A big part of our population is getting older and we see more cases of ankle arthritis at our foot clinic downtown. When people think about arthritis, they don’t necessarily focus on their foot and ankle. However, this disease is an inflammation in any one of your joints. It causes stiffness and pain and is quite common for middle age and older patients.
In fact, there are over 100 types of this disease that we see at our foot clinic in downtown Toronto. The more common ones include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and what’s called post traumatic arthritis.
Diagnosis is important and that’s where we come in. Your concerns are looked at individually. We start the process by listening to your story and then reviewing your medical history. An examination follows.
Here’s a few symptoms of ankle arthritis that can tell you if you need to book an appointment.
Swelling
Osteoarthritis is the most common type. The swelling that you might suffer from around your ankles is due to the breakdown of the cartilage that acts as a cushion. It’s this cartilage that provides a buffer at the very end of your bones where they join the joints of your foot.
Osteoarthritis can cause the bones to rub against each other. This in turn causes swelling, pain and stiffness as well as loss of movement.
Investing in foot friendly shoes that have a proper fit is one solution. The custom orthotics that we supply include thick soles and arch support.
Pain
There could be other reasons why you experience pain while you are exercising. However, one of the most common is ankle arthritis. Both feet are usually affected by rheumatoid arthritis. This is different from osteoarthritis that usually only affects one specific joint.
The first line of defense is a proper diagnosis from our foot clinic downtown. Once we’ve pinpointed the issue, will be able to prescribe the proper treatment. That could include gate correction with orthotics or a variety of other treatments that deal with foot pain and injuries.
There are some things that you can do. If you’re suffering from this type of arthritis, setting a weight loss goal is often a good course of action. We are interested in taking an active role in any treatment plan.
Adopting an exercise program also works together with professional solutions from our foot clinic in downtown Toronto.
