Arthritis is the degeneration of the joint cartilage causing pain and disability or dysfunction of that joint. There are several causes for arthritis, particularly in the foot and ankle, depending on what joint of the foot and ankle is involved. For example, arthritis in the big toe joint is slightly different from a causation factor to arthritis in the ankle. Most people visit Dr. Julya Keselman in New York for primary osteoarthritis, which usually has a small hereditary component and may run in families.
This cause is more common in arthritis of the great toe joint. Post-traumatic arthritis, on the other hand, is the most common cause of ankle arthritis, and that usually results from either severe ankle fractures or recurrent ankle instability injuries, which then cause degeneration of the joint.
Other common factors or causes may be inflammatory conditions, for example, GTI arthritis, or patients with rheumatoid or other inflammatory conditions that may cause secondary degenerative arthritis in the joint. Much less common causes are post-infection, septic arthritis, or neuropathic-type arthritis occurring in severe diabetics with peripheral neuropathy. Finally, and probably less common, is arthritis resulting from either developmental or congenital abnormalities of the ankle and usually the hindfoot or midfoot.
What are the symptoms of arthritis?
Symptoms of arthritis in the foot ankle are usually the three main symptoms that doctors look for when describing arthritis. These are pain, swelling, and loss of function. The pain in an arthritic joint, particularly in the foot and ankle, is usually aching that may present as nagging pains.
The pain usually worsens with activity or exercise, and it gains relief with rest. As arthritis progresses, one may even get hurt at night. Initially, the pain may get better with simple analgesics or anti-inflammatories. The other symptom, swelling, is usually worse with activity and reduced with rest ice packs or anti-inflammatories.
The final symptom of foot and ankle arthritis loss of function is reduced movement. Patients will typically complain of stiffness in the affected joint, for example, the ankle or the great toe. This reduced activity is usually a result of pain arising from a degenerative joint. Arthritis of the foot and ankle is a reasonably complex presentation or complaint by the patient. Therefore, doctors need to perform a thorough clinical assessment in discussion with the patient.
A complete history is essential to discuss the contributing factors. If the patient had any specific trauma or if they have any other inflammatory conditions that may be contributing to arthritis, then reviewing their history, and a thorough examination by the consultant can help assess the severity of arthritis, its effect on neighboring joints, and the level of functional disability that the patient may be experiencing.
What are the treatments for foot and ankle arthritis?
Once the doctor considers all necessary factors and completes investigations, including imaging tests such as x-rays and CT or MRI scans, the next step is to discuss the ideal treatment with the patient.
There are two options of treatment: conservative or non-operative measures and the other is a surgical treatment, which may involve simple fusion procedures or joint replacements. Schedule an appointment with a specialist at CHW Cares to find out the best treatment that will eliminate your foot and ankle arthritis and restore function in your peripheral organs.
