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There are more than 52 million adults in the United States who suffer from joint inflammation caused by arthritis. Its a disabling condition that is especially prevalent among people over age 50.

Feet are especially susceptible to arthritis; each foot has 33 joints, and there is no way to avoid bearing weight on them.

The Michigan Podiatric Medical Association says symptoms of arthritis in the foot and ankle can include early morning stiffness, limitation in motion of joint, recurring pain or tenderness in any joint, redness or heat in joint, skin changes and swelling in one or more joints.

There is usually no need to endure years of painful ambulation because of arthritic feet, said Dr. Jodie Sengstock, MPMA director of professional relations. Most conditions can be diagnosed and treated either conservatively or surgically by a podiatrist.

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Arthritis of the foot and ankle can be treated in many ways, including physical therapy and exercise, orthotics or specially prescribed shoes, and joint replacement surgery. In addition, anti-inflammatory medication and/or steroid injections into the affected joint may also provide relief.

Obesity is linked to arthritis; when you take a step any step four times your body weight presses on your feet. If you weigh 200 pounds, thats 800 pounds of pressure per inch with every step. The best way to lose weight is to eat smarter.

Although it may seem counterintuitive to move your joints when theyre a source of pain, its still important to keep moving. As you age, you lose 1 percent of muscle mass a year. The more you lose, the more strain you put on your joints because muscles are the joints primary shock absorbers. You can slow that muscle loss with strength exercises. If possible walk 30 minutes a day. If walking is painful, try a stationary bike or water exercise to build strength and endurance.

Debra Kaszubski, Vitality special writer, contributed to this report.

More:
When it comes to arthritis, feet bear a tremendous weight - The Macomb Daily

This entry was posted on June 2, 2017 at 4:44 am and is filed under Arthritis. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |