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Arthritis is an inflammation of your joints. You experience pain and stiffness in any joint in your body, but it is very common in the small joints of your foot and ankle. There are more than 100 forms of arthritis, most of which affect your foot and ankle. All of those types can make it difficult for you to walk and perform activities you enjoy. There is no cure for arthritis, but we do have treatment options to slow down the condition and relieve symptoms. We at Care Podiatry in Lakewood and Anaheim, CA, provide care to manage your pain and stay active.
Ankle arthritis is a condition in which the cartilage in the ankle joint wears down. It leads to pain, stiffness, swelling, and mobility issues. The condition is one of the most common causes of chronic ankle discomfort in adults. It can affect the quality of life when walking, standing, or performing daily activities.
It is the most common form and is caused by wear and tear over time. The condition often develops after years of use and aging.
It occurs after an ankle injury such as a sprain or fracture. The joint can gradually develop arthritis months or years later, even after proper healing.
An autoimmune condition where the body’s immune system attacks joint tissues by mistake. The condition can affect various joints, including the ankle.
It can be tough to diagnose the condition on your own since the signs can be different, varying from person to person. However, some of the symptoms are activity-related ankle pain or discomfort, start-up ankle pain, swelling of the ankle joint, and you feel stiffness in your ankle joint.
For example, a person may experience ankle pain that becomes more troublesome due to their activity level throughout the day. However, another person might experience the opposite effect. They may feel pain and stiffness after waking up or sitting for too long. If some people with ankle arthritis experience pain, others experience swelling. However, a lot of people have a pre-existing ankle injury history.
So, if you are someone who experiences sore ankle joints, visit us at Care Podiatry. Talk about your symptoms and share your health history. We perform physical examination and tests needed to diagnose ankle arthritis.
Our experts at Care Podiatrist check symptoms and perform a physical exam to look for swelling, tenderness, and motion. We also do MRI or CT scans to check joint narrowing or bone changes. X-rays provide a detailed evaluation of cartilage and soft tissues, and blood Tests check for inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Ankle arthritis treatment can help manage the severity of symptoms, the extent of cartilage loss, and the impact on daily life.
The treatment is usually effective for mild to moderate arthritis. You need to make changes in your lifestyle and activities. However, you can even choose physical therapy, medications, or orthotics and bracing.
Our podiatrists can recommend injections to reduce inflammation and relieve symptoms.
Surgery is recommended when conservative methods fail, and pain continues.
Ankle arthritis is a common and often manageable condition. The key is timely evaluation and personalized treatment. You need to look for these symptoms, such as –
If you have any of these conditions, call us at (657) 441-1484 to book an appointment.
Swelling around the joint, reduced flexibility, morning stiffness, and mild pain during activity.
Osteoarthritis, previous ankle injuries, rheumatoid arthritis, and repetitive stress on the joint.
There is no cure for arthritis. However, symptoms can be managed with lifestyle changes, medications, injections, supportive footwear, or surgery if needed.
