Foot & Ankle Arthritis
What Is Foot & Ankle Arthritis?
Arthritis is the inflammation of one or more of the joints. Foot and ankle arthritis is one of the forms of arthritis whereby the cartilage in the ankle joint—that connects the leg bones (tibia and fibula) to the foot bones (talus)— is damaged or worn out. Some common types of foot and ankle arthritis include:
- Osteoarthritis: A degenerative disease that causes the cartilage to naturally wear and tear
- Rheumatoid arthritis: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes the body’s immune system to mistakenly attack the health tissues in the body. This disease affects the joints, skin, lungs, heart and eyes
- Gout: This is a common type of arthritis whereby too much uric acid in the body forms urate crystals and accumulates in the affected joint. This causes immense pain, stiffness and swelling of the joints
- Post traumatic arthritis: This type of arthritis refers to the swelling or inflammation resulted from a trauma or injury
Causes of Foot & Ankle Arthritis
In general, foot and ankle arthritis is caused by injuries such as falls or wear-and-tear. It may also be the result of damage to the ankle joint. Besides injuries or trauma, autoimmune diseases and infections can also cause cartilage damage, leading to arthritis. Other factors that increase one’s risk of developing foot and ankle arthritis includes:
- Advanced age
- Genetics
- Family history
- Obesity
Symptoms of Foot & Ankle Arthritis
Some common indications of foot and ankle arthritis involves the following:
- Tenderness or pain at the affected area
- Limited range of movement in the ankle
- Joint stiffness or warmth
- Swelling or redness at the affected area
- Persistent pain in the ankle joint
- Pain during foot movement
Treatment Options
The type of treatment depends on the severity of the condition. For the early stages of foot and ankle arthritis, conservative methods such as medication, lifestyle modifications, physical therapy or assistive devices can help manage the disease. However, for severe arthritis that affects one’s quality of life, causes intense pain, or if conservative methods fail to relieve pain, surgery may be recommended. There are three common surgical procedures to treat foot and ankle arthritis:
1. Ankle arthroscopy
Arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure that involves making small incisions at the affected area to allow a thin viewing instrument (arthroscope) to pass through, enabling the surgeon to visualise the ankle joint via a monitor. Through the camera display, the surgeon guides miniature surgical instruments to remove loose tissues and foreign bodies in the joint and repair the damaged ankle cartilage.
2. Arthrodesis (Fusion)
This procedure aims to reduce the pain by removing the damaged cartilage and fuses the ankle bones with metal plates, pins and screws and bone graft.
3. Arthroplasty (Joint replacement surgery)
Arthroplasty is a procedure that removes the damaged ankle joint and replacing it with a metal or plastic joint, restoring the joint function.