Ankle arthrosis is a chronic degenerative-dystrophic disease. The first thing that is affected is cartilage.
Then the painful process passes to other parts of the joint: synovial membrane, capsule, ligaments, bones and nearby muscles. The cause of arthrosis can be trauma, overexertion, abnormal operation of metabolic processes, inflammation, etc.
Most often, the disease begins to manifest itself for no reason. The first symptoms of arthrosis is pain in any movement of the joints.
Causes of ankle arthrosis
Why arthrosis of the ankle arises, and what is it? Ankle joint is a combination of the talus bone of the foot with the bones of the shins. The joint has mobility and performs sole and rear flexion and extension of the foot, as well as small lateral movements.
Because of its location, this joint is affected by the entire body weight. This leads to increased stress on it and as a result can cause its congestion, which eventually results in such a disease as arthrosis of the ankle joint.
provoking factors are:
- heavy physical exertion;
- disease, the cause of which is a metabolic disorder in the body( diabetes, gout, pseudogout, etc.);
- "inheritance", it is proved that arthrosis can be inherited;
- injury, dislocation, sprain in the joints;
- arthritis and other inflammatory processes.
The traumatic nature of the development of arthrosis plays an important role. After the traumas, especially those that have not been treated, the so-called posttraumatic arthrosis of the ankle joint may develop.
Species
Arthrosis of the ankle is of two types:
- Primary - in this case the destruction of the cartilage occurs on a healthy joint, for example, with heavy loads on the joints.
- Secondary - in this case the process of destruction of cartilage occurs in the already changed. For example, after vascular disorders, injuries or intra-articular fracture.
Manifestations of arthrosis of the ankle occurs imperceptibly, initially a crunch appears in the joint, and later minor pain during exercise.
Symptoms of arthrosis of the ankle
The first signs of arthrosis of the ankle, most often, pass completely unnoticed. Symptomatology in every person can be different, and the degree of expression of inflammatory reactions depends on the stage of the disease.
However, the symptoms of arthrosis of the ankle( see photo) can be recognized by a specific clinical picture:
- "Start" pain. This is one of the earliest symptoms of ankle arthrosis. The pain appears after a long sitting while trying to lean on the leg, can be accompanied by a short-term stiffness of movements in the joint. After several steps, the pain passes.
- Pain that increases with exercise;
- A crunch in the joints, clicks, creaking;
- Limited mobility or stiffness in movement;
- Curvature of the shank axis( it can acquire an X-shape or an O-shape);
- Frequent subluxations;
- Muscle atrophy, which are adjacent to injured;
- Swelling of the joints;
- Feet may be hot.
If you do not go to the doctor in time - the heavier processes begin in the joints of the foot. The pain will intensify, and the beginning of the movement will stop relieving them. Discomfort becomes permanent, joints express the stiffness and limitation of mobility.
At the next stage of the development of the disease, the joint is deformed. And in the most neglected cases the joint is completely destroyed, which leads to disability.
Help in the formulation of an accurate diagnosis allows rheovasography, in addition the ankle joint is x-rayed. Blood tests are taken. Usually, these clinical trials are sufficient to detect the presence of arthrosis or arthritis, and then the proper treatment is selected.
Treatment of arthrosis of the ankle
As for the question of how to treat arthrosis of the ankle joint, then the arthroses of any etiology and localization are treated according to the same scheme. Therapy includes the following components:
- elimination of painful sensations.
- Removing signs of inflammation. How to treat arthrosis of foot
- Improving the processes of blood supply and nutrition in articular tissues.
- recovery of the volume of movements in the ankle.
The choice of method( conservative or surgical) depends on the stage of development of the pathological process.
Medical treatment
All medical preparations used for the treatment of arthrosis of the ankle joint are divided into two large groups: fast-acting drugs and time-consuming drugs.
Representatives of these groups have different effects on the disease and benefit the body. So, fast-acting drugs treat only the symptoms of the disease - reduce pain in the ankle joint. Slow-acting drugs restrain the progression of ankle arthrosis, i.e.partially stop the further course of the disease.
- To remove inflammation and to stop pain syndrome it is often possible only with the help of special preparations - NSAIDs taken inside. This group includes: Voltaren, Deklofenac, Movalis, Ibuprofen, Indomethacin.
- Chondroprotectors - biologically active substances, which contain chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine sulfate. They make the cartilaginous layer dense and elastic. Admission for 6 months or more helps to stop the progression of the disease and maintains the state of the cartilage in the required form.
- preparations of hyaluronic acid are very helpful. They are an analogue of the synovial fluid that fills the joint cavity.
Surgical treatment is resorted to when treatment at home has proved ineffective, and the patient lacks movement in the ankle.
The most popular method of surgical treatment is endoprosthetics or joint replacement for implants made of high-tech materials.
The operation can be performed if the bone tissue is healthy, and on the part of other systems there are no restrictions to the operation.
Ointments
They are used directly for topical treatment at home, usually containing anesthetic substances.
These therapeutic ointments include:
- Horsepower;
- Diclofenac;
- Deep-Relief;
- Butadione.
Usually, ointments can achieve an obvious therapeutic effect, especially when combined with other medications.
Gymnastics for arthrosis
Exercises for arthrosis - an effective way to develop joints, improve nutrition in tissues, accelerate metabolism. It is important to remember that the exercises chosen by the instructor should be performed during the period of the symptoms subsidence. The load on the joints is selected taking into account the age, the stage of the development of the disease.
Competently chosen exercises bring only good, not pain and discomfort. From other means of physiotherapy, the time of treatment is reduced by laser therapy, massage, magnetotherapy.
Physiotherapy and massage
If ankle arthrosis develops, physiotherapy procedures must be an obligatory component of the treatment. Although some physicians are rather skeptical about this type of treatment. Nevertheless, the use of magnetotherapy, electrophoresis and phonophoresis with glucocorticoids, paraffin enhances the action of drugs and relieves swelling and inflammation in the ankle.
However, such treatment should be carried out only in the phase of remission( remission) of arthrosis processes. The effect of physical procedures can be fixed by sanatorium treatment at mud resorts.
Prophylaxis of
Prevention of arthrosis is the observance of simple rules:
- Monitor body weight.
- In time to treat and correct metabolic disorders, endocrine, vascular diseases.
- It is necessary to adhere to a diet, that is, to eat more foods rich in protein, and to refrain from salty, spicy, roasted, alcoholic beverages.
- Avoid injury to the joint. To do this, you should try not to wear shoes on an unstable heel, too firm sole, while using sports to use special protective equipment.
The effectiveness of the treatment of deforming arthrosis of the ankle depends on the stage of its development and the presence of concomitant diseases.