Arthritis
Arthritis is the swelling and tenderness of one or more of your joints. The main symptoms of arthritis are joint pain and stiffness, which typically worsen with age. The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.The primary targets for arthritis are people over the age of 50.
Arthritis is a major cause of foot pain because each foot has 33 joints that can become affected by the disease.
There are many different types of arthritis with 3 main types of arthritis being the cause of various foot problems. Anyone can have arthritis; in children it is called juvenile arthritis.
Causes
Osteoarthritis causes cartilage — the hard, slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones where they form a joint — to break down. Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease in which the immune system attacks the joints, beginning with the lining of joints.
Uric acid crystals, which form when there's too much uric acid in your blood, can cause gout. Infections or underlying disease, such as psoriasis or lupus, can cause other types of arthritis.
Another type of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis. It can develop at any age and there is no known cause for this condition. Rheumatoid arthritis is the most crippling form of the disease that can affect people of all ages. It can cause severe deformities of the joints with associated fatigue of the entire body. People who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis often develop severe forefoot problems such as bunions, hammer toes, claw toes, and others.
Solutions
Treatments vary depending on the type of arthritis. The main goals of arthritis treatments are to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life.
Non-surgical treatment of the arthritic foot includes proper footwear, orthotics, and/or forefoot supports. Arthritic footwear should provide the following benefits:
High, wide toe box (high and wide space in the toe area)
Removable insoles for fitting flexibility and the option to insert orthotics if necessary.
Rocker Soles designed to facilitate ambulating (walking) and to reduce stress and pain at the ball-of-the-foot.
Arthritic footwear should also accommodate swelling of the foot.
