Arthritis of the foot appears mainly after 35 years of age, but damage to the joints of the left or right foot is possible in younger people. When violated, an inflammatory reaction is observed, leading to degenerative processes in the osteoarticular apparatus. A patient with arthritis is bothered by pain in the legs, especially when walking, swelling and redness of the soft tissues. It is possible to detect the development of pathology of bones, ligaments and joints at an early stage through diagnostic procedures.
Timely treatment of foot arthritis prevents complications and surgical intervention.
Arthritis and arthrosis of the foot are diseases that are often hereditary. But, in addition to genetic predisposition, there are other reasons for the development of joint disease:
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Arthritis on the feet is usually divided into several types, depending on the factors that caused the disease. The classification divides pathology into the following forms:
The disease can occur in gouty form.
Purulent arthritis of the legs also occurs, as a result of which pus accumulates in the joint cavity, leading to the destruction of cartilage tissue and serious complications.
Signs of arthritis of the toes may vary depending on the stage of the deviation:
The clinical picture mainly develops at stage 2 of the disease, and earlier it is difficult for the patient to identify a disorder in the foot. The patient begins to experience pain due to arthritis of the foot, which intensifies when walking or stress on the bones and other structures of the musculoskeletal system. In addition to pain, a person complains of the following symptoms:
If the symptoms of foot arthritis are not detected in time, then an inflammatory reaction begins to develop in the hip joint, provoking coxarthrosis. Often, secondary infection occurs against the background of advanced articular deviation, in which patients require urgent surgery. But even surgical intervention does not guarantee elimination of the disease and relief from pathological manifestations. In severe cases, the person remains disabled and is unable to move independently.
It is possible to identify an acute or chronic type of joint disease of the foot using diagnostic procedures. The patient should consult a doctor at the first sign. A therapist, surgeon, orthopedist, arthrologist or traumatologist will help with arthritis. Often additional consultation with a nutritionist is required. It is extremely important to determine the source that triggered the signs of foot arthritis. For this purpose, a comprehensive diagnosis is carried out, including the following procedures:
It is possible to detect arthritis and arthrosis of the joints of the foot on an x-ray, where deformed areas of the movable joints will be visible.
If the joints of the foot are damaged, exercise therapy is required, which is prescribed by the treating doctor. Exercises are allowed to be performed only in the remission stage, when all painful symptoms have passed. There are universal tasks that help overcome arthritis:
Treatment of arthrosis and arthritis will include medications of different spectrum of action. If there is an infection, then antibiotics are required for foot arthritis. During treatment, ointments, gels, and creams are used, which must be smeared several times a day. It is also necessary to take oral medications to eliminate the pathological manifestations of foot disease. The table shows commonly used drugs.
Arthritis of the joints of the foot today is a fairly common pathology and is represented not by one disease, but by a whole group that combines inflammatory processes of diarthrosis of the tarsus, metatarsophalangeal joint and other small joints.
Arthritis of the foot and heel comes in several varieties. The cause of the disease determines its name. The effectiveness of treatment depends entirely on the etiology of the disease, so this fact is very important to establish.
The most common types of arthritis in the foot are:
Typically, arthritis in the foot or heel, regardless of the cause, has similar symptoms. But each individual case is accompanied by additional features characteristic of this type of inflammation.
Note! In order to conduct an adequate etiological diagnosis of arthritis, the doctor needs a huge list of additional instrumental and laboratory research methods. To suspect a problem and seek medical help in time, general symptoms are enough for the patient .
Main symptoms of foot arthritis:
Arthritis of the lower extremities, along with general symptoms, also has specific manifestations that indirectly indicate the cause of the inflammatory process.
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The foot is a complex anatomical structure, which is one of the important components of the musculoskeletal system and can withstand disproportionately large dynamic and static loads. This part of the body performs several functions, the main one of which is the spring. It lies in the ability of the foot to absorb loads and walking. The human foot is divided into three sections and includes 26 bones and 4 osteoarticular joints. An inflammatory process that affects one or several joints at the same time is called arthritis of the foot.
The development of foot arthritis occurs when there are changes in the synovial fluid (the elastic mass that fills the joint cavity and protects the joint from damage), as well as when inflammation develops in it.
