Arthritis of Foot

What is Arthritis of foot?

Arthritis is inflammation resulting from the degeneration of cartilage in the joint causing joint pain, swelling, and stiffness resulting in restricted movements. Arthritis of the foot joints can occur due to fractures, dislocation, inflammatory disease, or congenital deformity. The foot joints most commonly affected by arthritis are:

The joint of the great toe and foot bone(first metatarsophalangeal joint arthritis)
Midfoot arthritis

What are the Types of Ankle Arthritis?

There are three main types of arthritis affecting the foot and may include:

Osteoarthritis: Also, called degenerative joint disease, this is the most common type of arthritis and occurs most often in older people. This disease affects cartilage, the tissue that cushions and protects the ends of bones in a joint. With osteoarthritis, the cartilage starts to wear away over time. In extreme cases, the cartilage can completely wear away, leaving nothing to protect the bones in a joint, causing bone-on-bone contact. Bones may also bulge, or stick out at the end of a joint, called bone spurs.

Rheumatoid Arthritis: This is an auto-immune disease in which the body’s immune system (the body’s way of fighting infection) attacks healthy joints, tissues and organs. It can cause pain, stiffness, swelling, and loss of function in joints. Rheumatoid arthritis affects mostly joints of the hands and feet and tends to be symmetrical. This means the disease affects the same joints on both sides of the body (both feet) at the same time and with the same symptoms.

Post-traumatic Arthritis: Arthritis that develops following a foot injury is called post-traumatic arthritis. The condition may develop years after the trauma such as a fracture, severe sprain or ligament tear.

What are the Symptoms of Foot Arthritis?

Symptoms of foot arthritis include pain or tenderness, swelling, stiffness in the joint and limited range of motion.

How is Foot Arthritis Diagnosed?

The diagnosis of foot arthritis is made with a medical history, physical examination and X-rays of the affected joint. A bone scan, computed tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans are also performed to diagnose arthritis.

What are the Treatment Options for Foot Arthritis?

Non-surgical treatment options for foot arthritis include medications (anti-inflammatories), injections (steroids), physical therapy, ankle-foot orthosis (AFO), weight loss, orthotics such as pads or arch supports, and canes or braces to support the joints. Surgery may be required to treat foot arthritis if your symptoms do not improve with conservative treatments. Surgery performed for arthritis of the foot includes arthrodesis (fusion of the joint). This is a very successful option for the patients not responding to the non-operative management.