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Ankle arthritis
Wear-and-tear of the ankle joint causing pain, inflammation, stiffness and lack of mobility.
What is arthritis of the ankle?
In ankle arthritis also referred to as osteoarthritis, the shock absorbing cartilage of the joint is worn, causing pain, stiffness and a lack of mobility. In the ankle most arthritis cases follow trauma such as an ankle fractures or severe ankle sprains. It can also be caused by rheumatoid arthritis, where the body attacks itself, or other inflammation conditions such as gout or pseudogout.
Need to know
If you have ankle arthritis, you'll probably experience pain, stiffness, and swelling around the ankle.
The level of pain can vary from person to person and you might notice it more at different times. Early on, you'll tend to notice it only after prolonged or high impact activities. If the condition progresses, you might notice it more often, or after lower level exercise.
In severe cases it could keep you awake at night and interfere with your sleep. Ankle arthritis has been shown to affect quality of life as much as end stage heart failure.
Your consultant will take a full history of your problem, examine you fully, and may also order appropriate investigations such as standing X-rays, MRI or CT scans. You may also have some blood tests to look for causes of inflammation such as rheumatoid arthritis or gout.
Your consultant will always recommend non-surgical options first, such as activity modification, pain killers, weight loss, ankle supports or braces, and physiotherapy. In some cases they may recommend injections into the joint.
If non-operative treatments have not worked, then you surgery may be discussed with you. There are three main surgical options for ankle arthritis:
- ankle arthroscopy, to clean out the joint or remove bone spurs.
- ankle fusion, when the two bone surfaces are joined together to remove the pain.
- ankle replacement, when the worn out surfaces are replaced with artificial ones.
Our locations
Institute of Sport Exercise and Health (ISEH)
170 Tottenham Court Road W1T 7HA London
The Harley Street Clinic
35 Weymouth Street W1G 8BJ London
The Portland Hospital
205-209 Great Portland Street W1W 5AH London
Patient stories
Yvette's story: From back pain to hip replacement surgery
Yvette (54) a journalist from Kent, started experiencing pain in her hip seven years ago in 2015. An ex-national gymnast who had been incredibly active and flexible her whole life, Yvette felt concerned about the growing discomfort impacting her quality of life, and so sought help from her GP.
A new hip and straight back into the spin of things
Michael's MAKO hip surgery to treat his arthritis
73 year-old Michael, an avid walker and charity worker, was diagnosed with arthritis in January 2021. After facing long waiting times and increasing pain that was becoming more frequent, he started to look elsewhere for treatment.
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.