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Causes, symptoms, extent and treatment of osteoarthritis of the ankle joint

Many people are faced with various diseases, which begin to develop inflammation in bone and cartilage tissue. In recent years increased the number of patients who were diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the ankle joint. On the background of the development of the disease, patients may lose the mobility of lower limbs and permanently become disabled.

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What is osteoarthritis of the ankle joint?

Ankle osteoarthritis is a disease in which there is a development of degenerative processes in cartilage tissues. With the progression of osteoarthritis in the joint cartilage start to happen irreversible processes, which cause serious consequences.

Today, modern medicine klassificeret arthrosis of the ankle joint in the following way:

  1. Acute osteoarthritis.

  2. Post-traumatic arthrosis.

  3. Deforming arthrosis.

The study of this disease in by the leading specialists from different countries, who for many years carried out research in this area. According to the statistical data published in specialized media, for every 100 examined patients, 6 revealed osteoarthritis of the ankle joint.

Most often this disease affects people of advanced age, of the total number of patients, 80% are older men and women. This high figure is explained by the fact that older people have disrupted the work of many internal organs, circulatory system, thinning the bone and cartilage. Despite this prevalence, arthrosis of the ankle joint perfectly amenable to treatment.


The causes of osteoarthritis of the ankle joint

Ankle osteoarthritis is a disease that develops amid the particular reasons which can be attributed to the following:

  • strongphysical activity, which are musculoskeletal system, particularly on the lower limbs;

  • any degree of obesity (people who have problems with overweight, often have problems with joints, as in the process of moving and they are being more physical effects);

  • engaged in the power and active sports can cause the development of osteoarthritis of the joint;
  • uneven load distribution on the lower limbs during movement;

  • any injuries: bruises, falls, blows, etc.;

  • wearing the wrong shoes often provokes the development of osteoarthritis;
  • advanced age (older people eventually begin to thin cartilage, which lose elasticity and begin to crack);
  • the deposition of salts;
  • hazardous working conditions (many people all day spend on the legs, without rest);
  • a variety of diseases (chronic and inflammatory);
  • genetic predisposition, etc.

Symptoms of osteoarthritis of the ankle joint

Ankle osteoarthritis can be accompanied by different symptoms:

  • pain that increases with any physical activity on the musculoskeletal system;
  • the crunch in joints;
  • fatigue, occurring after movement even for short distances;

  • atrophy of the muscular tissue in the lower extremities;

  • the subluxation that occurs on a background of dysfunction of muscles and tendons;
  • swelling appears in the ankle;
  • inflammatory processes, accompanied by an increase in temperature;
  • stiffness and mobility impairments of the lower extremities;
  • the acquisition of axis of lower leg x-shaped, etc.

The degree of arthrosis of the ankle joint

Modern medicine defines 3 degrees of arthrosis of the ankle joint, which can be detected when performing hardware diagnostics. The first two degrees of arthritis respond well to treatment, after which patients can recover their former mobility. At the transition of the disease to the third stagedevelopment patients begins to occur deformation of the joint. Many patients who have begun arthrosis of the 3rd degree, become disabled.

Arthrosis of the ankle joint of 1 degree

The first degree of osteoarthritis is considered the initial stage of this disease. People may not experience pronounced symptoms. Patients often use medical institutions about excessive fatigue. Some patients have pain in the lower extremities, which disappear during sleep or rest during the day.

During the diagnostic procedures ankle osteoarthritis 1st degree is found rarely, as the experts almost never find pathological changes.

Ankle osteoarthritis 2 degrees

Arthrosis of the ankle joint of the 2nd degree is accompanied by certain symptoms, which people should pay close attention. Patients appear severe pain, which does not pass during the holidays. In some cases, can develop inflammation in the ankle, against which there is redness of the skin and increased temperature.

With the progression of the inflammation there is swelling, loss of activity and mobility of the lower extremities, as well as weather dependent (the joints of patients begins to ache when the weather changes). If is not timely received medical assistance, patients can begin a more serious problems that require a constructive treatment.

Ankle osteoarthritis grade 3

After the transition to 3rd stage of development of arthrosis of the ankle joint begins to bring discomfort and excruciating suffering from pain. This is because due to progression of the disease is the ossification of cartilage. As a result, the joint loses its cushioning quality and mobility. The patient begins with any movement of the lower limb to hear the crunch in the joint. If you self-medicate, or not to ignore the symptoms, you can get a disability as a result of the deformity.

