Do unresolved ankle issues also affect the knee, hip, and back joints?

One very common question that I get in my office is, "Doctor, I'm here for my ankle or my foot arthritis, but could this be affecting my knee, my hip, my back?" And, the answer to that question is always yes. Everything is connected. If you change the way you're walking to try and offload a painful, arthritic joint, it is going to have an effect on other muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments throughout your legs and your spine. So, yes, treating these problems can have an effect on your future mobility, and whether or not other areas of the body will hurt you.