Q: I had surgery for a broken ankle years ago, and now my ankle is hurting when I walk.

A: You most likely have developed arthritis in the ankle joint. This can develop whether the original fracture was treated by casting or by surgery. X-rays will be taken to evaluate the position of the ankle bones and the quality of the joint. Even with the best set fractures, arthritis may still develop. Sometimes, this does not require any treatment at all. In other instances, simple treatments such as cortisone injections or prescription braces may provide relief. Other times, surgery may be required to re-align bones that are out of place, to shave of bone spurs about the joint, or in some cases, even to fuse a badly arthritic joint.