Dr. Eric Spears

Every patient is different and it would be a disservice to you to answer this question with a cookie-cutter answer. As a PM&R Physician, I'd look at how the arthritis is affecting your function as well, especially your gait (walking). It all starts with the right diagnosis and evaluation. I would ensure that your pain is indeed coming from the ankle joint and that the arthritis is the cause rather than something else. I would ensure that the correct type of arthritis is diagnosed. For instance, let's say you have osteoarthritis / degenerative arthritis of the ankle, but it actually turns out that you also are having an inflammatory arthritis such as gout (needle shaped monosodium urate crystals) or pseudogout (calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystals). Painful arthritis in the ankle joint is also a red flag for rheumatoid arthritis as 90% of patients with RA will develop arthritis of the foot and/or ankle over the course of their disease, and is the first symptom of RA in about 20% of patients. Post-traumatic arthritis would be if the arthritis was caused by a prior injury and would bring up other factors in regard to treatment. Per the arthritis foundation, there are more than 100 different forms of arthritis and related diseases. However, you are more likely to get struck by lightning than you are to have 90 of those 100 (the lightning reference is presuming that you live in the United States). You need to see a doctor experienced in treating this. PM&R is the perfect specialty to start with for evaluation and treatment of arthritis of the ankle given its implications on gait and function. I'd be happy to see you in my clinic to help further. You can book an appointment at erspears.com/appointment. Best of luck to you either way! Dr Eric Spears, DO Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Owner and CEO of Spears Pain & Rehab