ankle joint guarantees a timely diagnosis and high-quality and successful treatment.