More than one in six adults over the age of 50 in the United Kingdom are affected by painful foot osteoarthritis, a number that is higher than previously believed. The new research from Keele University shows that the disease, which affects 3.5 million UK adults, has a significant impact on daily tasks.
The research was led by Keele University's Arthritis Research UK Primary Care Centre and included 5,000 participants. More than one million visits every year are made to doctors because of osteoarthritis, a disease with symptoms of inflammation of the joints, damage to cartilage, and swelling of the bone. Difficulty moving, pain, and stiffness are effects of these symptoms.
The research team found that painful foot arthritis affects more women than men, and is more common in those who have spent their careers performing manual work. Previous studies focused on x-ray findings, and this was the first to investigate how foot arthritis affects the daily lives of sufferers. Three-quarters of people with the condition reported having trouble with everyday activities like walking, standing, housework, and shopping.
This new study included new methods of detecting osteoarthritis in the midfoot, which had previously been difficult to diagnose.
Dr. Edward Roddy, clinical senior lecturer in rheumatology at Keele University, said, "Foot osteoarthritis is a more common and disabling problem than we previously thought, making everyday tasks difficult and painful for people affected.
"While it's been known for decades that joints in the foot can be affected by osteoarthritis, much of the previous research has focused on the hip and knee areas, and research on the foot has concentrated almost entirely on the bunion joint at the base of the big toe. However, by looking at the whole foot and the impact on people's lives, it's clear the problem is more widespread than we anticipated.
"This is an area that needs much more research to understand the reasons why people develop osteoarthritis in their feet, and what we can do to help improve pain and suffering from this common condition. Doctors and other healthcare professionals should also be aware of osteoarthritis as a common cause of foot pain in this age group."
Professor Anthony Redman, spokesman for Arthritis Research UK and Professor of Clinical Biomechanics at the University of Leeds said, "We know that foot problems become much more common as we get older but the medical and healthcare community have been guilty in the past of dismissing this as just an inevitable part of aging.
"We have long known about some forms of osteoarthritis in the feet such as bunions, which are a common type of osteoarthritic damage affecting the big toe joints and are taken much more seriously, with both on-surgical and surgical treatments widely employed. The study tells us that if we want to keep our over 50's active and healthy we should be similarly serious about arch or midfoot pain. While osteoarthritis does not yet have a miracle cure, the associated pain and disability are not inevitable and people with foot pain should be given genuine treatment options- something can always be done."
Reference: Medical Xpress
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Showing posts with label osteoarthritis in the foot. Show all posts
Showing posts with label osteoarthritis in the foot. Show all posts
Sunday, January 19, 2014
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Osteoarthritis in the Foot and Ankle
Osteoarthritis is a condition characterized by the breakdown and eventual loss of cartilage in one or more joints. Cartilage (the connective tissue found at the end of the bones in the joints) protects and cushions the bones during movement. When cartilage deteriorates or is lost, symptoms develop that can restrict one's ability to easily perform daily activities.
Osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative arthritis, reflecting its nature to develop as part of the aging process. As the most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis affects millions of Americans. Some people refer to osteoarthritis simply as arthritis, even though there are many different types of arthritis.
Osteoarthritis appears at various joints throughout the body, including the hands, feet, spine, hips, and knees. In the foot, the disease most frequently occurs in the big toe, although it is also often found in the midfoot and ankle.
Osteoarthritis is considered a wear and tear disease because the cartilage in the joint wears down with repeated stress and use over time. As the cartilage deteriorates and gets thinner, the bones lose their protective covering and eventually may rub together, causing pain and inflammation of the joint.
An injury may also lead to osteoarthritis, although it may take months or years after the injury for the condition to develop. For example, osteoarthritis in the big toe is often caused by kicking or jamming the toe, or by dropping something on the toe. Osteoarthritis in the midfoot is often caused by dropping something on it, or by a sprain or fracture. In the ankle, osteoarthritis is usually caused by a fracture and occasionally by a severe sprain.
Sometimes osteoarthritis develops as a result of abnormal foot mechanics such as flat feet or high arches. A flat foot causes less stability in the ligaments (bands of tissue that connect bones), resulting in excessive strain on the joints, which can cause arthritis. A high arch is rigid and lacks mobility, causing a jamming of joints that creates an increased risk of arthritis.
People with osteoarthritis in the foot or ankle experience, in varying degrees, one or more of the following:
In osteoarthritis, the foot and ankle surgeon will examine the foot thoroughly, looking for swelling in the joint, limited mobility, and pain with movement. In some cases, deformity and/or enlargement (spur) of the joint may be noted. X-rays may be ordered to evaluate the extent of the disease.
To help relieve symptoms, the surgeons may treat osteoarthritis with one or more of the following non-surgical approaches:
If you have osteoarthritis in the feet and do not currently see a podiatrist, call one of our six locations to make an appointment.
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Podiatrists in CT
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Osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative arthritis, reflecting its nature to develop as part of the aging process. As the most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis affects millions of Americans. Some people refer to osteoarthritis simply as arthritis, even though there are many different types of arthritis.
Osteoarthritis appears at various joints throughout the body, including the hands, feet, spine, hips, and knees. In the foot, the disease most frequently occurs in the big toe, although it is also often found in the midfoot and ankle.
An injury may also lead to osteoarthritis, although it may take months or years after the injury for the condition to develop. For example, osteoarthritis in the big toe is often caused by kicking or jamming the toe, or by dropping something on the toe. Osteoarthritis in the midfoot is often caused by dropping something on it, or by a sprain or fracture. In the ankle, osteoarthritis is usually caused by a fracture and occasionally by a severe sprain.
Sometimes osteoarthritis develops as a result of abnormal foot mechanics such as flat feet or high arches. A flat foot causes less stability in the ligaments (bands of tissue that connect bones), resulting in excessive strain on the joints, which can cause arthritis. A high arch is rigid and lacks mobility, causing a jamming of joints that creates an increased risk of arthritis.
People with osteoarthritis in the foot or ankle experience, in varying degrees, one or more of the following:
- Pain and stiffness in the joint
- Swelling in or near the joint
- Difficulty walking or bending the joint
In osteoarthritis, the foot and ankle surgeon will examine the foot thoroughly, looking for swelling in the joint, limited mobility, and pain with movement. In some cases, deformity and/or enlargement (spur) of the joint may be noted. X-rays may be ordered to evaluate the extent of the disease.
To help relieve symptoms, the surgeons may treat osteoarthritis with one or more of the following non-surgical approaches:
- Oral medications. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, are often helpful in reducing the inflammation and pain. Occasionally a prescription for a steroidal medication is needed to adequately reduce symptoms.
- Orthotic devices. Custom orthotic devices (shoe inserts) are often prescribed to provide support to improve the foot's mechanics or cushioning to help minimize pain.
- Bracing. Bracing, which restricts motion and supports the joint, can reduce pain during walking and help prevent further deformity.
- Immobilization. Protecting the foot from movement by wearing a cast or removable cast-boot may be necessary to allow the inflammation to resolve.
- Steroid injections. In some cases, steroid injections are applied to the affected joint to deliver anti-inflammatory medication.
- Physical therapy. Exercises to strengthen the muscles, especially when the osteoarthritis occurs in the ankle, may give the patient greater stability and help avoid injury that might worsen the condition.
If you have osteoarthritis in the feet and do not currently see a podiatrist, call one of our six locations to make an appointment.
Connecticut Foot Care Centers
Podiatrists in CT
Visit our website, friend and like our page on Facebook, and follow our tweets on Twitter.
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