Ankle Sprains And Fractures Lead To Arthritis Later In Life

Swiss researchers have found that ankle sprains or ankle stability can lead to arthritis in the ankle joint later in life.

The majority of arthritis cases occur through wear and tear of joints, particularly the hip and knee. It is well known however that a small number of arthritis cases are the result of joint fractures. It had also been suspected that sprains or strains of certain joints such as the ankle could lead to arthritis.

The authors of the study, based at the University of Basel in northern Switzerland, studied 268 patients who had presented with arthritis of the ankle. A massive 221 (82.5 percent) of these individuals had experienced a fracture of the ankle. A further 47 (17.5 percent) of the individuals have experienced repeated ankle sprains and/or chronic ankle stability.

Interestingly, the delay between the onset of ankle problems and arthritis was quite long. Those with ankle fractures developed arthritis on average 21 years after the fracture. In the group with ankle sprains, arthritis developed an average of 22.5 years later.

One of the researchers, Dr. Victor Valderrabano, who is based at the Orthopedic Department at the University of Basel suggests that chronic instability of the ankle joint may increase the forces acting on it leading to increased wear and tear and consequently an increase in the risk of inflammation and arthritis development.

Ankle sprains and strains are the most common injuries experienced in sports and recreational activities. They are particularly common in running and jumping sports, accounting for over a quarter of all injuries.

Ankle care and rehabilitation following injuries is often inadequate with around a third of ankle injuries progressing to chronic ankle instability. Around three-quarters of people with chronic ankle instability will go on to develop arthritis of the ankle.

The researchers stressed the need for adequate rehabilitation of ankle injuries to prevent complications later in life. “The person should strengthen muscles to become more immune to injury. Follow-up with a doctor to determine if the ankle is still unstable is crucial, too,” concluded the research team.