Foot & Ankle Arthritis Treatment to Relieve Foot Joint Pain
What is Foot and Ankle Arthritis?
Foot and ankle arthritis is inflammation resulting from the degeneration of cartilage in the foot and ankle joint. It can occur due to fractures, dislocation, inflammatory disease, or congenital deformity.
Watch this video to see Dr. Justin Kane explain foot and ankle arthritis.
What are the Types of Foot and Ankle Arthritis?
There are three types of arthritis affecting the foot and ankle:
Osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease) is the most common type of arthritis and occurs most often in older people. 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 is an auto-immune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks healthy joints, tissues, and organs. Rheumatoid arthritis is often caused when the genes responsible for the disease are triggered by infection or any environmental factors, causing the body to produce antibodies, which attack healthy tissues.
Post-traumatic Arthritis is arthritis that develops following an ankle or foot injury. The condition may develop years after the trauma such as a fracture, severe sprain, or ligament tears. It is caused by the body secreting certain hormones following an injury, which may cause death of the cartilage cells.
What are the Treatment Options for Foot and Ankle Arthritis?
Nonsurgical treatment options for foot and ankle arthritis can include:
- Medications (anti-inflammatories)
- Injections (steroids)
- Physical therapy
- Ankle-foot orthosis (AFO)
- Weight loss
- Orthotics (pads or arch supports)
- Canes or braces to support the joints
Surgery may be required to treat foot and ankle arthritis if symptoms do not improve. Surgery performed for arthritis of the foot and ankle includes:
Arthroscopic surgery: The orthopedic surgeon makes a small incision in the patient’s skin and inserts a pencil-sized instrument with a small lens and lighting system (arthroscope). Arthroscopes magnify and illuminate the structures of the joint. The scope is attached to a camera and shows the interior of the joint on a television monitor. The surgeon can then use probes, forceps, knives, and shavers to clean the joint area.
Arthroplasty or Joint Replacement: The orthopedic 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.
Don’t let foot and ankle arthritis cause you pain and discomfort, and interfere with your quality of life. Let us discuss treatment options with you.