Inflammation of bone and cartilage tissue is a pressing problem for people living in modern society all over the world. Recently, the most frequently 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 of 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 to be aware of the symptoms and treatment features of ankle osteoarthritis.
Ankle arthrosis - what is it?
Osteoarthritis of the ankle jointprogression is a disease accompanied by the destruction of the cartilage tissue of the joint of the lower extremities, as well as the adjacent bones.
It should also be noted that osteoarthritis of the ankle joint is characterized by a chronic nature and an undulating course (periods of systematic exacerbations, then remissions).
The disease is mainly characteristic of representatives of the older generation, but recently, people under the age of 45 are more and more often diagnosed with arthrosis. According to statistics, the destruction of cartilage tissue of the ankle is detected in 6% of 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 development of ankle osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis of the ankle joint is a specific disease that can be a primary phenomenon or secondary, where the disease progresses after injury or inflammation.
Regardless of the type, arthrosis mainly occurs in conditions of disruption of natural processes occurring within the articular cartilage.
Considering the main factors in the development of the disease, it is worth emphasizing:
- microtraumas, as well as major injuries of the ankle joint;
- excess body weight;
- perform an operation on the joint;
- improperly 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 the conditions of normal metabolic processes, surface joint tissues are characterized by smoothness and elasticity, which ensures unhindered sliding during movement.
When the 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 grades of ankle osteoarthritis
Today, it is customary to distinguish two types of localized arthrosis in the ankle joint:
- initially- the development of pathological processes in healthy cartilage tissues;
- secondary (traumatic)- degenerative processes occurring during the development of various types of diseases/injuries.
In addition, modern medicine also distinguishes several degrees of degenerative disease:
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 the following symptoms:
- increased fatigue;
- leg pain.
Pathological processes are practically invisible during diagnostic procedures, which complicates the process of identifying the disease.
Arthrosis of the ankle joint 2 degrees- manifests itself in severe pain that disturbs the healthy sleep of patients.
Visual signs of the disease appear. Joint inflammation is visually noticeable: a local change in skin color (redness) occurs, and its temperature rises. In addition, swelling begins, movements are limited.
3rd degree ankle arthrosis- is accompanied by a clear discomfort and severe aching pain, which is a sign of the beginning of the transformation of cartilage into bone tissue.
Joint mobility is limited or completely lost. Joint actions occur with a crisis.
In the later stages of the disease, the lack of proper treatment for arthrosis of the ankle joint inevitably leads to the loss of working capacity and the acquisition of the "disabled" status.
Symptoms of ankle arthrosis
Before understanding how and how to treat arthrosis of the ankle joint, it is necessary to identify its symptoms.
Considering the clinical picture of the disease, it can be seen that the main symptoms of localized arthrosis in the ankle joint are increased fatigue and severe pain. As the disease progresses, the condition worsens, which leads to increased pain that does not go away even during rest and long sleep.
Over time, the motor activity of the affected joint is significantly limited, and quite serious deformation of the ankle is visually visible. In addition, the symptoms of ankle arthrosis include:
- increased pain even with a small force;
- discoloration of the skin and swelling of the tissues of the affected joint;
- leg swelling;
- a characteristic crisis when moving together;
- 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 ankle arthrosis should be a reason to urgently seek 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 a disease, you should refrain from self-medication. Ignoring symptomatic manifestations can aggravate degenerative processes and lead to extremely negative consequences.
1st and 2nd degree ankle arthrosis can be successfully treated. For this reason, when the first symptoms 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 mainly radical measures are used.
Today, various methods are used to treat ankle arthrosis, including non-drug therapy and drug therapy.
Let's consider the available methods in more detail.
Physiotherapy for ankle osteoarthritis
Physiotherapyis a unique field of modern medicine that uses natural as well as artificially created physical possibilities for the prevention and treatment of various diseases.
The use of physiotherapy as a treatment for ankle arthrosis allows you to significantly reduce or completely eliminate the use of drugs.
Physiotherapy methods help to significantly improve blood circulation in the affected joint, which ensures the activation and acceleration of the recovery processes taking place inside the ankle.
The following are used in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the ankle:
- laser radiation;
- ultrasound effect;
- electrical stimulation.
Treatment of ankle arthrosis is determined according to the emerging symptoms and the intensity of the disease.
Massage and ankle arthrosis
Massageis a complex of mechanical and reflex methods, the use of which guarantees an increase in blood circulation, which significantly accelerates the recovery of affected tissues.
