Ankle Arthritis Treatment in Fairfax, VA

Overview

Ankle osteoarthritis develops when the smooth cartilage covering the ankle joint wears down, leaving bone surfaces to rub. Unlike hip and knee arthritis, most ankle arthritis is post-traumatic: it follows a fracture or repeated sprains, sometimes many years later.

Symptoms

• Deep, aching ankle pain, worse with walking or standing
• Stiffness, especially in the morning or after sitting
• Swelling around the joint
• Grinding or catching
• Trouble on stairs, hills, or uneven ground

Causes and risk factors

• Prior ankle fractures
• Repeated sprains or chronic ankle instability
• Malalignment of the leg or foot
• Inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis
• Gout and other joint conditions

Diagnosis

Weight-bearing X-rays show joint-space narrowing, bone spurs, and alignment. CT or MRI helps with surgical planning and shows cartilage damage in earlier stages.

Treatment

• Conservative: activity modification, supportive or rocker-bottom shoes, ankle braces, and anti-inflammatory medication
• Injections: corticosteroid for flare-ups; regenerative options for selected early cases
• Joint-preserving surgery: arthroscopic spur removal or realignment osteotomy for earlier-stage disease
• End-stage surgery: ankle fusion, a durable option for advanced arthritis (Reconstructive Surgery & Trauma)

When to see us

Book a visit at our Fairfax office if ankle pain or stiffness limits walking, keeps you from activities, or follows an old injury that never felt quite right.

Both of our surgeons completed advanced fellowship training, and Dr. Shyaun Rafii and Dr. Andrew Falco both perform reconstructive and complex foot and ankle surgery. We weigh bracing, injections, and joint-preserving options before recommending fusion.