How Orthotics Can Help You Treat Arthritis in the Foot
Arthritis of any joint is unpleasant. Arthritis of the foot is particularly debilitating, with the pain often leaving you unable to walk.
Lifestyle management and medications provide one form of relief, but orthotic solutions can often be a gamechanger for those who suffer from arthritic feet. This article will examine how arthritis of the foot develops, the symptoms to watch out for, and how orthotic support can get you back on your feet.
How Arthritis in the Foot Develops
What is essential to know is that not all arthritis conditions are the same. Arthritis in foot symptoms may differ depending on the kind of arthritis you have and its cause. Understanding where your arthritis comes from is the first step in combatting it.
The most common form of arthritis in feet is Osteoarthritis. This form of arthritis develops from damage to the cartilage between joints - the material provides cushioning between your bones. Considering that the foot is full of joints, it’s no wonder that arthritis in foot symptoms is a concern, with “classic” arthritis, stiffness and pain being its hallmarks.
Osteoarthritis generally develops in two ways. The first is simply as part of the ageing process - as you use your joints more. Eventually, they start to wear down: this is why arthritis is often associated with older patients.
However, we can also develop arthritis by injuries to those joints; this is where football and soccer players develop, along with other athletes.
Of course, you don’t need to be an athlete to develop arthritis in the feet. People in any occupation can injure their feet, especially if they don’t have well-fitted shoes with orthotic support.
The other primary form of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis. The critical difference in this kind of arthritis is that it is a hereditary chronic disease. This means that arthritis can strike anyone, regardless of age or occupation, and it always pays to watch out for arthritis in foot symptoms.
What are the Symptoms of Arthritis in the Foot
So what are those arthritis in foot symptoms? There are a few main things to look out for when identifying arthritis in feet. It’s always best to consult with a doctor instead of self-diagnosing.
Still, you may want to consult that doctor if you have any of the following symptoms:
- Visible swelling
- Visible redness or inflammation
- Stiffness of joints
- Joints feeling warmer than the rest of the body
- Trouble walking
- Trouble moving feet or ankles
- Pain when you move your feet
- Pain when standing
- Pain that continues even if you rest your feet
How Custom Orthotics Can Help
If you’re wondering how you treat arthritis in the foot, custom made orthotics can be one of your best weapons in the fight against pain. More importantly, custom orthotics provide a crucial role in preventing arthritis from happening in the first place.
The way that orthotics provide arthritis prevention and relief is through the redistribution of weight. Often, wear and tear on the joints will happen because a particular joint takes relatively more of the body’s weight than was intended.
When considering how you treat arthritis in the foot, making sure you have even weight distribution is crucial.
Custom orthotics can be designed to reduce pressure and stress on the most vulnerable areas and thus reduce the pain from arthritis. Custom made orthotics are lovely because they are a solution that can be tailored to specific cases of arthritis, targeting the particular joints that need the most relief.
Orthotics also can serve to prevent arthritis from worsening. By redistributing how the body carries its weight, we can remove sources of wear and tear from walking and other movements.
Your body is a powerful but delicate machine, and too much pressure on a single area over time can lead to arthritic pain - orthotics help keep the pressure more evenly spread out. The support they give also lowers the risk of arthritic causing foot injuries.
Tips to Manage Arthritic Feet
Orthotics are one method of treating arthritis in feet, but there are many other tools available. By using as many of these tools as possible, you can both reduce current discomfort and slow the process of joint wear that causes more severe orthotics. Some good tips for managing arthritis in the feet include:
- Custom Orthotics
- More Comfortable Footwear
- Gentle Exercise
- Weight Loss
- Ice Packs
- Foot Massages
- Pain Medication
- Surgical Options (Consult a physician)
Get Orthotics Support Today
The best time to start combating arthritis is before it even happens. The best way to do that is to take good care of your feet and their vulnerable joints. And one of your best methods of joint protection is custom orthotics, shaped to give the outstanding support you need.
