Regular injuries in the ankle area can serve as an impetus for the development of arthrosis. This, in turn, leads to damage to the talonavicular joint, which gradually deforms and takes the form of a longitudinal flat foot. This article will describe the features of foot arthrosis, symptoms and treatment.
Predisposition to disease
Arthrosis of the talonavicular joint is very common in people over 20 years of age. The first symptomatology occurs due to unbearable loads, bruises and sprains associated with an active lifestyle, all this is very typical for the lower extremities, which are in the growth stage. As a rule, arthrosis of the talonavicular joint passes into the chronic form at the age of 40-50 years. Most cases of pathology development relate to women.
The pathological process is aggravated and actively develops with excess weight. When choosing a course of treatment, it is necessary to take into account the severity of symptoms. Complex therapy involves long-term treatment, but until the pathologyhas become chronic, you can get rid of it completely, you just need to follow all the doctor's recommendations.
Origin and clinical picture of the disease
The first group of factors provoking arthrosis of the talonavicular joint includes complex sprains, bruises, fractures and dislocations. Secondary factors are attributed to inflammatory processes that develop due to infectious diseases and hypothermia. Also, the disease can be the result of such problems:
- articular dysplasia, flat feet (congenital pathologies that interfere with the normal functioning of the feet);
- abnormal position of the movable joint;
- metabolic problems;
- uncomfortable, tight and poor-quality shoes, as well as frequent wearing of high-heeled shoes;
- overweight;
- problems of a hormonal nature (as a result of impaired functioning of the endocrine system);
- hereditary predisposition.
Clinical picture
Arthrosis of the talonavicular joint is manifested by a variety of symptoms. This is:
- feet swelling;
- development of the inflammatory process in the area of the affected joint, near the muscles and tissues;
- painful sensations in the ankle, feet, which increase with flexion of the joint and when walking;
- Limited motor activity of the limb;
- during movement, a characteristic crunch may occur in the affected area of \u200b\u200bthe limb.
If symptomaticarthrosis of the foot, treatment should be immediate. Due to regular pain, a person becomes irritable, nervous, and there are problems with sleep. The patient has a feeling of constant fatigue. In order to prevent problems with the nervous system and other human organs, at the first symptoms of arthrosis of the talonavicular joint, you need to seek medical help.
Severity of symptoms
Symptoms of the disease depend on the degree of spread of the pathology process. As far as the cartilaginous tissue is affected, this degree of development of arthrosis is diagnosed.
Changes in the structure of the talonavicular joint occur gradually. The initial stage of the disease is not associated with significant lesions. Bones are not affected at all. The condition of the joint becomes worse when pathological tissue occurs in place of he althy cartilage structures. The complete destruction of cartilage leads to the fact that the body makes an attempt to cope with the problem on its own. Bone growths gradually form on the affected area, which interfere with normal motor activity.
Severity of disease
- For arthrosis of the talonavicular joint of the foot of the 1st degree, specific aching pain is characteristic during physical activity and serious loads, which almost does not manifest itself in the state of rest of the limb. Outwardly, the pathology does not manifest itself in any way. The affected area is also small.
- Arthrosis of the talonavicular joint of the 2nd degree is accompanied by serious painfulsensations that stop only after a long state of rest of the foot. Movable joints of the bones of the ankle from time to time are affected by the inflammatory process, which is noticeable even visually. When probing, the affected area gives off severe pain. Due to pain, the patient is forced to limit his motor activity.
- At the 3rd degree of damage to the joint, the cartilage tissue is completely destroyed, bone growths appear, the gap between the articular elements becomes narrower. Painful sensations accompany the patient constantly, even at rest. The inflammatory process passes into the chronic stage. The joint itself is greatly enlarged. The articulation acquires a nodular structure. Motor activity is disturbed, eventually the joint can become completely immobile. In the case of this degree of arthrosis of the talonavicular joint, it is forbidden to serve in the army.
Diagnosis
In order to establish the pathology, you need to analyze the overall clinical picture, which gives the doctor the opportunity to accurately determine the degree of damage. To visually identify arthrosis of the talonavicular joint, you should pay attention to such external signs of the disease:
- Disturbances in gait (the patient unconsciously transfers most of the weight from the diseased limb to the he althy one).
