Ankle and Foot Arthropathies

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Original Editors - Ward Willaert

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Search Strategy

Key-words: ankle and foot arthropathies, ankle arthritis, tibio-talair arthritis, tibio-talair joint, Ankle diagnosis and management.

Information found at the university’s library ( books and scientific magazines) and websites such as Pubmed, web of knowledge, British medical journal, PEDro (physiotherapy evidence database), Medicine, The IOWA orthopaedic journal, The journal of bone and joint surgery.

Definition/Description

An arthropathy is a disease of a joint.
Although the terms "arthropathy" and arthritis have very similar meanings, the former is traditionally used to describe the following conditions:
• Reactive arthropathy is caused by an infection, but not a direct infection of the synovial space.
• Enteropathic arthropathy is caused by colitis and related conditions.
• Crystal arthropathy involves the deposition of crystals in the joint.
o In gout, the crystal is uric acid.
o In pseudogout/chondrocalcinosis/calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease, the crystal is calcium pyrophosphate.
• Diabetic arthropathy is caused by diabetes.
• Neuropathic arthropathy is associated with a loss of sensation

Although an arthropathy is distinctly less common in the ankle than in the hip and knee, it is an equally disabling condition.[1]

Clinically Relevant Anatomy

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Epidemiology /Etiology

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Characteristics/Clinical Presentation

The characteristics and clinical presentation of ankle arthropathies such as different forms of arthritis can be described as followed:

• Ankle pain
• stiffness
• swelling
• limited range of motion (ROM)
• Pain Mostly gets worse by activities such as standing, walking or running.

We can also speak of the so called “Start-up pain” such as when a patient has pain and stiffness in the ankle after sleeping or sitting in one spot for a while is also a common complaint.
When this happens/occurs it often takes the patient a few minutes (or longer) to “warm-up” the ankle. The ankle will tend to swell more as the day progresses particularly if there is increasing activity( patient is still doing sport activities, work activities,…).
Most of the time Pain is experienced throughout the ankle although it may be more noticeable in the front of the ankle if large bones spurs have formed. When there has been damage to the joint ankle, it’s often seen that arthritis will occur. Cartilage that normally covers the bones of the ankle joint can be lost leading to an ankle arthropathy.

Differential Diagnosis

Intra-articular pathologic lesions must be distinguished from surrounding joint tendinitis and bursitis. This can be achieved with diagnostic testing such as magnetic resonance imaging or with injection of local anesthetic. 

Primary osteoarthritis is a diagnosis of exclusion. It has been addressed successfully with low tibial osteotomy.[3]

Post traumatic osteoarthritis is the most common form of ankle arthritis. Post-traumatic disease can be present after intra-articular fractures or improper joint biomechanics after extra-articular fractures. Frequently, deformity is present in the joint. The extent of bone loss after trauma and joint space collapse can be assessed with weightbearing radiographs and CT scans.

Avascular necrosis must be considered in cases in which sclerosis of the talar dome is present. Patients may have a history of talar neck fracture, steroid or alcohol usage, or nonspecific injuries. Avascular necrosis of the talus can result in progressive segmental collapse and an increasing amount of particulate matter into the joint.

Systematic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis should be excluded prior to considering operative intervention. Ankle arthritis can be effectively treated with a medical regimen prior to considering surgical intervention, particularly during a flare of the disease. The majority of patients with rheumatoid arthritis test positive for rheumatoid factor. In addition, the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis requires the presence of certain other symptoms: morning stiffness, multiple joint swelling, rheumatoid nodules, and joint erosion on radiographs.[4]

Patients with absence of rheumatoid factor in the serum, but manifestations of inflammatory arthritis are classified as having seronegative arthropathy. The four major disorders include ankylosis spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, Reiter’s syndrome, and inflammatory bowel arthritides.

Metabolic and infectious causes of arthritis must be considered as well. This can include gonococcal disease, Lyme disease, and gouty uricemia. Patients should be questioned about possible exposure to disease sources for sexually transmitted diseases and insect bites .

Diagnostic Procedures

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Outcome Measures

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Examination

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Medical Management

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Physical Therapy Management

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Key Research

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Resources

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Clinical Bottom Line

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Recent Related Research (from Pubmed)

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References

1. Stauffer RN: Intra-articular ankle problems. In Evarts CM (ed): surgery of the musculoskeletal system, vol. 4. New York, Churchill-Livingstone, 1990, p 3868

2. Charles L Saltzman, MD, Professor, Michael L Salamon, MD, G Michael Blanchard, MD, Thomas Huff, MD, Andrea Hayes, Joseph A Buckwalter, MD, and Annunziato Amendola, MD : Epidemiology of ankle arthritis : Report of a consecutive series of 639 patients from a tertiary orthopaedic center. Iowa Orthop J. 2005; 25: 44–46.

3. Takakura Y, Tanaka Y, Kumal T, et al: Low tibial osteotomy for osteoarthritis of the ankle. J Bone joint surg Br 1995; 77:50.

4. Geppert MJ, Mizel MS: Management of heel pain in inflammatory arthritides. Clin Orthop 1998; 349:93.