As a person ages, the risk of spine and joint diseases increases. This is due to degenerative and destructive changes in the body. One of the common pathologies is arthrosis of the ankle joint.
Arthrosis of the ankle joint - what is it?
Ankle arthrosis is a chronic disease and cannot be completely cured. According to statistics, 10% of people have this dystrophic disorder. People over the age of 40 are especially susceptible to it. The disease can cause disability. Therefore, it should be treated promptly and competently.
The ankle consists of the fibula, talus and tibia, two malleolus and articular ligaments. Arthritis is inflammation and destruction of articular cartilage. As the pathology progresses, the bone tissue is damaged and deformed.
ICD 10 code
ICD stands for International Classification of Diseases. In such a document, a special code is assigned to each disease. This code consists of letters and numbers and is indicated on the sick leave form when the diagnosis is made. Thanks to it, the doctor in any country will understand what the patient is suffering from and where the pathological focus is localized.
The diagnosis of arthrosis is presented in a block consisting of 5 headings and several sub-headings. Ankle arthrosis is included in category M19. This section is divided into 5 subsections. The sign after the period indicates the etiology. So, 0 - these are genetically determined degenerative changes, 1 - post-traumatic changes, 2 - dystrophic changes against the background of endocrine, vascular or inflammatory pathologies, 8 - these are other identified causes, 9 - a disease of unknown cause. For example, M19. Code 1 is ankle arthrosis caused by injury.
Reasons
Pathology develops for various reasons. Factors that provoke the onset of the disease in adults:
- Increased load on the joint. Doctors often observe degenerative changes in cartilage and bone tissue in obese patients and professional athletes (football players, bodybuilders, runners and dancers).
- Diabetes.
- Ankle injury.
- Wearing uncomfortable shoes, walking in heels.
In children, pathology develops for the following reasons:
- Thyrotoxicosis.
- Tissue dysplasia.
- injury.
- Genetic predisposition.
- Broken.
- Inflammation of the joints.
- Dislocation.
Symptoms
The following manifestations are characteristic of ankle arthrosis:
- Pain. Appears after staying in one position. When a person tries to stand up and lean on his leg, he experiences piercing pain and stiffness of movement. After a few steps, the discomfort disappears. Pain appears during and after physical activity.
- Clicking, creaking in the ankle joint when walking.
- Restriction of movements.
- Swelling under the ankle.
- Hypotrophy, weakness of ligaments.
- Deformation of the joint (characteristic of an advanced disease).
Degrees
There are several degrees of arthrosis. Many years pass from the onset of the first signs of degenerative changes in the joint to the loss of mobility. If you start therapy in time, there is a chance to stop the progression of the disease. The success of the treatment depends on the stage at which the pathology was detected.
Degrees of arthrosis of the ankle joint:
- First. The degenerative process has only begun to develop and does not cause much concern to a person. The only symptoms are temporary morning stiffness in the legs, fatigue and mild pain. There is a crackling sound when bending and straightening the leg. X-ray does not reveal any pathological changes. The prognosis for drug treatment is favorable.
- Second. The symptoms of the disease intensify. Morning stiffness does not last for about an hour. Pain appears at the beginning of walking. After walking just 1 km, one feels very tired in the legs. A creaking sound is produced when the ankle moves. X-rays show osteophytes, the convergence of the ends of the bones. Surgical treatment is indicated.
- the third. Pain syndrome occurs not only during movement, but also during rest. A person cannot work or rest normally without anesthesia. The patient cannot move independently. The X-ray image shows cracks, flattening of joint surfaces, osteophytes and subluxation. Treatment is surgical and medicinal.
- Fourth. The manifestations of the disease are mild. The pain goes away. But the stiffness of the movement does not allow a person to walk. In the fourth stage, the cartilage is completely destroyed. X-ray shows improvement of the joint space.
Diagnostics
During the diagnosis, the doctor determines the degree of the disease and determines the exacerbation. Laboratory and hardware methods are used for this:
- Blood test (more).
- Rheumatoid tests.
- Ultrasound.
- CT.
- CRP test.
- Radiography.
- MRI.
Treatment
Therapy should be comprehensive and include medication, physical therapy, and therapeutic exercise.
The patient is prescribed the following drugs:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Chondroprotectors.
- Pain relievers.
- Corticosteroid hormones.
Joint mobility is restored through manual therapy and procedures using special equipment. Physiotherapy accelerates regeneration and stimulates blood circulation in the affected joint. Electrical stimulation, laser therapy and ultrasound are effective. In case of clear dystrophic changes, endoprosthetics are performed.
Prevention
You can prevent ankle arthrosis by following the following rules:
- Keep your weight within normal limits.
- Strengthen the spine with special exercises.
- Avoid injury.
- Correction of congenital anomalies of the joint structure.
- Stop smoking and drinking alcohol.
- Treat endocrine and vascular diseases in time.
- If you have a genetic predisposition to the disease, regularly undergo preventive examinations.