If inflammation occurs in one of the joints of the foot (subtalar, talocaleonavicular, calcaneal-cuboid or sphenavicular), the volume of synovial fluid in the articular joint increases significantly. It begins to compress the synovial membrane, and that, in turn, due to the presence of a large number of nerve endings, begins to respond almost instantly with an inflammatory reaction.
In clinical practice, all foot arthritis, which includes about 100 different pathologies, is usually divided into 2 large groups:
The main reasons provoking the development of the pathological process include:
It should be noted that the provoking factors for the development of inflammation are most often hypothermia and heavy physical stress on the joint.
Despite the fact that there are many reasons that provoke the development of inflammation, the clinical picture for all arthritis is quite similar. All symptoms are divided into specific (characteristic only for this pathology) and nonspecific (occurring in arthritis of any origin).
As a rule, when inflammation develops in one (or several) joints of the foot, making a diagnosis does not present significant difficulties.
First of all, a diagnostic examination and collection of the patient's medical history is performed, which allows establishing a connection between damage to the joints of the foot and the presence of an infectious disease, injury, allergy, focal infection or other pathological process.
Next, the patient is recommended to undergo all the necessary laboratory tests (general blood and urine tests, blood for C-reactive protein, rheumatic complex, etc.) and undergo an X-ray examination in two standard projections. Electroradiography of the foot joints has also proven itself to be effective.
A sufficiently informative study to clarify the nature of the inflammatory process is joint puncture and subsequent morphological examination of the synovial fluid.
If it is necessary to conduct a specific study, patients are prescribed an analysis for LE cells (if the development of systemic lupus erythematosus is suspected), a blood test for uric acid (for gout), and also to detect the presence of antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptide (for rheumatoid arthritis).
Therapy for foot arthritis in each specific case is prescribed purely individually after determining the cause of inflammation and is performed in a complex manner. The treatment algorithm includes etiotropic and pathogenetic drug therapy, as well as non-drug correction of the disease.
To relieve pain and relieve inflammation, patients are prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs of systemic and local action. When treating rheumatoid arthritis, the drug complex necessarily includes basic immunosuppressive drugs, as well as hormonal agents.
Antibacterial or antiviral drugs, chondroprotectors and immunomodulators can be used as a specific treatment prescribed according to medical indications.
Physiotherapeutic treatment of foot arthritis is recommended only when the disease is not exacerbating. Cryotherapy, massage and laser treatment have proven themselves well.
At the same time, patients are recommended to regularly perform therapeutic exercises, reduce the load on the joints of the foot, make nutritional corrections, and, with the permission of the attending physician, use certain methods of traditional medicine.
Arthrosis arthritis of the foot is a disease that involves the patient exhibiting symptoms of both arthritis and arthrosis. Such a disease cannot be found in the list of modern diseases. But if the patient’s ligaments are disrupted and there is an inflammatory process in the joint, then doctors usually make just such a diagnosis. Arthrosis arthritis manifests itself during intense physical exertion, the pain is mainly aching in nature. At the first signs of the disease, consultation with a doctor and timely treatment are necessary. Treatment at the initial stage of the disease brings greater effect. If arthritis starts, then such negligence can lead to immobilization of the patient.
There are different reasons for the manifestation of this disease. One of the causative agents of arthritis is an infection that affects the joint and joint capsule. Osteoarthritis develops due to infectious infection. In some cases, the causative agent of the disease may be gonorrhea or syphilis. The cause of the disease may be a severe foot injury in the patient. If there is chronic inflammation of the injured joint and the patient undergoes regular physical activity, this can serve as a reason for the development of the disease.
Arthrosis arthritis can be caused by damaged connective tissue. If the body perceives it as foreign, then rejection and the production of antibodies will begin. As a result, body tissues will be destroyed even more. This form of the disease is quite common among children who have suffered from diseases caused by streptococcus.
Gout or psoriasis can cause complications that will be fertile ground for the development of arthrosis arthritis. Any specific diseases must be treated to the end so as not to deal with such consequences. Heredity plays an important role in the development of arthritis. If the patient’s relatives have had such a disease, then it is quite possible that the person is also susceptible to developing a similar disease.
