Foot arthritis is a painful condition that causes ones joints to deform and degenerate. Find out about the symptoms of this condition, and how it comes about in its initial stages...

Arthritis is a condition that is the result of an infection present in the joints, aging or trauma inflicted upon joints. Arthritis in feet patients experience a lot of pain in the feet area and other body parts like the hip, neck, knee and back. It takes place because of an inflammation surrounding the joint area, damaging it over time, causing wear and tear to the joint. Muscle strains occur as well, due to sudden movements as a result of strain against the stiff joints. The most common types of arthritis are 'osteoarthritis' and 'rheumatoid arthritis'. Find out about the symptoms of this painful condition, and how to identify them if you / others, have it.

Types of Arthritis

Before we get into the symptoms of this condition, let us look into the two common types of arthritis.

Osteoarthritis
This disorder causes wear and tear of the joints, and is a degenerative joint disease. This is a common type of arthritis in feet/toes, because of the constant pressure applied to the big toe when we walk. This in turn causes the cartilage to erode, making the bones fuse together, resulting in achy, stiff joints. This can be a serious condition, since one can even sprain their foot, or suffer from a severe fracture. One of the arthritis symptoms in fingers is when the knuckles of one's hands, enlarge. Joint pain in arthritis, takes place in the middle-aged and older people, targeting areas like the knees, hip, back, fingers and neck.

Rheumatoid Arthritis
This is a systemic disease, that riddles the whole body, affecting all muscles and joints in the foot. It can be a genetic disease, and can pass down through one's family line. Both men and women experience this disorder. It starts in the feet area, resulting in the arch collapsing, where toes then contract and draw backward. This needs to be treated in time, in order to cancel out its painful and severe effects on the body. If left untreated it can lead to change in shape and placement of joints, where movement is stunted and the pain is excruciating. It can also trigger an inflammation in the lungs and eyes, since the immune system is then targeted in the long run.

Arthritis in Knees and Feet

When arthritis starts in the feet, it is likely to develop in other parts of the body in some cases. Symptoms of knee arthritis tend to go and come, sometimes turning into good or bad situations, with it worsening as it progresses. Due to the uncertain way in which it occurs, it is hard to deal with the symptoms, and judge rightly the overall state of the condition. That is why it is better to consult a doctor for arthritis treatment, when you experience prolonged pain in the joint area. Here are the foot arthritis symptoms, as well as the ways it affects one's knees.

Knees

• Swelling of joints
• Motion is limited
• Stiff knee
• Knee pain is triggered when active
• Flesh is tender around joints
• Bow legs / knock knees structure
• Sensation of losing balance, as joints feel weak

Foot

• Bunions (swelling of big toe) are a common feature when it comes to rheumatoid arthritis patients
• Corns on feet
• One witnesses ulcers and calluses
• Thick nails due to bunions
• Big toe turns stiff, and is painful to move (hallux rigidus)
• Ankle joint tendons become infected, and patients suffer from a lot of pain

Arthritis in feet can be a very painful condition to deal with, with other parts of one's body highly afflicted by the pain which can later lead to a deformity. Get yourself and others checked if you experience anything out of the ordinary. Stick to an arthritic diet, and use natural methods like acupuncture and meditation to ease pain.