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Deforming arthrosis of the ankle joint

Deforming osteoarthritis most often develops in people who on a daily basis, for several hours, are standing, as they have on the ankle is a strong impact. To this category of patients can be attributed to patients who regularly expose your body to a strong physical stress.

The reason for the development of deforming arthrosis may be the following factors:

  • weight;
  • inflammation;

  • dysplasia cartilage;

  • genetic predisposition to arthritis;

  • endocrine diseases (from arthritis often affects people who are diagnosed with diabetes at any stage of development), etc.

Deforming arthrosis developed in the ankle joint can be subdivided into several degrees:

  1. First degree. Deforming arthrosis accompanied by pain. At carrying out of hardware diagnostics in these patients, it is possible to identify the seal of the talus, and narrowing the gap of the joint. Patients may experience discomfort in the joint while in motion.

  2. Second degree. Patients occurs a deformation of the joint, there is a strong pain, feeling of fatigue with any exertion.

  3. Third degree. At this stage of development the disease is accompanied by pronounced symptoms. In patients on the background of the deformation of the joint, limited mobility, pain that can only be removed with special drugs.

Treatment of this form of osteoarthritis of the ankle joint (1 or 2) possible medical way. Mandatory patients assigned to physiotherapy and provides recommendations regarding the selection of special shoes. When this form of osteoarthritis has moved into the 3rd stage of development, its treatment is possible only surgically.


Treatment of osteoarthritis of the ankle joint

The key to successful treatment of arthritis is early diagnosis. Each person who discovered the symptoms of the disease or just discomfort in the joint, should contact the nearest medical facility. On reception at the orthopedic and trauma to the patient will be exposed to personal inspection. During palpation of the ankle specialist will be able to identify significant deviations.

To confirm his diagnosis, the doctor will send the patient for furthersurvey:

  • on x-rays;
  • on the CT or MRI.

When choosing a method of treatment of osteoarthritis, developed in the ankle joint, the specialist should use a variety of modern techniques, through which stop the process of degeneration of cartilage. First and foremost, the doctor should prescribe to their patient's medications that will be able to save him from severe pain syndrome. Thereafter, patients start taking medicines that relieves inflammation in the joints.

A course of medical therapy includes the following:

  • occupation physical therapy (all the exercises must be performed under the supervision of an instructor who will make sure that during training the patient is not injured);
  • normalization of weight (if the patient has obesity, he / she should urgently go on a diet that restricts the consumption of fats, salts and other harmful substances);
  • medications;
  • ointments that have analgesic effect;
  • physiotherapy treatments including magnetotherapy, etc.
Important role in the process of recovery is nutrition of the patient. During treatment as well as prevention, patients should eat jelly, and other meals which consists of gelatin (gel). It is very important to monitor the amount of vitamins that are present in various products. If the patient is unable for whatever reason to use such products, it can acquire a balanced vitamin-mineral complex indicated in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the joints.

All questions concerning the rules of nutrition for osteoarthritis of the ankle of the Charter it is better to discuss with a nutritionist that will help the patient to adjust weight and restore metabolic processes in the body. During treatment the patients are advised not to drink alcohol and carbonated drinks. Doctors strongly recommend to stop Smoking, since nicotine adversely affects all vital organs and systems of man.

Details: Diet for osteoarthritis

If medical therapy failed, patients performed the surgical treatment of osteoarthritis:

  • arthroplasty (during operationalintervention is the replacement of the damaged joint quality prosthesis);
  • arthroplasty (the surgical intervention remains a part of cartilage and performed immobilization of the joint by artificial means).

While joint replacement specialists use prostheses made of ceramic, metal or plastic. After a successful prosthesis patient for 20 years to lead a full life.

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Prevention

To prevent the development of osteoarthritis in the ankle joint it is necessary to perform a series of preventive measures:

  • to follow the diet (try not to eat fatty foods, which can lead to weight gain);
  • promptly visit a medical facility for the treatment of chronic and inflammatory diseases;
  • try to avoid injury;
  • before sport activities to warm-up;
  • take vitamins and minerals and also products containing calcium and other trace elements necessary for proper development of the joints.

aplan, Alexander S., surgeon, orthopedic