Ankle joint osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition of the joints seen in the elderly people and is characterised by loss of the articular cartilage, reduced joint space and periarticular bone erosions and osteophytes.
Ankle joint (Tibio-talar joint) is the most common joint affected by Osteoarthritis in human body. Other joint commonly affected around ankle is Subtalar joint (Talo-Calcaneal joint).
Besides Osteoarthritis, Ankle joint can also be inflicted with Auto-immune Arthritic conditions like Rheumatic arthritis and other Sero-negative arthritides.
Signs/Symptoms
- Ankle pain which is dull aching in character which aggravates on movements specially when doing activities like walking, Climbing stairs
- Limited range of motion of the Ankle joint
- A grinding or cracking sound may be heard during movements of the joint
- Localised tenderness
- Joint swelling
- Joint stiffness
- Difficulty in weight-bearing
Risk Factors
- Age
- Ankle ligament injuries predispose patients to early onset of arthritis due to more friction at the joint level causing more wear and tear of the joint lines
- Osteoporotic bones
JEEVISHA protocol for management of Ankle osteoarthritis
- Medications: In the initial course of the management of this condition, patients may be prescribed some anti-inflammatories to reduce the joint inflammation. Some other medications may be prescribed depending on the condition of the patient, which is individualized from patient to patient basis.
- Physiotherapy: Physiotherapy plays a very important role in fighting these painful conditions. With a team of dedicated physiotherapist, patient is further evaluated and accordingly a plan is prepared for first reducing pain with different modalities and then slowly rehabilitating Ankle for normal functioning.
Targeted treatment
- Ultrasound guided Platelet rich plasma injections
- Ultrasound guided Prolotherapy