Foot Articles

Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis affect your foot health, but there are ways to treat these problems.

Click on 'watch the video' to watch a video on rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a condition that causes inflammation in many joints of the body, including the feet.
The sooner it's diagnosed, the more effective your treatment can be. Don't ignore joint pain, as RA often shows up in the feet first. You can be referred to an arthritis clinic by your GP. NHS rheumatologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and podiatrists (foot specialists) can also help.

Treatment

• Drugs such as analgesics (painkillers) and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduce pain and swelling. Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) slow down the effects of RA on the joints.
• If your arthritis is advanced, you may be prescribed corticosteroids to reduce inflammation.
• Orthoses are a special type of insole that help to minimise the pressure on your feet.
• If your toes are beginning to stiffen or curl, it's important for you to wear a shoe with an extra deep toe box. Your podiatrist may refer you to have special footwear made to fit your exact foot shape.
• Protective shields for your toes can relieve pressure and reduce friction.
• Surgery can correct any bunions and hammertoes (a partial or complete dislocation of one of the joints in a toe) caused by RA. If it's extremely painful to walk, your joints can be fused together (a treatment called arthrodesis). Although it results in a loss of movement in that particular joint, it can reduce pain.

Painkillers or steroids can help the pain

Osteoarthritis (OA) is often called the 'wear and tear' arthritis. It usually appears in people over 40 when the cartilage between bones has become worn and is no longer cushioning the joint as well as it used to.
OA affects joints that have been under pressure and is common in feet, especially in the joint at the base of the big toe.

Treatment

• Exercising and stretching regularly can help nourish the joint cartilage and strengthen the muscles and tendons around the joint...
• It's a good idea to ease the pressure of weight on your feet by keeping yourself slim
• Painkillers or steroids can help the pain...
• You can use foot padding, orthoses and special shoes.
• Many people claim that supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin help with relieving the pain caused by OA...
• If your problem doesn't improve with the above measures, you may be referred to a podiatric surgeon for surgery...

'It's important to keep moving as you get older'

Christine Lawrence, 63, is a retired teacher and lives in Cornwall. She has osteoarthritis in her feet

"I first noticed aching in both my ankles and a stabbing pain in the joint at the base of one of my big toes...

"The pain is now under control and doesn't stop me doing anything I want to do. I'm even off on holiday to India this month..."

A rheumatologist describes the effects of rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic inflammatory disease of the joints, its most common symptoms and the treatment options available.

Source: NHS

Toetoes are really comfortable. They prevent toes touching each other and seem to keep the area between the toes dry so that the skin is now smooth...

Ruth Reeves - Retired