Metabolic disorders or a reaction to certain medications can contribute to the development of arthrosis arthritis. Depending on the nature of the disease, there are several types of arthrosis and arthritis of the feet. Each patient experiences the disease differently, and therefore treatment must be selected by the doctor for each individual. If the symptoms of the disease are similar, similar medications or physiotherapeutic agents can be used.
Arthrosis arthritis most often manifests itself through severe pain in the joints. It is quite difficult for the patient to walk, the joint begins to swell, and the skin around it turns red. Quite often other symptoms appear: increased temperature of the whole body or in the affected part of the foot, weakness throughout the body, chills, loss of appetite. If such symptoms occur, it is necessary to take a test for the content of leukocytes in the blood and determine the presence of C-reactive protein.
Unfortunately, even when symptoms appear, it is not always possible to clearly identify arthrosis arthritis in a patient and prescribe treatment for him. The symptoms of such a disease may vary due to the fact that the causes of the disease differ among patients. If the patient initially had gout and started taking alcoholic beverages, then arthritis of the foot can begin precisely on this basis. Moreover, the defeat will begin with the sore toe. Joint swelling can also be varied. The skin around the site of the disease may not only turn red, but also turn blue.
If the disease is not treated and progresses, then the symptoms will appear more and more and bother the patient. Joints tend to change their size and shape, which will make movement and any manipulation of the foot difficult. Arthrosis arthritis involves more than just deformation or destruction of a joint. This disease moves deeper into the joint capsule and begins the destruction of cartilage.
The faster and more severely the disease progresses, the more severe its symptoms become. The classification contains 3 stages of arthrosis arthritis.
At stage 1, the patient experiences minor pain in the affected area of the foot. With weak physical activity, such sensations may intensify. But in most patients, the first stage usually goes unnoticed.
At stage 2, pain is felt much stronger and almost constantly. Any physical activity leads to sharp, prolonged pain in the foot area. A bone begins to grow on the big toe.
At stage 3, arthrosis arthritis requires immediate treatment. Any physical activity is difficult for the patient. The bone on the big toe continues to grow. A noticeable deformity of the foot appears. The cartilage in the leg is destroyed.
First of all, with arthrosis arthritis, it is not the disease that needs to be treated, but the person himself. To do this, you need to determine the root cause of the patient’s foot injury. There are various treatment methods for such a disease, and only a doctor can prescribe anything. There are, of course, certain preventive measures that are the same for everyone. It is important to use comfortable shoes without heels. The patient should exclude foods and dishes high in salt from food. If a patient has problems with excess weight, then it is advisable to try to get rid of it. Extra pounds put extra stress on your joints.
To treat arthrosis arthritis, painkillers are used, which almost all patients need. The pain, of course, can have different strengths, but it is necessary to get rid of it first. After this, you can begin to fight inflammation of the joint capsule. For this purpose, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used. If arthrosis is caused by an infectious disease, then the patient must be prescribed antibiotics.
Osteoarthritis is characterized by destruction of cartilage. To prevent this process, the patient is prescribed chondroprotectors. In addition to standard treatment methods, doctors usually recommend auxiliary procedures:
But before prescribing any drugs, the doctor must refer the patient for an MRI and X-ray. If necessary, the patient must undergo a certain series of tests. Many of the drugs that are used to stabilize a patient's health can have negative effects on other organs. Therefore, taking any medications should be agreed with your doctor.
If, in addition to pain in the joint, the patient also complains of weakness of the joint-muscular system, the doctor may prescribe him a course of therapeutic exercises. This is a set of specific exercises that are aimed at strengthening muscles and restoring joint flexibility. For successful treatment, you need to get rid of bad habits and watch your diet. Massage gives a good effect. After a course of procedures, there is an improvement in blood circulation in the legs.
Before you start using folk remedies, you should consult your doctor. Of course, treating foot arthrosis with folk remedies cannot produce such side effects as the use of medications, but it is better to once again find out the opinion of a specialist.
For the first procedure, you will only need a slice of lemon. Apply it to the sore spot and wrap your leg.