- Presence of old calluses near the thumb.
When the symptoms of osteoarthritis of the foot are accurately identified, the treatment will be more effective. It should be noted that similar clinical manifestationssome other pathologies are also characterized, for example, a fracture, gouty arthritis. Therefore, in order to avoid errors in the diagnosis and determine the degree of damage, they resort to the following diagnostic methods:
- x-ray (helps to study the condition of the ankle joints, as well as to identify changes caused by the disease);
- arthroscopy;
- MRI or CMT (Magnetic Resonance or Computed Tomography).
If you make a timely and correct diagnosis, choose the right treatment, you can completely get rid of the pathology and avoid possible complications.
Therapeutic treatments
The treatment of this disease should include a whole range of activities, including various medications of various forms:
- pills,
- ointments for arthrosis (for example, "Finalgel"),
- intramuscular and intraarticular injections.
Steroid and non-steroid hormones can eliminate the inflammatory process. Muscle relaxants eliminate regular muscle spasms. Also, the course of treatment should include painkillers. However, drug therapy has its drawbacks: it negatively affects he althy tissue.
Chondroprotectors allow you to protect he althy cartilage from destruction by drug treatment. The means of this group at the initial stages of arthrosis help to eliminate the focus of pathology, and then slow down the dystrophic and degenerative processes in the joint. For maximum efficiency, chondroprotectors are injected into the joint. In the form of injections, hyaluronic acid is used to achieve a similar result.
In therapeutic treatment, physiotherapy exercises are recommended to strengthen the ligaments, restore motor activity to the ankle, avoid complete muscle dystrophy and unload the affected joint.
Other treatments
To reduce discomfort from unpleasant symptoms, physiological procedures are prescribed that well complement the action of the main course of treatment with medicines and ointments for arthrosis. They can significantly speed up the patient's recovery process. Common procedures for arthrosis of the talonavicular joint include:
- laser therapy;
- magnetic therapy;
- electrophoresis;
- oxygen therapy.
To relax and fix the joint, I use special orthopedic devices. Also, for a complete recovery, it is recommended to adhere to a special regimen: you should change the state of rest to moderate physical activity. To improve metabolism in tissues, you need to do massage. Proper nutrition and a he althy lifestyle have a beneficial effect on overall well-being and the condition of the body, so they can also greatly contribute to getting rid of pathology.
Surgery
If conservative methods of treatment of deforming arthrosis of the talonavicular joint are ineffective, it is necessary to resort to surgical intervention, which allows you to correct and strengthen the patient's osseous and ligamentous apparatusjoint.
And you should not try to choose your own treatment, because an unprofessional approach to the treatment of this disease often leads to the progression of the inflammatory process, the occurrence of complications, which are much more difficult to get rid of than the original pathology.
Alternative treatments
In some cases, non-traditional methods of treatment are quite effective, which include:
- Phytotherapy - taking drugs that are made on the basis of medicinal plants. Definitely, they will not aggravate the condition, and will effectively improve immunity.
- Hirudotherapy (treatment with medical leeches) and apitherapy (treatment with bee waste products). These methods help to improve the blood circulation process, so that the affected tissues receive a large amount of oxygen and nutrients. Natural substances and components have an excellent effect on the general condition of the limbs.
- Pelotherapy or clay therapy, therapeutic mud.
- Acupuncture, the use of oriental healing methods and practices, traditional medicine recipes.
Some experts believe that non-traditional treatment, herbal medicine and traditional medicine are not effective enough, because many procedures and medicines take a lot of time to manufacture and prepare them. Thus, the patient loses precious time, the disease progresses, while in the case of a prompt visit to the hospital, further development can be stopped at an early stage.pathology and get rid of arthrosis completely. Alternative therapies are good as an addition to a therapeutic course, but it is important to coordinate any non-traditional remedies and procedures with a doctor.
Forecast
In order to prevent the development of serious complications and consequences that may occur as a result of advanced arthrosis of the talonavicular joint, it is important to follow all the recommendations of the attending orthopedist. According to statistics, approximately 75% of cases end in complete elimination of pathology. At the same time, the risk of re-development of the disease is practically absent if the patient follows all the instructions of the specialist. Therefore, if your scaphoid hurts, go to the hospital right now.
