Ankle Arthritis - Causes and Treatments

Most ankle arthritis follows an injury, especially a severe fracture.  The joint surface is disrupted by the fracture, and eventually, the cartilage wears away and arthritis sets in.  Treatment depends on the severity of the arthritis.  Since early stage arthritis is much easier to treat, Dr. DeGroot recommends that you get your ankle evaluated early, before severe damage sets in.

In the early phase of ankle arthritis, the cartilage damage is very limited.  In these cases, arthroscopic and minimally invasive treatments are more effective.  Loose pieces of cartilage can be removed from the joint.  Small areas of damage or missing cartilage can be transplanted.

In addition to arthroscopy for early arthritis, supplementation of the joint fluid with hylagan, (Supartz, Synvisc, and others) has been proven to be effective in improving symptoms.  This process involves three or more injections of supplemental joint fluid (hylagan) into the ankle, sometimes using fluoroscopy to verify the location of the injection.

The later stages of ankle arthritis, the joint surfaces of the tibia, the fibula, and talus bone become severely damaged and most of the cartilage has been worn away.  Surgical treatment, including total ankle arthroplasty (a prosthetic ankle joint), fusion of the joint between the tiba and the talus, distraction arthroplasty, and allograft arthroplasty are options. 

At this stage of the game, restoration of totally normal joint function is impossible, but the patient can expect a significant decrease in the pain and increase in function.  Recovery from these procedures is much more prolonged, often six months or more.

See more on treatment options here.