Posttraumatic arthritis can develop after an injury to the foot or ankle. Dislocations and fractures—particularly those that damage the joint surface—are the most common injuries that lead to posttraumatic arthritis. Like osteoarthritis, posttraumatic arthritis causes the cartilage between the joints to wear away. It can develop many years after the initial injury.
Causes
- Trauma or Injury
Symptoms
- Pain with motion
- Pain that flares up with vigorous activity
- Tenderness when pressure is applied to the joint
- Joint swelling, warmth, and redness
- Increased pain and swelling in the morning, or after sitting or resting
- Difficulty in walking due to any of the above symptoms
- Ankle Popping
Treatment
Lifestyle modifications
Some changes in daily life can help relieve the pain of arthritis and slow the progression of the disease. These changes include:
Minimizing activities that aggravate the condition.
Switching from high-impact activities (like jogging or tennis) to lower impact activities (like swimming or cycling) to lessen the stress on foot and ankle.
Losing weight to reduce stress on the joints, resulting in less pain and increased function.
Minimizing activities that aggravate the condition.
Switching from high-impact activities (like jogging or tennis) to lower impact activities (like swimming or cycling) to lessen the stress on foot and ankle.
Losing weight to reduce stress on the joints, resulting in less pain and increased function.
Medications
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and naproxen, can help reduce swelling and relieve pain.
Physical therapy
Specific exercises can help increase range of motion and flexibility, as well as help strengthen the muscles in your foot and ankle
Surgical Treatment
Arthroscopic debridement. This surgery may be helpful in the early stages of arthritis. Debridement (cleansing) is a procedure to remove loose cartilage, inflamed synovial tissue, and bone spurs from around the joint.
Arthrodesis (fusion). Arthrodesis fuses the bones of the joint completely, making one continuous bone out of two or more bones. The goal of the procedure is to reduce pain by eliminating motion in the arthritic joint.
Total ankle replacement (arthroplasty). In total ankle replacement, doctor removes the damaged cartilage and bone, and then positions new metal or plastic joint surfaces to restore the function of the joint.Ankle replacement is most often recommended for patients who have:
Advanced arthritis of the ankle
Arthritis that has destroyed the ankle joint surfaces
Ankle pain that interferes with daily activities
Arthrodesis (fusion). Arthrodesis fuses the bones of the joint completely, making one continuous bone out of two or more bones. The goal of the procedure is to reduce pain by eliminating motion in the arthritic joint.
Total ankle replacement (arthroplasty). In total ankle replacement, doctor removes the damaged cartilage and bone, and then positions new metal or plastic joint surfaces to restore the function of the joint.Ankle replacement is most often recommended for patients who have:
Advanced arthritis of the ankle
Arthritis that has destroyed the ankle joint surfaces
Ankle pain that interferes with daily activities