You have three joints in your ankles, and arthritis can target any one of them.
Of the more than 100 types of arthritis, three specific forms are most likely to settle into your ankle joints — osteoarthritis, which occurs when your cartilage has worn down; rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune condition that attacks your joint tissues; and post-traumatic arthritis, which emerges following an injury.
The good news is that there are ways to manage the pain and stiffness that come with ankle arthritis, and our seasoned team of podiatrists at Tussey Mountain Foot & Ankle Specialists in State College, Pennsylvania, is here to show you how.
Dr. Andrew Berhard and Dr. Kaitlyn Bernhard have many years of combined experience helping people stay healthy and active despite arthritis. Here are five steps you can take to beat ankle arthritis pain.
No matter which type of arthritis you have, they all cause inflammation in your joints, and inflammation leads to pain and stiffness. Your body and brain are wired to halt activity when you experience pain and inflammation to protect an injury from getting worse.
Sometimes that’s good advice for arthritis, and sometimes it’s not.
When you have an acute arthritis flare-up, it’s good to rest your joint. Your ankle needs a little time off to get past the worst of the episode. But for mild pain and stiffness, moving your ankle more, not less, is the way forward.
That doesn’t mean you should run a marathon, but low-impact activities like walking, cycling, and swimming help keep your ankle stable, increase your range of motion, and strengthen the supporting muscles around the joint. We can also show you some easy stretches to keep your ankles limber.
Also, if you’re overweight or obese, the extra pounds contribute to the problem by adding extra stress to your joints. Exercising more can help you lose weight and ease your arthritis pain.
If you have ankle arthritis, it’s best to ditch trendy high heels and flimsy flip flops. You need a well-constructed pair of shoes that support your arch, give your toes plenty of breathing room, and are basically shaped like your foot. Choose shoes with rubber soles that cushion your steps and are flexible enough to bend when you walk.
The foundation you strap onto your foot radiates healthy benefits up through your ankle and into legs. Your arthritic ankle will thank you.
Orthotics are simply devices that support your body. They can come in the form of leg braces, splints, or casts, to name a few. The type of orthotic device that helps with ankle arthritis is an orthotic shoe insert.
You may be thinking that you saw an ad for shoe inserts on TV, or that you noticed a display of shoe pads and inserts while standing in line at your local drugstore. Those products are primarily for adding extra comfort to your shoes, not for therapeutic purposes.
At Tussey Mountain Foot & Ankle Specialists, we custom-design your orthotics to hug the contours of your feet and address the pain and pressure points unique to your feet and ankles and alleviate discomfort.
Living with arthritis is a constant fight against inflammation, and some days are worse than others. You can reduce inflammation in arthritic ankle using various techniques:
When inflammation is severe, it’s best to rest your ankle and come see us. You may need next-level help to ease the swelling and pain.
Self-care goes a long way in managing ankle arthritis pain, but if your efforts don’t provide enough relief, we can help. Through targeted physical therapy exercises, we can often restore ankle strength and flexibility, increase circulation, and ease inflammation and pain.
We may also recommend joint injections to deliver anti-inflammatory medication directly into your ankle joint. A fast-acting anesthetic provides instant relief, and a long-acting steroid can help you feel better for days, weeks, or months.
In severe cases, we may recommend surgical intervention to fuse painful ankle joints or replace the joint altogether.
To find out the best approach for your ankle arthritis, book an appointment online or call us at 814-831-7565 today.
