Obviously one enquires of STW before thinking about speaking to a doctor, because that is the way 😀

I’m having ongoing and worsening not improving ankle pain and stiffness. I have always put it down to old rugby injuries – turned/twisted ankles a number of times on both feet – and an Achilles tendon problem that refuses to go away (there’s a knot in it that’s been there at least four years).

They are worse first thing in the morning, pretty bad after any period of time sitting still. Right now I’ve just finished a 15 mile walk, in decent well fitting boots, but they’re in agony. They do usually loosen up after ten minutes or so of activity.

I had a series of tests and examinations for lower back pain a few years ago. They 95% ruled out AS from the genetic blood tests but the MRI showed excessive wear and tear and inflammation for my age, and they basically said, yeah, you’ve got some arthritis in your spine, keep as active as possible. These days, the back pain has been massively overtaken by the ankle pain – probably 10% against 90% – and while stretching seems to help my back it does nothing for the ankles.

So, what are the odds that arthritis is why my ankles are getting worse and not better? Osteoarthritis runs in the family.

I think most people suffer from some form or another post 50. Knees, hands, fingers, toes etc.

I’m certainly one of them. I take daily fish oil and another I can never recall the name of, which may be helping.

Post 50 is more than a decade away for me though, haven’t quite reached post 40 yet!

1 thing i know for sure, if you had bad arthritis in you knees/ankles/hips, you wouldnt be doing a 15 mile walk.

ankle fusion last year from arthritis, and just waiting for a date for a hip replacement.
been to see a doctor this very morning, he decided i need to lose 10kgs before a date will be given.
a phone call to the specialist this afternoon ended with him telling me to ignore the doctor, as he was just working from a script.
he told me that my hip joint was now in total closure, where there is no gap between the thigh and pelvic bones. no fluid, so just bone on bone.
picking a new painkiller up tomorrow as the codeine/tramadol stuff dont work anymore.

only time my hip dont hurt is when riding the bike, but dont tell a gp this, as on their script, this means you are ok. 😆

What ton said. I’m about to have my ankle fused, I can do a couple of miles at best and I can’t stand for more than an hour without barely being able to walk the next day. I’m mid 30s, it sucks, 9 months recovery.

A relief then that it’s not what you guys are suffering with.

mine started with acing ankles and knees about 25 years ago whilst playing rugby…… 😆

bring on the surgery………wouldnt have changed my life choices.

That said that’s where mine started, I’ve managed to get nearly 20years on before needing surgery. In hindsight I should have done it earlier mind you.

My hips are **** had 3 ops and about 4-5 years off the bike from about 35 years old. Now 43. Its shit is about all I can say.