Arthritis, in one form or another, is one of the most common disorders that affect man. Whether the etiology is systemic, neurologic, or traumatic, the one common finding is the destruction of joint cartilage. Although there have been massive amounts of literature concerning osteoarthritis, little has been written about arthritis of the ankle joint. Current concepts in the pathology, terminology, symptomatology, and treatment of the arthritic ankle are discussed.