Etiology and biomechanics of ankle arthritis.

Of all joints in the body, the ankle joint is subjected to the highest forces per square centimeter and is injured more commonly. Yet, the incidence of symptomatic ankle arthritis is much lower than that of the knee and hip. Various mechanical, biochemical and anatomic peculiarities of the ankle account for its apparent resilience to the process of aging and trauma. The goal of this article is to help the reader better understand the functional paradoxes that make the ankle joint a unique and fascinating articulation.