Arthritis

Arthritis and other rheumatic conditions are chronic and disabling, and affect an estimated 40 million Americans. Nearly 50% of persons 65 years of age have arthritis; younger people have a lower risk of having arthritis but still comprise half of all people affected. The self-reported prevalence of arthritis is greater among women than among men, and for women aged greater than 45 years, arthritis is the leading cause of activity limitation.

Arthritis limits the activity of over 7 million people and is second only to heart disease as a cause of work disability.

Most people have no idea that it’s the number one cause of disability in America, but for many Americans, the pain from arthritis severely limits their everyday life.

The good news is that living well and early detection can help you prevent or delay most arthritis. Often losing a little weight and finding the right footwear make the difference between living with pain and discovering how nice it is to feel good again.

Here are some common arthritis pains associated with the foot and how Foot Solutions™ can help make it go away:

• Hallux or hallux rigidus – This is the most common arthritis found in the foot. You’ll feel in your metatarsophalangeal, or MPT joint. If there is pain and/or swelling around the base joint of your big toe, you might be experiencing hallux, also knows as stiff big toe. It occurs over time when the cartilage between bones erodes, leaving bone ends to rub together. This is very serious as your big toe leads every step. No one knows why hallux shows up in some people and not others but it usually is found in adults ages 30 to 60. Foot Solutions’ pedorthists will most likely recommend the MBT shoe because of its rocker bottom. Its sole will help roll your foot into a step position instead of you having to put more pressure on your big toe. Throughout this article you’ll find mentioned repeatedly the benefits of Omega-3 fatty acids. Mostly found in fish oils, omega-3 has not only shown to help heart health, but also stops the chemicals that attack cartilage. Ibuprofen is also suggested to curb the swelling of hallux sufferers.


• Rheumatoid Arthritis – 7 million Americans suffer from this type of arthritis. While the majority of sufferers are women, every age group have shown to have. This inflammation of the joints can show up in any joint and often in your feet. Foot Solutions is dedicated to proving that happy feet make for a healthy body. With better fitting, more comfortable shoes and/or orthotics you may better live with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Again, omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil can relieve the inflammatory symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Fish oil in conjunction with olive oil have shown to work even better. Tonight might be a good night for an olive oil dressing on the salad you serve with grilled salmon.


• Osteoarthritis – Most commonly affects the big toe but can arise in many joints of your foot. As you age a change in your foot’s arch may also mean a case of mild arthritis. Foot Solutions measures and scans your foot to better provide a unique solution for you.


• Inflammatory arthritis – a discomfort often related to an arthritic inflammation in the tendons and the other soft tissue structures of the foot. Foot Solutions knows that so much foot pain derives from neglected feet. Your feet have 52 bones, 66 joints, 214 ligaments and 38 muscles and a painful domino effect will occur if the foundation of your body is ignored.


• Gout – Created when an excess of uric acid forms crystals in the foot. Often first forming in the big toe, gout is extremely painful and will flare up one to two weeks at a time. Foot Solutions hates to break it to you but some of your favorite guilty pleasures like rich and fatty foods, and excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages may increase uric acid levels. Not only can we help ease the pain with gel pads, but gout often occurs in areas of the foot that have been previously injured. Once again, to avoid something as painful as gout, Foot Solutions will find right shoe and provide you with the proper preventative maintenance. There are medications for gout. Losing weight and altering your diet will help as well. Trust us, if you get gout (mostly men,) you’ll desperately want to talk to your doctor about how to treat it.


• Plantar fasciitis – Once called ‘policeman’s foot,’ it involves an inflammation under the heel bone (or calcaneus). It is most common in women. Foot Solutions will help you find the footwear and/or insoles that ease the pain of and help heal Plantar Fasciitis.


• Arch/Ball-of-foot pain arthritis – Over time as the arch of your foot changes, so does the rest of its structure. A flattened arch will put strain on other areas that lead to pain and discomfort. Nerves and other soft tissues can be damaged and this will lead to further problems. Foot Solutions can stop this before it ever happens. The right arch support or orthotic will prevent your foot from ‘falling’.


• Neuroma – Over time a nerve in your forefoot will thicken causing it to rub against other tissues. You might be dealing with neuroma if you feel a pain, numbness or tingling in your toes & forefoot. Foot Solutions has the special insoles and pads, perhaps even a roomier shoe (women often wear too-small shoes) will put an end to neuroma.


• Rheumatoid Nodules – People already diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis could find hardened pea-sized bumps in toe joints, heels or on the toes themselves. These are sites of pressure that are vulnerable to the nodules and ensuing discomfort. Foot Solutions has the padding and insoles to make your foot more comfortable. In some cases you may want surgery to get the nodules removed (we don’t offer that.) A recommended dietary supplement to help with your RA is fish and olive oil. The omega-3 fatty acids have shown to help.


• Calluses or corns – In areas of your foot susceptible to high pressure and friction it is common to find calluses. Calluses will lead to the formation of a corn. Foot Solutions offers the foot care kits and necessary education to safely remove calluses and corns. (NEVER WITH A BLADE!) But first we’ll want to see if the shoes you are wearing actually fit. Often feet operating in cramped conditions are the first to form calluses and corns.


• Bunions – This growth appears near the joint of the base of the big toe. It can turn your big toe sideways so that it’s almost pointing at the little toe on the same foot. As you can imagine this can be extremely painful, unsightly and irritating. The inflammation and swelling of a bunion is caused by arthritis in the foot and even birth deformities, but most often by years of wearing shoes with pointed toes. Foot Solutions knows you want to wear the styles you want and we can help you stay bunion-free while still looking your best. If you have bunions already, then we can help you live more comfortably and possibly help keep your bunions from getting worse.