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Ankle cartilage damage

Cause of cartilage damage at the ankle joint: excessive wear and tear of the joint

If the protective cartilage layer is exposed to constant overloading or incorrect loading, cartilage damage can occur in the ankle joint. Accidents can also cause the condition and, without specific treatment, can lead to secondary diseases and severe discomfort.

At the Orthopaedic Center Munich East (OZMO), we have an experienced team of orthopaedic surgeons at your side, including Dr. med. Meinhard Balensiefen as a specialist in hand and foot surgery. Trust our experience and expertise in modern treatments for cartilage damage in the ankle joint and other conditions. Make your appointment for diagnostics and treatment at the Orthopädie Zentrum München Ost.

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The specialists at the Orthopädie Zentrum München Ost will be happy to provide you with a medical consultation. Take advantage of our wealth of experience in the field of orthopedics and feel free to make an appointment with us!

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Orthopädie Zentrum München Ost - Sprunggelenk - Erkrankungen

Table of Contents:

What is cartilage damage in the ankle joint?

Symptoms of ankle cartilage damage
Causes of cartilage damage to the ankle joint

Diagnosis of cartilage damage
Treatment for cartilage damage of the ankle joint
Have cartilage damage to the ankle treated by our experts at OZMO

What is cartilage damage in the ankle joint?

The ankle joint is the connecting joint between the lower leg and the foot. A distinction is made between the upper and lower ankle joint. The high mobility of the feet and the complex structure of this joint require extreme care in order to be able to perform the diverse demands of everyday life. As in all joints, articular cartilage is an important tissue. It distributes the load acting on the joint so that it can be moved painlessly and smoothly. If there is damage to the cartilage in the ankle joint, either acutely or due to wear and tear, pain and restricted movement may result. This is known as cartilage damage in the ankle joint.

Cartilage damage in the ankle joint can be caused by wear and tear or can itself cause premature ankle wear. Arthrosis in the ankle joint is the possible consequence. Cartilage damage often occurs as part of an accidental injury. Other possible triggers are incorrect stresses or instabilities of the ankle joint that place greater than usual stress on the cartilage. Eliminating these factors that stress the ankle joint is the primary goal in treating cartilage damage.

Symptoms of ankle cartilage damage

In the case of cartilage damage to the ankle joint, the symptoms are localized and manifest themselves directly after an accident with load-dependent pain, swelling and the feeling of joint blockage. Cartilage damage itself is not painful, as there are no nerve pathways in the cartilage tissue. Instead, pain is manifested by irritation and inflammation in the surrounding tissue that can be attributed to the cartilage damage. If the cartilage damage is due to wear, the same symptoms begin insidiously and intensify acutely with heavy loading and chronically with increasing damage.

Causes of cartilage damage to the ankle joint

Often, the causes of cartilage damage in the ankle are accidents with injuries that trigger the cartilage defect. In most cases, high force or trauma is the acute cause, for example in the form of sports injuries or falls. However, these injuries can also be the cause of subsequent cartilage damage, for example if an injury was not properly treated and healed, resulting in incorrect loading of the ankle joint.

Foot deformities that went without orthopedic treatment at a young age can also be the underlying cause of later cartilage damage in the ankle joint. However, the specific cause must be carefully diagnosed by an orthopedic specialist in order to initiate the right treatment and thus avoid late effects.

Diagnosis of cartilage damage

In all examinations performed by our specialists, the first priority is a careful history of the patient, which is followed by the clinical examination. In the process, the orthopedic specialist naturally also pays attention to possible postural deformities and incorrect stresses, which may be among the causes of cartilage damage in the ankle joint. In addition, imaging procedures are used, which in our Orthopedic Center Munich East (OZMO) can include, for example:

Ultrasound / Sonography
X-ray
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

All examinations take place in our well-equipped practice rooms and are accompanied in most cases by our specialist for sports medicine and foot surgery, Dr. med. Meinhard Balsensiefen, or one of his two competent team colleagues. In our practice, you will always be cared for by the colleague who has the best experience and expertise for your condition or injury. Thus, our specialist Prof. Dr. med. habil. Peter Diehl is one of the specialists for regenerative cartilage therapy, while Priv. Doz. Dr. med. habil. Johannes Schauwecker also brings his high level of expertise to the treatment of complex joint problems.

Treatment for cartilage damage of the ankle joint

Only when the cause of the problem has been clearly diagnosed will treatment for cartilage damage at the ankle be crowned with success. The therapy also depends on how far the damage has already progressed. Since cartilage cells can only regenerate themselves very slowly, the primary therapeutic goal is to stop cartilage degradation immediately.

Physiotherapy is the first-choice remedy here. Drug treatment can be given for pain relief, but is almost always necessary in the presence of inflammation from the cartilage damage. Advanced defects of the cartilage structure are treated surgically. Bone marrow stimulation and cell transplantation are the common surgical methods to best repair cartilage damage in the ankle joint.

Figure 1 to 3: A cartilage defect at the ankle joint pulley is refreshed and refixed arthroscopically with resorbable pins.

Have cartilage damage to the ankle treated by our experts at OZMO

If you have pain in the joint when putting weight on the foot and fear cartilage damage to the ankle due to an accident or wear and tear, you should consult an experienced specialist in orthopedics and trauma surgery as soon as possible. In our practice, we will be happy to welcome you for an appointment with our specialists and accompany you from diagnostics to treatment in a competent and experienced manner.

If necessary, we are also available for a professional second opinion for chronic complaints or suitable therapies for ankle cartilage damage and other musculoskeletal disorders. Contact our team for your appointment at Orthopädie Zentrum München Ost (OZMO) as your orthopedic specialists.

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