A sore foot needs good warming. Take 2 potatoes and grate them on a fine grater. Place the mixture in water and cook for 10 minutes. After this, take out the potatoes, place them in a plastic bag and apply them to the inflamed joint. Wrap the compress with a cloth and insulate it with a scarf. You can walk with this compress for several hours until the potatoes cool down.
Make a decoction of nettles and take this drink 2-4 times a week. With the help of nettle, you can improve the composition of your blood, cleanse it of toxins, and normalize blood circulation. Use an infusion of marsh cinquefoil. Pour 100 g of grass into 1 liter of vodka. Let the drink brew for 1 month in a dark, dry place. Once the tincture is ready, strain it through cheesecloth. Take the infusion 1 tsp. 3 times a day before meals.
You can use kefir to prepare compresses. You need to add a little chalk to it and lubricate the sore joint every day. To prepare a medicinal compress, finely chop aloe leaves, pour in 150 g of honey and 200 g of vodka. Apply the mixture to gauze and apply to the affected area of the leg overnight.
The joints of the foot are connected by a common blood supply, so without treatment, inflammation quickly moves from the toes to the ankle. The connection between the talus and the tibia is very strong. It is supported by dense lateral ligaments from the inside and outside.
The joint is actively involved in movement (walking, running, cycling, driving) and bears the entire body weight. Sometimes the load becomes excessive due to the fault of the “owner”.
Inflammation of the ankle joint (arthritis) can occur on one side or symmetrically on both sides. The causes are more varied than for arthritis of the toes and other inflammations of the foot.
In addition to connections with the digital phalanges, there are 3 types of joints on the foot between:
The first 2 connections are involved in the formation of the arch of the foot. The latter forms a powerful ankle joint with two ankles on the sides. It is provided with external and internal arterial and venous networks. With blood, the necessary nutrients for the cartilaginous surfaces are supplied inside the joint capsule, but infection from other organs can also occur in the presence of an acute or chronic disease. Inflammation of the joints of the foot spreads to the ankle through common vessels and contact.
The Achilles tendon of the gastrocnemius muscle fits behind the heel bone, which pulls the foot away from itself and allows a person to rise on his toes. This is the most powerful tendon in the body. It can withstand a load of 400 kg. The range of movements for deflection in all directions ranges from 90 to 60 degrees. It depends on training and sprain.
Engagement of the ankle in physical activity contributes to frequent damage to the internal parts and ligaments.
Inflammation of the joints of the foot, including the ankle, is related to:
Inflammation must be treated taking into account the identified causes.
Symptoms of the disease are tolerated differently by patients. Painful sensations may be more or less intense, but dysfunction of the joint allows a correct diagnosis to be made.
The course of an acute form of inflammation of the joints of the foot causes more vivid symptoms: a sudden onset, a jump in temperature, a sharp limitation in motor activity.
In a chronic process, the disease begins and proceeds slowly, gradually, but causes no less significant destruction inside the joints.
The use of ultrasound allows for increased penetration of the drug inside, prevents the destruction of cartilage, and relieves swelling of tissues
The inflammatory process, intense or prolonged, leads to the destruction of articular cartilage, increased friction of bone surfaces, and the formation of arthrosis with deformation of bone components.
The affected joint thickens significantly, and the muscles of the lower leg atrophy, as if they are “shrinking out”. The patient has difficulty moving due to pain and needs outside help.
Diagnostic methods are the same for checking any joints. For ankle disease, the most information can be obtained from the following data:
To identify the pathogen, a puncture is performed, followed by inoculation of the synovial fluid on media.
Allergy tests are important to diagnose symptoms and the role of the body's excessive allergic mood in inflammation.
In the treatment of an acute form of arthritis, a mandatory period of rest for the joint is necessary; the patient’s movements are limited to complete bed rest. If this is not possible, support bandages and cane support are recommended.
Infectious arthritis requires treatment with antibiotics. The maximum result is achieved by determining the sensitivity of the flora, but this method takes time, and the patient needs help. Therefore, broad-spectrum antibiotics are prescribed orally or by injection.
At the pharmacy you can buy special supportive and warming bandages for ankles.
