Osteoarthrosis of the ankles: causes, diagnosis, prevention, treatment

The moving bone joint between the foot and lower leg during walking experiences loads exceeding the body weight by 7 times. Unpleasant impact on him and lifting weights, prolonged being in a standing position, overweight. These loads can lead to the development of such a serious pathology, as osteoarthritis of the ankle joints. Consider what kind of ailment, what is provoked and how to fight it.

Characteristics of the disease

Osteoarthrosis of the ankles is a common ailment. According to statistics, this pathology is diagnosed in 80% of people aged 50-60 years.

During a life on joints there are greater or big loads about which the person while joints do not disturb it or him, at all does not reflect. However, they trigger the mechanism of aging. This process destroys the fibers in the joints. In healthy joints, loss is made up by the synthesis of new ones.

But if the balance between destruction and recovery is disturbed, then osteoarthritis begins to develop. The cartilage gets brittle, it becomes dry. The ankle joint swells and hurts. He is no longer capable of withstanding loads. Over time, its destruction occurs. However, the changes concern not only the cartilage. They affect the bone beneath it.

On the edge of the joint begin to grow outgrowths. They seem to compensate for the loss of cartilage with enlarged articular surfaces. This is how the deforming osteoarthritis of the ankle develops.

Causes of ailment

Pathology can provoke a variety of factors. And most often the disease occurs as a result of a combination of several reasons.

The main factors that provoke osteoarthritis of the ankle joints are:

1. Aging. The cartilage becomes less elastic with age, it loses its ability to resist loads.
2. Congenital pathologies. The weakness of the connective tissue often causes flat feet. If you do not observe a certain regimen, at a young age you may experience arthrosis.
3. Genetic predisposition. This fact is scientifically proven.
4. Injuries. Dangerous as one-time severe injuries, as well as permanent micro-traumas. The latter are often provoked by the characteristics of the profession or sports. Thus, dancers often have osteoarthritis of ankle joints.
5. Accompanying ailments. Disrupted metabolism, endocrine pathologies can lead to the development of the disease. Most pathology occurs in patients with diabetes mellitus, obese people, atherosclerosis, thyroid diseases.

Stages of pathology

On the progression of the disease, several degrees of ailment are distinguished:

1. Osteoarthritis of the 1st degree. This is the beginning of the disease. Significant damage to the cartilaginous tissue has not yet been observed. The junction looks quite normal. Visual changes are not visible. However, the process of destruction has already started. Cartilage lacks nutrients. As a result, his cells begin to die off gradually. Suffer and adjacent tissue. The person is experiencing some pain.
2. Osteoarthritis of the ankle joint of 2nd degree. In this case, unpleasant manifestations are already more pronounced. The patient experiences severe discomfort. The pain is regular. Sometimes it does not even stop. There is deformation of the joint. Roentgen confirms that irreversible processes have occurred. Bone tissues have grown far beyond the joint.
3. Osteoarthrosis of the third degree is deforming. With this pathology, changes are visible even to the naked eye. Cartilages, ligaments, articular bags are very much struck. As a result, the ankle is deformed.

Symptoms of ailment

All the manifestations that occur with this disease depend on the degree of pathology. Over time, such symptoms are aggravated.

For pathology, the following manifestations are characteristic:

1. Pain syndrome. Discomfort gradually increases. Initially, a person experiences pain only while walking, running, playing sports. At rest, unpleasant symptoms completely disappear. With the progression of the disease, discomfort occurs even at night. He is noisy and does not allow a person to rest easy. The ankle joint swells and hurts. In the future, discomfort occurs even in the morning. A man can not step on his foot calmly.
2. Limited mobility of the joint, stiffness of movements.
3. The limb is clamped in one position.
4. Together with swelling, the temperature in the painful area may increase. This symptomatology characterizes the acute stage of the disease.
5. Deformation of articulation.
6. A man can not step on his foot. A vivid symptom characterizing this pathology.

Treatment of the disease

Only complex therapy is used to combat such pathology as osteoarthritis of the ankle joint.

Treatment includes the following activities:

1. Massage. It allows you to get rid of painful spasms, improves blood circulation, stimulates the transmission of impulses. As a result, cartilage receives better nutrition.
2. Physiotherapy. Soft methods are assigned. May be recommended: magnetotherapy, electrophoresis with "Dimexide", laser therapy, EHF-therapy.
3. LFK training . This is an obligatory condition for comprehensive rehabilitation.
4. Orthopedic aids. They can significantly reduce the load on the damaged joint. The patient may be recommended wearing orthopedic shoes or a special instep.

Along with such therapy medication is prescribed:

1. NSAIDs. To relieve inflammation and reduce pain, drugs are recommended: Diclofenac, Indomethacin, Movalis, Ibuprofen.
2. Anti-inflammatory ointments. Benefits will be brought by medicines: "Fastum-gel", "Dolgit-cream", "Diclofenac-gel", "Revmagel", "Erazon".
3. Intra-articular introduction. To quickly relieve the patient's suffering, they inject directly into the articulation preparations: "Kenalog", "Diprospan", "Depo-Medrol", "Celeston".
4. Chondroprotectors. Such drugs can be taken in the form of tablets: "Structum", "Don". Medicines for intramuscular injections: Rumalon, Alflutop. For intra-articular injection, medicines "Alflutop", "Traumeel", "Target T" are used.

Folk remedies

Such treatment is very popular. However, it should be understood that it will benefit only in complex therapy. In addition, its effectiveness can be calculated if the ankle joint osteoarthrosis is not started.

Folk remedies are often used as follows:

1. Rice must be crushed and pre-soaked. Mix it with petroleum jelly. Such a slurry is recommended to be applied to the affected joint at night.
2. Take 10 g of laurel leaves. Pour 1 tbsp. Boiling water. Cook for 5 minutes. This broth should be drunk all day in small sips. It excels from toxins, slags and salts. Duration of admission can be from 2 weeks to 1 month. After a break, you can repeat the therapy.

Prevention of disease

To protect your body from the development of pathology, doctors recommend adhering to the recommendations:

1. Watch your weight.
2. Provide the body with proper nutrition.
3. Be sure to perform physical exercises (they should be selected with an orthopedist).
4. Choose the right shoes (long walking on high heels is unacceptable).

And most importantly, contact the doctor in a timely manner. After all, the pathology discovered in the early stages can be suspended.