As a person ages, the risk of developing spine and joint diseases increases. This is due to degenerative and destructive changes in the body. Ankle osteoarthritis is one of the common pathologies.
Ankle osteoarthritis - what is it?
Ankle osteoarthritis is a chronic condition and cannot be completely cured. According to statistics, 10% of people suffer from this dystrophic disorder. People over 40 are particularly sensitive to it. The disease can cause disability. It must therefore be dealt with quickly and competently.
The ankle is made up of the fibula, talus and tibia, two malleolus and articular ligaments. With osteoarthritis, inflammation and destruction of articular cartilage occurs. Bone tissue becomes damaged and deformed as the pathology progresses.
ICD 10 code
ICD stands for International Classification of Diseases. In such a 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 the diagnosis is established. Thanks to him, a doctor from any country will understand what the patient is suffering from and where the pathological focus is located.
The diagnosis of osteoarthritis is presented in a block of 5 sections and several subsections. Ankle osteoarthritis is included in category M19. This section is divided into 5 subsections. The sign after the dot indicates the etiology. So, 0 – these are genetically determined degenerative changes, 1 – post-traumatic changes, 2 – dystrophic changes against the background of endocrine, vascular or inflammatory pathology, 8 – these are other specified causes, 9 –an illness of unknown cause. For example, the code M19. 1 corresponds to osteoarthritis of the ankle resulting from injury.
Causes
Pathology develops for various reasons. The factors provoking the appearance 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 (soccer players, bodybuilders, runners, and dancers).
- Diabetes.
- Ankle injury.
- Wear uncomfortable shoes, walk in heels.
In children, pathology develops for the following reasons:
- Thyrotoxicosis.
- Tissue dysplasia.
- Injury.
- Genetic predisposition.
- Fracture.
- Joint inflammation.
- Dislocation.
Symptoms
The following manifestations are typical of ankle osteoarthritis:
- Pain. It appears after remaining in a position. When a person tries to get up and lean on his leg, he feels piercing (aching) pain and stiffness in movements. After a few steps, the discomfort disappears. Pain appears during and after physical activity.
- Clicking, crunching in the ankle joint when walking.
- Limitation of movements.
- Swelling below the ankles.
- Hypotrophy, weakness of the ligamentous apparatus.
- Joint deformity (typical of advanced disease).
Degrees
There are several degrees of osteoarthritis. Many years pass between the appearance of the first signs of degenerative changes in the joint and the loss of mobility. If you start treatment on time, it is possible to stop the progression of the disease. The success of treatment depends on the stage at which the pathology was detected.
Degrees of osteoarthritis of the ankle joint:
- First of all. The degenerative process has just begun to develop and does not cause a person much discomfort. The only symptoms are temporary morning stiffness in the legs, fatigue and slight pain. When you bend and straighten the foot, a cracking sound will occur. No pathological changes are detected on radiography. The prognosis of drug treatment is favorable.
- Second. The symptoms of the disease intensify. Morning stiffness doesn't go away for about an hour. The pain appears when you start walking. After walking only 1 km of distance, a person feels very tired in the legs. When the ankle moves, a cracking sound occurs. 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 anesthesia. 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. Manifestations of the disease are mild. The pain goes away. But the stiffness of movements does not allow a person to walk. Cartilage in the fourth stage is completely destroyed. The x-ray shows healing of the joint space.
Diagnostic
When diagnosing, the doctor determines the degree of the disease and identifies an exacerbation. For this, laboratory and material techniques are used:
- Blood test (detailed).
- Rheumatoid tests.
- Ultrasound.
- CT.
- CRP test.
- X-ray.
- MRI.
Treatment
Therapy should be comprehensive and include taking medications, using physiotherapy methods and performing therapeutic physical exercises.
The following medications are prescribed to the patient:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Chondroprotectors.
- Painkillers.
- Corticosteroid hormones.
Joint mobility is restored by manual therapy and procedures using a special device. 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, endoprostheses are made.
Prevention
You can prevent ankle osteoarthritis by following the following rules:
- Maintain 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 in a timely manner.
- Have regular preventive examinations if you have a genetic predisposition to the disease.