Each foot has 26 bones and 33 joints — together, the feet contain more than 25 percent of the bones in your entire body. The lower extremities support us each day in every activity. It is important to pay attention to any pain, swelling, stiffness, or burning in the feet. Arthritis can form anywhere in the feet, but the most common form is osteoarthritis. Getting arthritis can tremendously transform someone’s life, but luckily, through the years, foot care specialists have found ways to treat and prevent the wide range of symptoms that arise from arthritis. 

What Is Osteoarthritis?

Arthritis is a complex disease that encompasses over 100 different disorders. In general terms, arthritis is inflammation and swelling of the cartilage and lining of the joints. This is generally accompanied by an increase of fluid in the joints. Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage between the bones of your feet degrades over time. The cushioning between the bones disappears, and the bones painfully rub against each other. Osteoarthritis usually affects elderly men and women but is more common in women. 

What Causes Arthritis?

The different types of arthritis can be brought on due to:

• Trauma—to the body or joints
• Aging— the most common cause of osteoarthritis 
• Genes—for some patients, arthritis may be hereditary.
• Infections—viral or bacterial 
• Occupation—certain work environments that require you to bend or be on your feet for long hours predispose patients to osteoarthritis.
• Gender—women are more likely to develop osteoarthritis as they age.

Symptoms of Arthritis

The most common symptoms of osteoarthritis are:

• Pain
• Stiffness
• Swelling
• Tenderness
• Loss of flexibility or regular movement
• Grating or rubbing sensation

Diagnosis for Arthritis

For an accurate diagnosis, a podiatrist physician will:

• Review your complete health history, including your current symptoms 
• Physically examine the movement of your joints
• Conduct imaging and lab tests to evaluate joint fluid content

An arthritis diagnosis can be categorized into:

• Inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis
• Degenerative arthritis, such as osteoarthritis
• Metabolic arthritis, such as gout
• Infectious arthritis, in the case of patients with Lyme disease

If you are experiencing discomfort in your feet or ankles, call our Cromwell, Connecticut office at (860)-632-5499 to schedule an appointment with our board-certified podiatrist Dr. Adam Mucinskas or visit our website for more information.