Total Ankle Replacement: A Solution For Arthritis Pain
If you suffer from chronic and severe arthritis pain coming from your ankle, you don't have to live with that pain for the rest of your life. There are medical options that will help relieve your pain. When it comes to relieving ankle arthritis pain, you have two options, ankle fusion or ankle replacement.
Ankle fusion used to be one of the only options for dealing with advanced ankle arthritis. With the fusion process, one's ankle joints are fused to reduce pain. The downside to this is that one's range of motion and ability to walk normally is compromised. This could also lead to arthritis developing in other foot joints as they compensate for one's ankle changes.
Luckily, ankle fusion is no longer the only option for dealing with ankle arthritis pain. A different option to consider is an ankle replacement. With this procedure, your old and damaged joint is replaced with an artificial joint. This means you can substitute a damaged hip with an artificial one. For example, you can replace a damaged and painful ankle joint with a new one that doesn't cause you pain.
With total ankle replacement, your joints are not going to be fused together; they will be replaced. That means that your gait is not going to be heavily impacted. You will be able to continue to walk normally. Your walking may even be improved as you will no longer be in pain with each step that you take.
Additionally, the process of replacing one's ankle is relatively smooth, which means that you are not likely to have to deal with complications, such as wound infections or readmission.
If you are looking for a way to alleviate your pain, you can achieve that with replacement surgery. You will also get to enjoy a normal manner of walking again, and you will get to engage in low-level exercise activities, such as walking and swimming. You may not want to engage in high-impact activities, though, as those may be a little too much for your replacement ankle to handle.
When it comes to choosing how to treat your chronic ankle arthritis, you will want to discuss your options with your podiatrist. Ankle fusion or replacement are two surgical options that can be considered when non-surgical methods of managing your pain have failed you. It is something that you are going to want to discuss with your doctor, as many factors, from your age, weight, activity level, and overall health situation, can contribute to the outcome. Your podiatrist will let you know if this is a potential method for dealing with your arthritis pain.
For more information, reach out to a total ankle replacement service near you.