You may not give a ton of thought to all that your ankles do for you each day, but they play a vital role in many everyday activities, as well as your general musculoskeletal (muscle and joint) health. Your ankles have the ability to bear an impressive load — about five times the force of your body weight when you walk. They allow you to dance, play pickleball, and do other things that you love.

So if your ankle often feels stiff, swollen, tender, or painful, it could interfere with your daily routine. There are many possible contributors to ankle pain, one of which is ankle arthritis. With the right help, however, you can reduce the discomfort and get back to doing what you love. 

Here, learn more about ankle arthritis — and find out how to feel better with tips from our Hinge Health physical therapists.

Puede que no pensaras mucho en todo lo que tus tobillos hacen por ti todos los días, pero juegan un papel vital en muchas actividades diarias, así como en tu salud musculoesquelética general (muscular y articular). Tus tobillos tienen la capacidad de soportar una carga impresionante, aproximadamente cinco veces la fuerza de tu peso corporal cuando caminas. Te permiten bailar, jugar al pickleball y hacer otras cosas que te encantan.

Así que si tu tobillo a menudo se siente rígido, hinchado, tierno o doloroso, podría interferir con tu rutina diaria. Hay muchos posibles contribuyentes al dolor de tobillo, uno de los cuales es la artritis de tobillo. Sin embargo, con la ayuda adecuada, puedes reducir las molestias y volver a hacer lo que amas. 

Aquí, obtenga más información sobre la artritis del tobillo y descubra cómo sentirse mejor con los consejos de nuestros fisioterapeutas de Hinge Health.

¿Qué es la artritis de tobillo?

La artritis se caracteriza por inflamación e hinchazón. El tipo más común, la osteoartritis, ocurre cuando hay cambios en el cartílago que absorbe los golpes en una articulación. 

Si tienes artritis de tobillo, el adelgazamiento del cartílago puede reducir la cantidad de espacio entre tus huesos.

Lo interesante, dice Dylan Peterson, PT, DPT, fisioterapeuta de Hinge Health, es que no todas las personas con artritis visible en una radiografía tienen síntomas perceptibles como dolor o rigidez. O pueden sentirse bien algún día y otras veces no tan bien. 

Igualmente importante: saber que si tienes síntomas de artritis en el tobillo, no significa que estés atrapado con ellos, porque el tratamiento puede ayudar mucho.

Artritis de tobillo: una perspectiva Hinge Health

En Hinge Health, creemos que el movimiento es medicina, y eso es ciertamente cierto para las personas con artritis de tobillo.

Another common misconception is that people with ankle arthritis — or arthritis anywhere in the lower body — ought to avoid high-impact exercise. While that makes sense for beginners and some people with ankle arthritis who are having a flare-up that causes pain, many people with this condition are able to participate in higher-impact sports without any issue, says Dr. Peterson.

He also advises patients to avoid focusing too much on the degree of arthritis that’s visible on an X-ray, assuming your doctor has ordered one. An X-ray doesn’t always correlate to how you feel or what you’ll be able to do as you work on strengthening the joint and surrounding tissues.

Types of Ankle Arthritis 

There are more than 100 different types of arthritis, and many of them have the potential to impact the ankle. They include:

• Osteoarthritis: The overwhelming majority of people with arthritis, including ankle arthritis, have this kind. It involves a thinning of the cartilage that cushions the joint. While many people don’t experience symptoms associated with cartilage changes, it can cause pain and stiffness that may worsen after activity. 

• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA): RA is an autoimmune disease and the most common cause of what’s also called inflammatory arthritis. It typically impacts small joints in the hands and/or feet, which may include those in the ankle.

• Psoriatic arthritis (PsA): A type of inflammatory arthritis that affects some people who also have skin psoriasis, PsA often causes pain and swelling in the fingers and toes. “As it progresses, it can also move into the feet and ankles,” says Dr. Peterson.

• Gout: Another kind of inflammatory arthritis, gout is best-known for causing pain in the big toe. However, gout is caused by urate crystals that settle in joints and cause inflammation, and those crystals may deposit themselves anywhere — including in the ankle.

• Post-traumatic arthritis: This refers to joint inflammation that quickly develops after an injury. If you have sprained or fractured your foot, you might later end up with post-traumatic arthritis.

Treatment Options for Ankle Arthritis

Most people who are impacted by ankle arthritis can feel better and do more with a few key things, says Dr. Peterson:

Opt for physical therapy. Physical therapy is an evidence-based treatment for ankle arthritis and is typically very effective, says Dr. Peterson. To begin, a therapist will conduct a thorough evaluation, which may include watching how you walk and pressing on the joint. If it’s clear that you’re dealing with ankle arthritis and not another problem, the therapist will develop a specific program designed to improve ankle joint mobility, strengthen the surrounding muscles, and improve your overall functioning.

Dr. Peterson notes that while most people with ankle arthritis will benefit from physical therapy, he takes a slightly different approach with those who have an inflammatory type of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, or gout. “If someone has an autoimmune or inflammatory condition, we’re more apt to advise pacing your activities and using a little more caution when increasing movement,” he explains.

You can see a physical therapist in person or use a program like Hinge Health to access a PT via telehealth/video visit. Exercise. This may include doing specific moves you learned in physical therapy as well as a sport or activity that you enjoy. “Daily movement is important for symptom relief and pain management,” says Dr. Peterson. 

The key, he notes, is to choose movement that your body is prepared for. If you can tolerate high-impact activities like tennis or basketball, that’s great. If not, you might want to pull back a little until the muscles around the ankle joint become stronger and your pain has gone down. Scroll down for some specific exercises to try.

Use assistive devices as needed. This isn’t necessary for everyone, but some people with ankle arthritis benefit from temporarily changing the way that their ankle bears weight or reducing the load on it. Assistive devices like hiking poles, a cane, or a walker might be useful in the short term, says Dr. Peterson. It may also help to try out different shoes: a light and stiff walking boot could provide some extra ankle support. Or experiment with wearing a soft brace on your ankle to help stabilize it during activities that may stress it.

Try heat or ice. It’s really a personal preference, but heat typically relieves muscle tension, while ice brings down inflammation and swelling, says Dr. Peterson. If your ankle is swollen, it may also help to wrap it in a compression bandage and elevate it.

Use over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers as needed. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen and naproxen should help combat inflammation and pain. Taking them for a short time might make it easier for you to exercise and follow a physical therapy regimen that will help you in the long run, says Dr. Peterson. But check with your doctor first, especially if you’re taking other medications. Pain relievers such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), and acetaminophen (Tylenol) can be helpful for arthritis pain. It’s important to make sure that you are safely able to take these medications, based on your medical history.