Treatment of ankle osteoarthritis with massage helps to reduce the rate of progression of the disease and prevent the possibility of its flare-up.
Only a specialist who knows the structural features of the joints can perform massage to treat arthrosis of the ankle joint. It should be noted that the duration of the massage should be at least 25 minutes.
The use of massage in tandem with exercises for arthrosis of the ankle joint will provide the most effective results in a relatively short time.
Exercises and exercise therapy for ankle arthrosis
Although many believe 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 ankle arthrosis lead to:
- elimination of stiffness during walking;
- activation of blood circulation in the internal tissues of the joint;
- slowing down, in some cases even completely stopping the course of the disease;
- recovery, improvement of quality of life.
It should be noted that exercises for arthrosis of the ankle joint are selected only according to the recommendations of the attending physician.
Surgical intervention for arthrosis of the ankle joint
In a situation where conservative treatment of ankle arthrosis does not give the desired result, a more radical method of eliminating the disease comes to the rescue - surgery.
Today, the following types of surgical intervention are possible:
- endoprosthetics– total ankle replacement;
- arthroscopy- elimination of excessive formations inside the ankle;
- arthrodesis– immobilization of the ankle by keeping the cartilage remains.
Surgery belongs to the category of methods of last resort for the treatment of ankle arthrosis. A timely diagnosis and a properly designed treatment plan can prevent the need for radical measures.
In order to strengthen the postoperative result and accelerate the recovery of the joint, experts prescribe a number of exercises for arthrosis of the ankle joint.
Treatment of arthrosis of the ankle with drugs
Drug treatment of ankle arthrosis is part of a complex therapy that allows to eliminate unpleasant symptoms and stop degenerative changes.
How to treat arthrosis of the ankle joint can be determined only 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 arthrosis of the ankle joint 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-inflammatory and pain relievers
For the treatment of arthrosis of the ankle joint, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used at different stages of the development of the disease.
The main purpose of such actions is to relieve pain and eliminate inflammation in the joint.
Today, the pharmaceutical 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.
Antispasmodics - muscle relaxants
Medicines for the treatment of arthrosis of the ankle joint, such as antispasmodics and muscle relaxants, are prescribed as an active aid in the fight against spasms of the muscles adjacent to the affected joints.
Antispasmodics relax muscles and reduce pain. .
Chondroprotectors
Chondroprotectoris a drug for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the ankle joint, it provides stimulation for the production of a sufficient amount of intra-articular fluid, which ensures rapid tissue recovery and saturation with necessary 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-medication and ignoring the symptoms of the disease inevitably leads to limb immobility and disability.
In the absence of symptoms of arthrosis of the ankle joint and insufficient treatment, the development of destructive processes leads to the formation of osteophytes (growth in bone tissue), which negatively affects the quality of life of a person.
Permanent swelling of the affected joint tissues can also lead to the development of pathological processes in blood vessels, in particular, deterioration of blood circulation, disruption of blood flow.
Long-term destructive processes that develop together lead to immobilization of the ankle, which increases the risk of accompanying diseases and injuries.
Basic principles of dietary nutrition for ankle arthrosis
According to numerous studies, it has been noted that arthrosis occurs mainly in people who do not follow their diet.
Adhering to 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 meals;
- various food products;
- match between food value and intensity of energy expenditure.
During the treatment and rehabilitation period, the patient's diet should consist mainly of foods prepared using gelatin. In addition, it is important to give preference to foods enriched with vitamins of various groups and other useful trace elements.
Avoiding sugary fizzy drinks and alcohol is also recommended to speed up healing.
Prevention of osteoarthritis of the ankle
The best treatment for osteoarthritis of the ankleprevention.
In order to minimize or completely eliminate the possibility of degenerative-dystrophic processes in the ankle, experts around the world recommend following the simplest principles:
- constant monitoring of diet;
- monitor and control optimal body weight;
- caution and prevention of injury to the lower extremities;
- leaving enough time for a good warm-up before physical activity;
- timely treatment of inflammatory diseases;
- maintaining the optimal balance of trace elements in the body.
Compliance with the simplest preventive recommendations will eliminate the possibility of ankle arthrosis symptoms and limit the need for treatment of such diseases.
Remember that visiting a doctor when observing the initial symptoms of osteoarthritis of the ankle joint guarantees its timely diagnosis and high-quality, successful treatment.