City Footcare NYC
Podiatric Medicine & Surgery
We treat all problems of the foot and ankle.
Foot Arthritis
Definition:
Arthritis is a disease characterized by the inflammation of the cartilage and lining of the body’s joints.
Inflammation causes redness, warmth, pain and swelling.
There are about 40 million Americans who suffer from arthritis. The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, reports that many million Americans suffer from arthritis of the foot.
The primary population for arthritis are people over the age of 50. Arthritis is a major cause of foot pain because each foot has 33 joints that can become affected by the disease.
Osteoarthritis
There are many different types of arthritis. The most common type is called osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis causes excessive strain and the wearing away of cartilage in the joints of the foot.
Movement becomes very difficult and painful. The pain and swelling worsens while standing or walking, and stiffness usually occurs after periods of rest.
Gout
Gout is another form of arthritis that also leads to foot complications.
Excess uric acid crystals collects in and around the joints of the foot, most commonly, the big toe. The big toe joint is commonly the focal point due to the stress and pressure it experiences during walking and other weight bearing activities.
This often leads to debilitating, severe pain in the big toe along with acute redness, heat and swelling.
Men are more likely to develop gouty arthritis than women.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Another type of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis. It can develop at any age and there is no known cause for this condition.
Rheumatoid arthritis is the most crippling form of the arthritic disease that can affect people of all ages.
It can cause severe deformities of the joints with associated fatigue of the entire body. People who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis often develop severe forefoot problems such as bunions, hammer toes, claw toes, and others.
Cause:
There are many causes of arthritis.
Trauma of the foot is one of the most common causes of arthritis/
Heredity plays a role. However, arthritic symptoms can develop due to many other factors. Some of these include bacterial and viral infections, prescription and illegal drugs, traumatic injuries, and bowel disorders such as ileitis and colitis.
Forefoot problems such as hammer toes, claw toes, mallet toes, and bunions often develop as a result of arthritis. Particularly Rheumatoid arthritis can lead to severe symptoms.
Problems can also develop in the heel and ankle area due to the erosion of the involved joints.