Local remedies (gels, ointments) warm and help relieve swelling. They should not be used from the first days; it is even recommended to apply cold. From the second or third day you can use thermal procedures.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs should not be used on their own; they can cause serious complications. According to indications, they are prescribed in ointments, administered intramuscularly and inside the joint.
Any ointment enhances its effect if you first steam your foot in the bath and make a compress.
It is imperative that the underlying disease causing the arthritis is fully treated.
In case of chronic course:
Since arthritis of the foot in old age is facilitated by poor nutrition in arteries affected by atherosclerosis, statins, drugs that dilate the vessels of the leg, are prescribed.
The best results are obtained by combining drug therapy with physiotherapeutic procedures, massage, and mud applications. Patients are recommended to undergo sanatorium-resort treatment. Ankle diseases can be overcome using all modern means of therapy.
Arthritis of the foot is an inflammatory lesion of the joints, which is associated with inflammation of the fingers, metatarsus and tarsus. The disease is very painful and causes joint deformation. Often this pathology is combined with damage to the ankles and finger bones. Since severe pain in the leg leads to lameness, other structures of the musculoskeletal system are also affected - the spine, knees, hip joints, etc.
A variety of factors can provoke this disease. Often it develops against the background of other pathologies - in this case they speak of secondary arthritis. The root cause may be bruises, sprains, dislocations and fractures, and even heel spurs. Uncomfortable shoes, flat feet, and intense physical activity also cause problems in this area. Among the root causes are ailments that at first glance are completely unrelated to the joints:
In this case, they talk about infectious arthritis, which develops against the background of microbial or fungal infection. As a rule, arthritis develops quite quickly.
Another form of this disease is rheumatoid arthritis of the foot. Its etiology is not known for certain, but many doctors associate its development with a deterioration in the functioning of the immune system, with the deposition of salt crystals in the joint cavity and disruption of the articular membrane. Predisposing factors for this disease are also old age, excess weight, bad habits, and diabetes.
All arthritis, regardless of their location, are characterized by common symptoms: severe pain, swelling, dysfunction. The lesion of the foot is also characterized by its own specific symptoms, which make it possible to differentiate this disease. The most important symptom is pain, which disrupts the normal rhythm of life and significantly limits a person’s mobility. The joint increases in size, which causes swelling of the lower extremities and provokes sensitivity of the skin. Other signs include:
Many symptoms allow you to distinguish the type of arthritis of the foot and draw conclusions about its root cause. So gout is accompanied by damage to the thumbs. In addition, it usually affects both lower limbs at once. Rheumatic fever is accompanied by flying pains - when discomfort appears in one place or another.
The pain is constant and does not go away even during rest, only subsiding slightly at rest. On the contrary, after a short period of relaxation and standing, the pain intensifies. It becomes especially pronounced while walking. The pain intensifies in the afternoon and becomes almost unbearable by night. If this is the gouty variety, then the pain appears in attacks.
Symptoms of the disease are one of the key diagnostic methods. The nature of the pain, its intensity and severity largely indicate to the doctor a specific disease. Other symptoms also play a role and help narrow down the search. However, you cannot rely on visible signs alone. In addition to a diagnostic review and study of the patient’s medical history, tests are prescribed - general blood and urine tests, blood tests for C-reactive protein, and rheumatic complex. After this, an X-ray examination of the affected area is performed. The nature of the inflammatory process can be revealed by examining the synovial fluid. If there are prerequisites, an LE cell test is prescribed (if there is a suspicion of lupus erythematosus), uric acid in the blood (for signs of gout), etc.
Therapy is based on the type of pathology. It is prescribed exclusively individually after a preliminary examination. The range of activities traditionally includes:
If, as a result of the disease, severe deformation of the joint and foot occurs, then arthroplasty or endoprosthetics is performed.
The cost of treatment is also determined by the cost of examination. For one test in private clinics you will have to pay around 200 rubles. If you go to a public clinic, many procedures will be performed for you free of charge. This also applies to a consultation with a rheumatologist, which in a private medical center will cost 1.5-2 thousand rubles. It is impossible to name the final amount of treatment, since it consists of all components and can reach 50 thousand rubles. If you need arthroplasty of the foot joints, you will have to pay for it in the range of 20 thousand rubles.