What is it?
Osteoarthritis is loss of cartilage from wear or prior injury. Post-traumatic arthritis follows fractures or repeated sprains. Inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, and gout can also affect the foot.
What causes it?
- Prior fractures or ankle sprains
- Age-related wear
- Flatfoot or other deformity that overloads joints
- Inflammatory arthritis
- Gout
What does it feel like?
- Deep aching pain with walking
- Stiffness, especially in the morning
- Swelling around the joint
- Bony prominences on the top of the foot
How is it diagnosed?
Standing X-rays show joint space and alignment. CT or MRI helps plan surgery. Diagnostic injections can confirm which joint is the source of pain.
When should you see a podiatrist?
- Joint pain lasting more than a few weeks
- Ankle pain after an old injury
- Changing foot shape
- Swelling without a clear cause
Nonsurgical treatment
- Bracing
- Ankle braces or custom braces to limit painful motion.
- Supportive and rocker-sole shoes
- Reduce joint stress.
- Custom orthotics
- Improve alignment.
- Injections
- Corticosteroid or other injections for pain relief.
- Activity changes and physical therapy
- Maintain strength and motion.
When is surgery considered?
Surgery is considered when pain limits daily activity despite bracing, shoe changes, and injections.
Options include arthroscopic debridement for early disease, joint fusion, and — for selected patients with ankle arthritis — total ankle replacement, which preserves motion.
Related procedures
What is recovery like?
Fusion and replacement both involve weeks of protected weight-bearing and months of rehabilitation. Your surgeon will outline the expected timeline for your procedure.
Frequently asked questions
Is ankle replacement better than ankle fusion?
Neither is better for everyone. Replacement preserves motion; fusion is durable and suited to some patients who are not good replacement candidates. The choice depends on age, alignment, bone quality, and activity goals.