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Ankle Arthritis - What Is It?

Arthritis is a general term meaning joint inflammation. This can cause pain and stiffness. With age, the chances of developing arthritis increases. The natural wear and tear occurs and ankle arthritis can be debilitating.

Ankle arthritis is a disorder that can be extremely painful since you are basically placing all the body weight on your ankles while walking.

Treatment procedures include NSAIDS, physical therapy, injection therapy and ankle braces. Surgery treatments are ankle arthroscopy (scope), ankle stabilization procedures, implants and fusions. Ankle implant treatments are not as successful as knee and hip implants..

The configuration of the ankle joint, the amount of surface area to weight ratio has been a challenge to duplicate. This ordeal has surgeons seeking a better option. Used in Europe, the technique ankle arthrodiastasis has been quite popular for many years. The United States is currently researching on the same. The pulling of ankle joints allows cartilage regeneration which decreases the pain.

Several institutions are conducting research on the above procedure with joint fluid replacement therapy. The procedure of Joint fluid replacement therapy is not yet currently FDA approved for use in the ankle joint, so the patient must be fully informed of such. We at the Family Foot and Leg Center have been conducting this procedure with success in patients between 80%-90% improvement in pain. This is a great alternative to an ankle fusion, a permanent process whereby the surgeon places two bones together to act as one which reduces the painful joint.

In fact, rheumatoid arthritis is the common form of such feet disorder. It is a disease of the joints and involves the breakdown of cartilage. The symptoms are aching of feet and immobility in certain cases. It usually attacks the joints which render them to become weak and eventually prone to such dysfunctionality.

Family Foot and Leg Center is a medical center specializing in healing health issues with lower leg and ankle. Come to us to get treatment for all your foot and lower leg disorders or obtain information about our practices at NaplesPodiatrist.com