5 Ways Arthritis Can Affect Your Feet

The Arthritis Foundation reports that there are over 100 types of arthritis. It’s a catch-all classification, including any illness that primarily affects joints in your body. 

You might not think of feet as a primary location for arthritic conditions, at least not until they start to affect you. However, there are both general and specific ways that arthritis can affect your feet — medical issues that can slow you down without treatment. 

The podiatrists at Hudson Valley Foot Associates diagnose and treat arthritis of the foot along with other common problems that affect your feet and, by extension, your ability to move. We’ll take a closer look today at five ways arthritis can affect your feet. 

Osteoarthritis

The most common form of arthritis may also be the most likely form to affect your feet. Osteoarthritis is a wear-and-tear type condition. It can happen spontaneously as you get older, or it may develop at the site of a foot injury. 

The metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint at the base of your big toe can become stiff and painful. It bears most of your body weight with every step, so dysfunction here can have a big impact on the way you move. 

Osteoarthritis starts with the deterioration of the smooth cartilage covering bone ends at joints. Virtually any joint could suffer from this form of the disease. 

Gout

Resulting from high levels of uric acid in your blood, gout happens when uric acid crystals form in a joint, causing extreme, sharp pain as these crystals interfere with the normal function of the joint. The MTP joint is also frequently affected by gout, though it can settle in your ankle too. 

Rheumatoid arthritis

An autoimmune disorder, rheumatoid arthritis follows osteoarthritis as the second most common form of the disease. It often appears in matching joints on each side of your body, resulting from the immune system attacking normal, healthy tissue. 

Rheumatoid arthritis causes swelling, warmth, and stiffness in joints and without treatment can cause erosion and disfiguration of joints. Bursitis is another common symptom of this form of arthritis. 

Psoriatic arthritis

People with the skin condition psoriasis can also develop connective tissue problems called psoriatic arthritis. In the foot, it can cause a range of problems including inflammation of toes (called dactylitis or “sausage toes”), Achilles tendinitis, plantar fasciitis, and the formation of bone spurs. 

Ankylosing spondylitis

Usually forming as a spinal condition, ankylosing spondylitis is an inflammatory form of arthritis that, over time, can cause joint bones to fuse together. It can also affect your feet, displaying symptoms similar to psoriatic arthritis, including dactylitis and plantar fasciitis. 

You can minimize the impact of arthritis on your feet and mobility by seeking professional advice at the first sign of symptoms. Contact us at Hudson Valley Foot Associates at any of our five locations. You can request an appointment by phone or online, so plan your visit today.