Foot & Ankle Arthritis

What are Common Arthritic Joints of the Foot and Ankle?

Foot & Ankle Arthritis most commonly affects the joints associated with:

• The joint between the shin bone (tibia) and ankle bone (talus) - the Ankle Joint
• The three joints of the foot that include the heel bone, the inner mid-foot bone, and the outer mid-foot bone
• The joint of the great toe and foot bone

Types of Arthritis Affecting the Foot and Ankle Arthritis

There are three types of arthritis affecting the foot and ankle which include:

• Osteoarthritis : Also called degenerative joint disease, this is the most common type of Arthritis, which occurs most often in older people. This disease affects cartilage, the tissue that cushions and protects the ends of bones in a joint. With osteoarthritis, the cartilage starts to wear away over time. In extreme cases, the cartilage can completely wear away, leaving nothing to protect the bones in a joint, causing bone-on-bone contact. Bones may also bulge, or stick out at the end of a joint, called a bone spur. 
• Rheumatoid Arthritis : This is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system (the body’s way of fighting infection) attacks healthy joints, tissues, and organs. It can cause pain, stiffness, swelling, and loss of function in joints. Rheumatoid Arthritis affects mostly joints of the hands and feet and tends to be symmetrical. This means the disease affects the same joints on both sides of the body (both feet) at the same time and with the same symptoms. 
• Post-traumatic arthritis : Arthritis developing following an injury to ankle or foot is called as post-traumatic arthritis. The condition may develop years after the trauma such as a fracture, severe sprain, or ligament tear.
  

Fractures at joint surfaces and joint dislocations may predispose an individual to develop post-traumatic arthritis. It is considered that your body secretes certain hormones following injury which may cause death of the cartilage cells. Uric acid crystal build-up is the cause of gout and long-term crystal build-up in the joints may cause deformity. 

Symptoms of Foot and Ankle Arthritis

Symptoms of Foot and Ankle Arthritis include:

• Tenderness when you touch the joint
• Pain when you move it
• Trouble moving, walking, or putting weight on it
• Joint stiffness, warmth, or swelling
• More pain and swelling after you rest, such as sitting or sleeping 

How Can Foot and Ankle Arthritis Be Treated

The treatment for Foot and Ankle Arthritis depends entirely on the type and the cause. Many cases can be effectively treated with conservative therapy where your doctor advises sufficient rest, use of ice packs and elevation of the affected leg to reduce inflammation.

Non Surgical Treatment for Foot and Ankle Arthritis

Following a medical evaluation, your surgeon will be able to recommend a course of treatment. Common treatments for Bursitis include:

• Orthotics: Special shoe inserts may be prescribed for those with flat feet that may help relieve the pain.
• Injection Therapies: In more advanced cases of Foot and Ankle Arthritis, it is common for physicians to recommend injection therapies. In these treatments, an athlete is given an injection (typically corticosteroids) to reduce inflammation.
• Weight Loss

Surgery for Foot and Ankle Arthritis

Arthroscopic Surgery

Arthroscopy (key hole surgery) is a surgical procedure during which the internal structure of a joint is examined and treatment of the joint can be done depending on the condition.

Your surgeon can use probes, forceps, knives, and shavers, to clean the joint area of foreign tissue, inflamed tissue, or bony outgrowths (spurs).

Surgery is performed only when conservative treatment is ineffective.

Arthroplasty or Joint Replacement

In this procedure, your surgeon removes the damaged ankle joint and replaces it with an artificial implant. It is usually performed when the joint is severely damaged by osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or post-traumatic arthritis. The goal of ankle replacement is to relieve pain and restore the normal function of the ankle joint.

What if Foot and Ankle Arthritis goes Untreated?

If left untreated, Foot and Ankle Arthritis can become increasingly painful over time. Complication can include the cartilage progressively being worn away. This might cause the bones of your foot to join together.

When this happens in the big toe, it's known as hallux rigidus. This can make it more difficult to move your big toe and you may have trouble walking.