Joint diseases such as arthritis that cause stiffness, pain, and swelling can be particularly debilitating. This is especially true when any of the more than thirty joints in each of your feet is affected, making it hard to just stand and walk.
Some types of arthritis that can hurt your feet include the following:
- Arthritis caused by injury—This type of arthritis occurs following an injury to the foot or ankle. In fact, previously injured joints are the most likely to experience arthritic symptoms.
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)—This autoimmune disease causes the body’s own defense mechanisms to attack the lining of the joints. This damage to joints is extremely painful because most of the cushioning in the joints is removed.
- Osteoarthritis—This is the type of arthritis that everyone eventually encounters and it is caused by normal wear and tear on the joints. All the weight bearing and pounding of the joints in the feet and ankles just causes them to wear out. This can happen as early as the age of fifty or even younger, but doesn’t normally become debilitating until age sixty and later.
Treatment for arthritis may include the following:
- Physical therapy exercises—to strengthen the feet and ankles and increase joint flexibility
- Custom orthotic inserts—these can shift pressure away from painful joints and isolate and treat painful deformities like bunions and hammertoes.
If you are suffering with the pain of arthritis in your feet and ankles, see your foot doctor for best care. Dr. Scott Nelson of Foot and Ankle Medical Clinic in Garland, TX, is a board-certified and highly experienced podiatrist who has helped people suffering from all types of foot and ankle injuries and deformities. From bunions to diabetic foot problems, sports injuries and fungal nails, you can trust that Dr. Nelson and his staff are wholeheartedly devoted to your foot health. Please contact our office with any questions you may have or to schedule an appointment by calling 972-414-9800.