As a person ages, the risk of developing spinal and joint diseases increases. This is due to degenerative and destructive changes in the body. One of the 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 have this dystrophic disorder. People over 40 are especially susceptible to this. The disease can lead to disability. Therefore, it needs to be handled quickly and competently.
The ankle consists of the fibula, talus and tibia, two malleoli 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 this document, each disease receives a specific code. This code consists of letters and numbers and is indicated on the sick leave certificate at the time of diagnosis. 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 titles and several subtitles. Ankle osteoarthritis is included in category M19. This section is divided into 5 subsections. The sign after the dot indicates the etiology. Thus, 0 – are genetically determined degenerative changes, 1 – post-traumatic changes, 2 – dystrophic changes in the context of endocrine, vascular or inflammatory pathology, 8 – are other specific causes, 9 – a disease of unknown cause. For example, code M19. 1 is ankle osteoarthritis resulting from injury.
Causes
Pathology develops for several reasons. The provoking factors for 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 high heels.
In children, pathology develops for the following reasons:
- Thyrotoxicosis.
- Tissue dysplasia.
- Wound.
- Genetic predisposition.
- Fracture.
- Joint inflammation.
- Dislocation.
Symptoms
The following manifestations are typical for ankle arthrosis:
- Pain. Appears after staying in a position. When a person tries to get up and lean on their leg, they feel sharp (painful) pain and stiffness of movement. After a few steps the discomfort disappears. Pain appears during and after physical activity.
- Clicking, popping of ankle joint while walking.
- Limitation of movements.
- Swelling under the ankles.
- Hypotrophy, weakness of the ligamentous apparatus.
- Deformation of the joint (typical of an advanced disease).
Degrees
There are varying degrees of osteoarthritis. Many years pass from the appearance 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 is just beginning to develop and does not cause much discomfort to the person. The only symptoms are temporary morning stiffness in the legs, fatigue and mild aches and pains. When bending and straightening the foot, a crunching sound occurs. No pathological changes are detected on the radiograph. The prognosis for drug treatment is favorable.
- Second. The symptoms of the disease intensify. Morning stiffness doesn't go away for about an hour. The pain appears at the beginning of the walk. After covering just 1 km of distance, the person feels very tired in their legs. When the ankle moves, a crunching sound occurs. Radiographs 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 radiographic image shows fissures, flattening of the articular surfaces, osteophytes and subluxation. Treatment is surgical and medication.
- Room. The 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.
Diagnosis
During diagnosis, the doctor determines the degree of the disease and identifies an exacerbation. For this, laboratory and hardware techniques are used:
- Blood test (detailed).
- Rheumatoid tests.
- Ultrasound.
- TC.
- PCR test.
- Radiography.
- MRI.
Treatment
Therapy should be comprehensive and include the use of medications, the use of physiotherapeutic methods and the performance of therapeutic physical exercises.
The following medications are prescribed to the patient:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications.
- 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, endoprosthetics is performed.
Prevention
You can prevent ankle osteoarthritis by following the following rules:
- Keep your weight within normal limits.
- Strengthen your spine with special exercises.
- Avoid injuries.
- Correct congenital anomalies of the joint structure.
- Stop smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages.
- Treat endocrine and vascular disorders in a timely manner.
- Get preventive exams regularly if you have a genetic predisposition to the disease.