Ankle Arthritis

The two most common causes of ankle arthritis are past injury and underlying medical conditions. In the case of the former, the ankle joint’s cartilage can become damaged due to trauma from a bad fall, car accidents and heavy-impact or contact sports. Autoimmune illnesses and joint infections can also cause cartilage damage, leading to arthritis.

Other factors that can increase one’s risk of developing ankle arthritis include advanced age, genetics or a family history of the condition, previous joint trauma or ankle injury, and being overweight or obese.

There are different types of ankle arthritis, such as:

• Osteoarthritis – The most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease in which the cartilage in the joint succumbs to natural wear and tear that comes with age. Aside from the ankle joint, it typically affects the joints on the hands, knees and hips.
• Rheumatoid arthritis – Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the healthy tissues in the body. RA is a systemic illness that can affect the whole body, but it more commonly afflicts the joints, skin, lungs, heart and eyes.
• Gout – Gout is a common type of arthritis that causes intense pain, stiffness and swelling in the joints, usually the joint of the big toe. It occurs when there is too much uric acid in the blood, which forms into urate crystals that accumulate in the affected joint.
• Post-traumatic arthritis – This refers to swelling or inflammation that resulted from trauma or injury, including dislocation or fracture.
• Psoriatic arthritis – This is a form of arthritis that develops in patients who are also diagnosed with the skin disease psoriasis.

A physical exam, alongside a review of the patient’s medical and family history, are usually enough for an orthopaedic specialist to be able to diagnose ankle arthritis in Singapore. A CT scan, MRI or X-rays may also be conducted to determine the extent of damage in the ankle joint. In some cases, a gait analysis is performed to check the severity of the arthritis, specifically if there is already a change in gait or difficulty walking.

For severe arthritis that already causes debilitating pain, interferes with the patient’s daily activities or presents symptoms that do not respond to conservative treatments, ankle surgery may be recommended.

There are three main surgical techniques performed to treat ankle arthritis in Singapore:

• Ankle arthroscopy – This is a minimally invasive procedure that involves inserting a thin viewing instrument (arthroscope) through a small incision, which enables the surgeon to visualise the ankle joint via a monitor. Microsurgical forceps and scalpels are also inserted into small incisions to remove loose tissues and foreign bodies in the joint, as well as repair damaged ankle cartilage.
• Arthrodesis – Arthrodesis or fusion surgery eliminates the arthritic joint entirely and instead fuses the ankle bones with metal plates, pins and screws, and bone grafts.
• Joint replacement surgery – This procedure involves removing the arthritic ankle joint and replacing it with an artificial one made of metal or plastic.

Axis Orthopaedic Centre offers arthroscopy and joint replacement surgery for those who are diagnosed with ankle arthritis. Learn more about these techniques by calling 9711 8888