| One of the most painful forms of arthritis is ankle | | | | If you've been found to have ankle arthritis by your |
| arthritis. There are 28 bones in the human foot with | | | | doctor, it's likely that you will be prescribed with some |
| about 30 joints. If a person develops ankle arthritis in | | | | form of anti-inflammatory drug alongside some |
| their foot then this can prove to be extremely painful | | | | painkillers. It's also common for some doctors to advise |
| as each step they take will cause tremendous pain. | | | | extra support for your shoes in the form of ankle |
| The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis | | | | supports, arch supports or bridging supports - anything |
| which is a degenerative condition that will eventually | | | | that can hep take the weight off the area causing you |
| wear down cartilage in the joints. When the bones in | | | | pain. In some cases, a completely custom-made shoe |
| the joint scrape together without cartilage, this is what | | | | to help strengthen the joint may also be recommended |
| causes the pain, not to mention probably bone damage | | | | to you. |
| too. | | | | It's also been known for some doctors to suggest a |
| Whilst arthritis has the ability to affect any of the joints | | | | brace around the ankle. This will help prevent bones |
| in the body, it most commonly affects the end of the | | | | from raking together through lack of cartilage. A good |
| shin bone. This is where the end of the shin bone rests | | | | exercise program may also be advised to patients |
| on the top of the ankle bone. If a person suffers from | | | | who are suffering from obesity or are overweight. |
| ankle arthritis, when they walk, the entire weight of | | | | This is important because the less weight your body |
| their body is placed on the ankle bone and this in turn | | | | has to carry, the more chance it will have of reducing |
| wears the bone down and can become extremely | | | | the amount of pain within joints as a result of less |
| painful. It's common for this type of arthritis to affect | | | | stress being applied to the affected areas. Some |
| the heel bone as well as the middle bone or arch as | | | | doctors could also use steroid injections to help create |
| well as the first joints of the toes. Unfortunately, as | | | | a short-term protective buffer around the joint. |
| people walk their body weight rests on each of these | | | | In some cases, non-evasive treatments such as these |
| joints and the result is that pain is inevitable regardless | | | | simply have no effect on patients. If this is the case, |
| of where the arthritis is located. | | | | arthroscopic surgery is likely to be the next step of |
| Diagnosis is carried out through a bone scan to find out | | | | treatment. This type of surgery allows doctors to |
| the extent of the damage to the cartilage alongside a | | | | remove unwanted fragments of bone from within |
| gait analysis to diagnose ankle arthritis. An MRI | | | | areas that have suffered from reduced cartilage and |
| (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) or CT (Computerized | | | | have managed to work their way into what remains. |
| Tomography) scan could also be utilised during the | | | | Failing this type of surgery, one of the final steps used |
| diagnostic phase. | | | | for severe ankle arthritis is to replace the affected |
| Treatments You'll Likely Receive at The Onset of | | | | joint with an artificial one. These artificial joints are |
| Ankle Arthritis | | | | usually made of plastic or metal. |