As a person grows older, the risk of developing diseases of the spine and joints increases. This is due to degenerative and destructive changes in the body. One of the common pathologies is arthropathy of the ankle joint.
Ankle joint arthropathy - what is it?
Ankle arthropathy is a chronic disease and cannot be completely cured. According to statistics, 10% of people have this dystrophic disorder. People over 40 are especially susceptible to it. The disease can lead to disability. Therefore, it must be treated promptly and properly.
The ankle consists of the fibula, talus and tibia, two malleolus and articular ligaments. With arthropathy, inflammation and destruction of the articular cartilage occurs. Bone tissue is destroyed and deformed as the pathology progresses.
ICD 10 code
ICD stands for International Classification of Diseases. In such a document, each disease is assigned a specific code. This code consists of letters and numbers and is written on the sick leave certificate at the time of diagnosis. Thanks to him, a doctor in any country will understand what the patient is suffering from and where the pathological focus is located.
The diagnosis of arthropathy is presented in a block of 5 headings and several subheadings. Ankle arthropathy is included in category M19. This section is divided into 5 subsections. A semicolon indicates a reason. So, 0 – these are genetically determined degenerative changes, 1 – post-traumatic changes, 2 – dystrophic changes in the context of endocrine, vascular or inflammatory pathology, 8 – these are other specified causes, 9 – disease of unknown cause. For example, code M19. 1 is ankle arthropathy resulting from injury.
Reasons
Pathology develops for various reasons. Provocative factors for the appearance of the disease in adults are:
- Increased load on the joint. 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 in heels.
In children, pathology develops for the following reasons:
- Thyrotoxicosis.
- Tissue dysplasia.
- Damage.
- Genetic predisposition.
- Fracture.
- Inflammation of the joints.
- Dislocation.
Symptoms
The following manifestations are characteristic of ankle arthropathy:
- Pain. Appears after staying in one position. When a person tries to stand up and support themselves on their leg, they experience piercing (painful) pain and stiffness in movement. After a few steps the discomfort disappears. Pain occurs during and after physical activity.
- Clicking, tingling in ankle joint while walking.
- Restriction of movements.
- Swelling below the ankles.
- Scholarship, weakness of the link.
- Joint deformity (typical of advanced disease).
Degrees
There are several degrees of arthropathy. Many years pass from the appearance of the first signs of degenerative changes in the joint to the loss of mobility. If you start treatment in time, there is a chance to stop the progression of the disease. The success of the treatment depends on the stage at which the pathology was detected.
Articulation degrees 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 you bend and straighten the leg, there is a cracking sound. No pathological changes are detected on X-ray. The prognosis for drug therapy is favorable.
- Second. The symptoms of the disease intensify. Morning stiffness does not go away for about an hour. The pain occurs at the beginning of walking. Having traveled only 1 kilometer distance, a person feels very tired in his legs. When the ankle moves, a cracking sound is heard. X-rays show osteophytes, the convergence of the ends of the bones. Surgical treatment is indicated.
- Third. The pain syndrome occurs not only during movement, but also during rest. A person cannot work or rest normally without anesthetics. The patient cannot move independently. X-ray image shows cracks, flattening of joint surfaces, osteophytes and subluxation. Treatment is surgical and pharmaceutical.
- Fourth. The manifestations of the disease are mild. The pain goes away. But the stiffness of movement does not allow a person to walk. The cartilage in the fourth stage is completely destroyed. X-ray shows healing of the joint space.
Diagnostics
During the diagnosis, the doctor determines the degree of the disease and determines the exacerbation. For this, laboratory and material techniques are used:
- Blood test (analytical).
- Rheumatoid test.
- Ultrasound.
- CT.
- CRP test.
- X-ray.
- MRI.
Treatment
Treatment must be comprehensive and include taking medication, using physical therapy methods, and performing therapeutic physical exercises.
The following drugs are prescribed to the patient:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Carboprotectors.
- Painkillers.
- Corticosteroid hormones.
Joint mobility is restored by manual therapy and procedures using a special device. Physiotherapy accelerates regeneration and stimulates blood circulation in the affected joint. Electrical stimulation, laser therapy and ultrasound are effective. In case of severe dystrophic changes, an endoprosthetic is performed.
Prevention
You can prevent ankle arthropathy by following the following rules:
- Keep the weight within normal limits.
- Strengthen the spine with special exercises.
- Avoid injury.
- Correct congenital abnormalities of the joint structure.
- Stop smoking and drinking alcohol.
- Treat endocrine and vascular disorders early.
- Have regular screening tests if you have a genetic predisposition to the disease.