As a person ages, the risk of developing diseases of the spine and joints increases. This is due to degenerative and destructive changes in the body. One of the frequent pathologies is arthrosis of the ankle joint.
Ankle arthrosis - 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 40 are especially susceptible to it. The disease can lead to disability. Therefore, it is necessary to treat urgently and competently.
The ankle consists of the fibula, talus and tibia, two malleolus and articular ligaments. In arthrosis, inflammation and destruction of joint cartilage occurs. Bone tissue becomes damaged and deformed as the pathology progresses.
ICD 10 code
ICD stands for International Classification of Diseases. In such a document, each disease is assigned a special code. This code consists of letters and numbers and is indicated on the sick leave when the diagnosis is made. Thanks to it, a 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 of 5 headings and several subheadings. Osteoarthritis of the ankle joint is included in category M19. This section is divided into 5 subsections. A sign after a period indicates an etiology. So, 0 - these are genetically determined degenerative changes, 1 - post-traumatic changes, 2 - dystrophic changes against the background of endocrine, vascular or inflammatory pathology, 8 - these are other specified causes, 9 - a disease of unknown cause. For example, code M19. 1 is arthrosis of the ankle joint as a result of an injury.
Causes
Pathology develops for various reasons. Provocative factors for the onset of the disease in adults are:
- Increased load on the joint. Doctors often notice 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, the pathology develops for the following reasons:
- thyrotoxicosis.
- Tissue dysplasia.
- An injury.
- Genetic predisposition.
- Fracture.
- Inflammation of the joints.
- Dislocation.
Symptoms
The following manifestations are typical for ankle arthrosis:
- Pain. Appears after staying in one position. When a person tries to stand up and lean on his leg, he feels piercing (painful) pain and stiffness of movement. After a few steps the discomfort disappears. Pain occurs during and after physical activity.
- Clicking, creaking in the ankle while walking.
- Restriction of movement.
- Swelling below the ankles.
- Hypotrophy, weakness of the ligament apparatus.
- Deformation of the joint (typical of advanced disease).
Degrees
There are several degrees of arthrosis. Many years pass from the appearance of the first signs of degenerative changes in the joint to the loss of mobility. If you start treatment 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 ankle arthrosis:
- First. The degenerative process has just begun to develop and does not cause much discomfort to the person. The only symptoms are transient morning stiffness in the legs, fatigue and mild pain. There is a creaking sound when bending and straightening the foot. No pathological changes were detected on the X-ray. The prognosis for drug treatment is favorable.
- A second. The symptoms of the disease intensify. Morning stiffness does not go away for about an hour. The pain occurs at the beginning of walking. After walking only 1 km distance, the person feels very tired in the legs. When the ankle is moved, there is a creaking sound. X-rays show osteophytes, the convergence of the ends of the bones. Surgical treatment is indicated.
- Third. The pain syndrome occurs not only during movement, but also at rest. A person cannot work or rest normally without anesthetic. The patient cannot move independently. X-rays show cracks, flattening of joint surfaces, osteophytes and subluxation. Treatment is surgical and medical.
- Fourth. Manifestations of the disease are mild. The pain goes away. But stiffness of movement does not allow a person to walk. In the fourth stage, the cartilage is completely destroyed. The X-ray shows healing of the joint space.
Diagnostics
During the diagnosis, the doctor determines the degree of the disease and identifies the deterioration. Laboratory and hardware techniques are used for this:
- Blood test (detailed).
- Rheumatoid tests.
- Ultrasound.
- CT.
- CRP test.
- Radiography.
- MRI.
Treatment
Therapy should be comprehensive and include taking medication, applying physical therapy methods and performing therapeutic physical exercises.
The patient is prescribed the following drugs:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Chondroprotectors.
- Painkillers.
- Corticosteroid hormones.
Joint mobility is restored through manual therapy and procedures with the help of a special device. Physiotherapy accelerates regeneration and stimulates blood circulation in the affected joint. Electrical stimulation, laser therapy and ultrasound are effective. In case of pronounced dystrophic changes, endoprosthetics is performed.
Prevention
You can prevent ankle arthrosis by following the following rules:
- Keep your weight within normal limits.
- Strengthen your spine with special exercises.
- Avoid injury.
- Correct congenital abnormalities of the joint structure.
- Stop smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages.
- Treat endocrine and vascular disorders in time.
- Regularly undergo preventive examinations if you have a genetic predisposition to the disease.