As a person ages, the risk of developing 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.
Arthritis 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 vulnerable to it. This disease can cause disability. Therefore, it needs to be treated promptly and efficiently.
The ankle consists of the fibula, talus and tibia, two malleolus and articular ligaments. With arthrosis, inflammation and destruction of articular cartilage occurs. Bone tissue becomes damaged and deformed as the pathology develops.
ICD 10 code
ICD stands for International Classification of Diseases. In such documents, each disease is assigned a specific code. This code consists of letters and numbers and is shown on the sick leave certificate when making a diagnosis. Thanks to him, 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. Ankle arthrosis is included in category M19. This section is divided into 5 subsections. The sign after the period indicates the etiology. So, 0 - this is a genetically determined degenerative change, 1 - post-traumatic changes, 2 - dystrophic changes against the background of endocrine, vascular or inflammatory pathology, 8 - this is another specific cause, 9 - a disease of unknown cause. For example, code M19. 1 is ankle arthrosis due to injury.
Cause
Pathology develops for various reasons. Factors that provoke the onset of the disease in adults are:
- Increased load on the joints. 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 with heels.
In children, pathology develops for the following reasons:
- Thyrotoxicosis.
- Tissue dysplasia.
- injury.
- Genetic predisposition.
- Broken.
- Joint inflammation.
- Dislocation.
symptoms
The following manifestations are typical for ankle arthrosis:
- illIt appears after staying in one position. When a person tries to stand and lean on his legs, he experiences stabbing pain (pain) and stiffness of movement. After a few steps the discomfort disappeared. Pain appears during and after physical activity.
- Clicking, crinkling in the ankle joint when walking.
- Limited movement.
- Swelling below the ankle.
- Hypotrophy, weakness of ligaments.
- Joint deformation (typical of advanced disease).
Degree
There are several stages of arthrosis. Many years pass from the onset of the first signs of degenerative changes in the joints to the loss of mobility. If you start therapy on time, there is a chance to stop the progression of the disease. The success of treatment depends on the stage at which the pathology is detected.
Stages of arthrosis of the ankle joint:
- First. The degenerative process has just begun to develop and does not cause much discomfort to a person. The only symptoms are temporary morning stiffness in the legs, fatigue and mild pain. When bending and straightening the leg, a pulsating sound occurs. No pathological changes were detected on x-ray. The prognosis for drug treatment is encouraging.
- Second. The symptoms of the disease intensify. The morning stiffness didn't go away for about an hour. Pain appears at the beginning of walking. After traveling a distance of only 1 km, one feels very tired in one's legs. When the ankle moves, a pulsating sound occurs. X-rays show osteophytes, the convergence of bone ends. Surgical treatment is indicated.
- Third. Pain syndrome occurs not only during movement, but also during rest. A person cannot work or rest normally without anesthesia. The patient is unable to move freely. X-ray images show fractures, flattening of the joint surface, osteophytes, and subluxations. Treatment is surgical and medical.
- Fourth. Manifestations of the disease are mild. The pain is gone. But the stiffness of movement does not allow a person to walk. Cartilage in the fourth stage is completely destroyed. X-rays show healing of the joint space.
Diagnostics
During the diagnosis, the doctor determines the level of the disease and identifies the aggravation. For this, laboratory techniques and hardware are used:
- Blood test (detailed).
- Rheumatoid test.
- Ultrasound.
- CT.
- CRP test.
- Radiography.
- MRI.
Treatment
Therapy should be comprehensive and include taking medications, using physical therapy methods, and performing therapeutic physical exercises.
The following drugs are prescribed to patients:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Chondroprotectors.
- Painkillers.
- Corticosteroid hormones.
Joint mobility is restored with manual therapy and procedures using special apparatus. Physiotherapy accelerates regeneration and stimulates blood circulation in the affected joints. Electrical stimulation, laser therapy, and ultrasound are effective. In cases of significant dystrophic changes, endoprosthetics are performed.
Prevention
You can prevent ankle arthrosis by following the following rules:
- Maintain weight within normal limits.
- Strengthen the 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 a timely manner.
- Always undergo preventive examinations if you have a genetic predisposition to this disease.