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Updated: Jun 29, 2025
Treatment of Ankle Osteoarthritis with Total Ankle Replacement Through a Lateral Transfibular Approach
Published on: January 24, 2018
Concerns beyond ankle symptoms predominate healthcare professionals' views of patients with ankle osteoarthritis: A
Sultan Ayyadah Alanazi1, Bill Vicenzino2, Michelle D Smith3
1Department of Physical Therapy and Health Rehabilitation, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Majmaah University, Majmaah, 11952, Saudi Arabia; The University of Queensland, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Physiotherapy, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
Objectives:
Explore healthcare professionals' perspectives on the main problems that their patients with ankle osteoarthritis experience and to propose health-related domains.
Methods:
A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was conducted with an international multidisciplinary group of healthcare professionals identified as ankle experts. Eligibility criteria were aged ≥18 years, and a certified healthcare professional with ≥ 5-year experience post-qualification in working with ankle osteoarthritis and/or chronic ankle pain. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed.
Results:
Twenty-one healthcare professionals (20 males; mean (range) age 49 (34-72) years) from four professions (orthopaedic surgeons (n = 9), athletic trainers (n = 5), physiotherapists (n = 4) and podiatrists (n = 3)) were interviewed. Four main themes were identified: 1) people with ankle osteoarthritis have difficulty with weight-bearing activities; 2) symptoms of pain and stiffness predominate, alongside swelling, instability, weakness and poor balance; 3) chronic pain in ankle osteoarthritis has psychosocial consequences; and 4) the loss of activities of daily living and independence compromises quality of life. We proposed 15 health-related domains that emerge from the interview data.
Conclusion:
Healthcare professionals recognise that ankle osteoarthritis patients have difficulty in physical, sporting, and occupational weight-bearing activities, and they live with persistent ankle pain, stiffness and other symptoms that have physical and psychosocial consequences. The health-related domains derived from interviews with expert healthcare professionals will contribute to the development of a core domain set for ankle osteoarthritis.
