As a person ages, the risk of developing diseases of the spine and joints increases. This is due to degenerative and destructive changes in the body. One of the most common pathologies is arthrosis of the ankle joint.
Arthrosis of the ankle joint: what is it?
Ankle osteoarthritis is a chronic disease and cannot be completely cured. According to statistics, 10% of people suffer from this dystrophic disorder. People over the age of 40 are particularly vulnerable. The disease can lead to disability. Therefore, it must be treated promptly and competently.
The ankle is made up of the fibula, the talus and the tibia, two malleoli and the articular ligaments. With osteoarthritis, inflammation and destruction of the articular cartilage occurs. Bone tissue is damaged and deformed as the disease progresses.
ICD10 code
ICD stands for International Classification of Diseases. In this document, each disease is assigned a specific code. This code is made up of letters and numbers and is indicated on the sick leave certificate when making a diagnosis. Thanks to him, a doctor from any country will understand what the patient suffers from and where the pathological focus is located.
The diagnosis of arthrosis is presented in a block of 5 headings and several subtitles. Ankle osteoarthritis is included in the M19 category. This section is divided into 5 subsections. The sign after the period indicates the etiology. So, 0 – these are genetically determined degenerative changes, 1 – post-traumatic changes, 2 – dystrophic changes on the background of endocrine, vascular or inflammatory pathologies, 8 – these are other specified causes, 9 – a disease of unknown cause. For example, the code M19. 1 is ankle arthritis resulting from an injury.
Causes
The pathology develops for various reasons. The factors that cause the onset of the disease in adults are:
- Increased load on the joint. Doctors often observe degenerative changes in cartilage and bone tissue in obese patients and professional athletes (football players, bodybuilders, runners and dancers).
- Diabetes.
- Ankle injury.
- Wear uncomfortable shoes, walk in heels.
In children, the pathology develops for the following reasons:
- Thyrotoxicosis.
- Tissue dysplasia.
- Injury.
- Genetic predisposition.
- Fracture.
- Inflammation of the joints.
- Dislocation.
Symptoms
The following manifestations are typical of ankle arthritis:
- Ache. Appears after staying in one location. When a person tries to stand up and lean on the leg, he experiences excruciating pain and stiffness of movements. After a few steps the discomfort disappears. Pain appears during and after physical activity.
- Clicking, crunching in the ankle joint while walking.
- Limitation of movements.
- Swelling under the ankles.
- Hypotrophy, weakness of the ligament system.
- Deformation of the joint (typical of advanced disease).
Degrees
There are different degrees of osteoarthritis. Many years pass from the onset of the first signs of degenerative changes in the joint until the loss of mobility. If you start therapy on time, there is a chance to stop the progression of the disease. The success of treatment depends on the stage at which the pathology was detected.
Degrees of arthrosis of the ankle joint:
- First. The degenerative process has just begun to develop and does not cause much discomfort to a person. The only symptoms are temporary morning stiffness in the legs, fatigue and mild pain. When you bend and straighten your foot, you hear a creaking sound. No pathological changes are detected on radiography. The prognosis for drug treatment is favorable.
- Second. The symptoms of the disease intensify. The morning stiffness doesn't go away for about an hour. The pain appears at the beginning of the journey. After walking just 1 km distance, a person feels very tired in his legs. When the ankle moves, a crunching sound is heard. X-rays show osteophytes, the convergence of the ends of bones. Surgical treatment is indicated.
- Third. Pain syndrome occurs not only during movement, but also at rest. A person cannot work or rest normally without anesthetics. The patient is unable to move independently. The X-ray image shows cracks, flattening of the joint surfaces, osteophytes, and subluxation. Treatment is surgical and medicinal.
- Fourth. The manifestations of the disease are mild. The pain goes away. But the stiffness of movement does not allow a person to walk. The cartilage in the fourth stage is completely destroyed. The x-ray shows healing of the joint space.
Diagnostics
During the diagnosis, the doctor determines the degree of the disease and identifies the exacerbation. For this, laboratory and hardware techniques are used:
- Blood test (detailed).
- Rheumatoid tests.
- Ultrasound.
- CT.
- Try CRP.
- X-ray.
- magnetic resonance imaging.
Treatment
Therapy should be comprehensive and include taking medications, using physical therapy methods, and performing therapeutic physical exercises.
The patient is prescribed the following drugs:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Chondroprotectors.
- Painkillers.
- Corticosteroid hormones.
Joint mobility is restored by manual therapy and procedures using a special apparatus. Physiotherapy accelerates regeneration and stimulates blood circulation in the affected joint. Electrical stimulation, laser therapy, and ultrasound are effective. In case of pronounced dystrophic changes, endoprosthesis is performed.
Prevention
You can prevent ankle arthritis by following the following rules:
- Keep your weight within normal limits.
- Strengthen the spine with special exercises.
- Avoid injury.
- Correct congenital anomalies of the joint structure.
- Stop smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages.
- Treat endocrine and vascular disorders promptly.
- Undergo regular preventive tests if you have a genetic predisposition to the disease.