What Can I Do About Arthritis in My Ankle?

It often surprises people to know that arthritis can affect the ankle. It’s less common than knee or hip arthritis, but it’s just as important to have it treated. Inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, is more likely to strike the ankle than osteoarthritis. 

There is a range of options for treating ankle arthritis. The treatment that is right for you will depend on the severity and how it affects your daily functioning. 

When arthritis impacts your ankle, you can rely on podiatry specialist Angela Jacob, DPM at Precision Foot & Ankle Center in Bloomfield, Michigan to find the most effective solution. Here we discuss nonsurgical and surgical options for treating arthritis that affects the ankle. 

Nonsurgical options for treating ankle arthritis

Medications are an important part of treating ankle arthritis. They can help to reduce bone loss, inflammation, and pain.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics

Medications such as ibuprofen and naproxen, as well as prescription NSAIDs, can help relieve joint pain and swelling. Pain relievers such as acetaminophen are analgesics. As a result, they're useful for people who can't take NSAIDs. 

Oral corticosteroids

Corticosteroids are powerful, quick-acting medications that help stop inflammation and are frequently used to manage flares in rheumatoid arthritis. Corticosteroids should be used in the lowest possible dose for the shortest amount of time possible because they can cause serious side effects, including bone thinning and high blood sugar.

Steroid injections

Steroid injections into the ankle joint can help relieve inflammation in some cases. However, these are given at no more than three per year, because frequent steroid injections can harm cartilage. 

Ankle brace

Custom orthotics are very beneficial for ankle arthritis. An ankle-foot orthosis brace can help keep the ankle joint in place. It will support the joint, relieve pressure on the ankle, and prevent too much movement. It looks like an ankle brace with a foot orthotic attached and spans both the ankle and foot. 

Exercise

Regular, low-impact aerobic exercise is beneficial for arthritis. Swimming or cycling are examples of gentle exercises that do not put strain on the ankle joint. 

Weight loss

Being overweight places a significant strain on your joints. Losing weight can go a long way in reducing pain and inflammation in ankle arthritis. The goal is to stay within a normal body mass index (BMI) for your height. Having a weight that is even 10 pounds over what is normal for your BMI can contribute to arthritis pain. 

Physical therapy

Physical therapy for ankle arthritis aims to improve muscle strength, reduce stiffness, and alleviate pain. Muscle strength will increase, allowing the muscles to protect the joint by reducing strain on the joint. Maintaining joint flexibility and motion can help to prevent stiffness and pain. 

Surgical treatment for ankle arthritis

If nonsurgical treatments have failed and your ankle pain is interfering with daily activities, discuss surgery with Dr. Jacob. The goal is to preserve your ankle joint for as long as possible. If you have mild arthritis and the cause of your symptoms is joint instability, Dr. Jacob may recommend surgery to tighten ankle ligaments.

If you have pain in specific ankle positions and limited range of motion, Dr. Jacob may advise removing pieces of bone or soft tissue using an arthroscope. An osteotomy can sometimes realign ankle fractures that have not healed properly. This involves cutting and straightening the bone to improve joint mechanics, reduce pain, and restore function.

Surgery to replace damaged cartilage with cartilage from another part of the body is beneficial when arthritis affects only a small part of the joint. If arthritis affects the entire ankle and is impacting your daily life, Dr. Jacob may recommend ankle replacement. 

Ankle replacement and fusion

End-stage arthritis occurs when there isn't much cartilage left and the ankle joint is stiff. The options at that point are generally ankle fusion or ankle replacement. Dr. Jacob will help you decide which procedure is best for your case based on a number of factors, including your age, activity level, and bone quality.

Ankle fusion involves using screws, plates, and bone grafts to connect the lower leg bone to the ankle bone. This relieves pain, but it also reduces the range of motion.

Total ankle replacement is a procedure that replaces your arthritic joint with an artificial one while preserving motion. It might be a better option for those who want to stay active.

Don’t let ankle arthritis keep you from enjoying life. Schedule a visit with Dr. Jacob for an evaluation and to discuss treatment options to help you get relief. Book today by calling our West Bloomfield, Michigan office or requesting an appointment online.