Arthritis is the joint damage which causes swelling, pain, stiffness and physical changes in your joints. Arthritis is a general term involving more than a hundred condition. Several types of Arthritis can cause pain and inflammation around the foot and ankle joints and nearby soft tissues. The cartilage which cushions the joints starts to wear, and the bones will start rub against each other.

Causes
Osteoarthritis –

A condition where the cartilage in the joints wears away

Gout –

When you have uric acid buildup from your diet

Post-traumatic Arthritis –

After an injury to the foot and ankle joint

Rheumatoid Arthritis –

An autoimmune condition where the body’s immune system attacks its tissue leading to severe joint damage

Psoriatic Arthritis –

An itchy painful skin condition which may cause pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints

Obesity
Symptoms

• Pain increases with activity
• Swelling in the joints, warmth, tenderness and redness
• Difficulty in walking
• Increased pain after you rest such as sitting or sleeping
• Morning stiffness
• Pain flares up after Strenuous activity

Diagnosis

A physical examination of the joint, X-rays, MRI or CT scans can help diagnose the Arthritis condition and its severity.

Treatment

Depending upon the type of Arthritis and underlying medical condition or diseases, your doctor will work out a treatment plan. Some of theconventional non-surgical treatment approaches are

• Oral medication such as anti-inflammatory (nonsteroidal) drugs to help with swelling and pain
• Heat or cold compression
• Steroid injections to the joints
• Lifestyle modifications
• Switching from high-impact activities to low impact activities
• Maintain a healthy weight to reduce stress on the joints
• Orthotics, Custom-fitted shoes, Assisted Devices
• Pain Relievers
• Exercise to help you relieve pain, keep your feet healthy and flexible. Some of the practices good for your feet are Toe pull, Toe curl, Big-toe stretch, Achilles Stretch.

If the Arthritis doesn’t get any better with non-surgical treatment approaches the doctor may consider surgery for foot and ankle arthritis, namely

• Arthroscopic debridement
• Arthrodesis
• Arthroplasty

Recovery

Recovery depends upon the severity of Arthritis. With proper lifestyle changes, exercise and adequate rest, you will be able to recover from mild to moderate arthritis condition. In severe cases, when you undergo surgery, your recovery may take several months and be completely pain-free.

Prevention

• Lifestyle modifications
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Gentle exercises such as stretching and strengthening of muscles and joints
• Switching to low-impact activities
• Trying to avoid the activity or keeping it to a minimum that triggers the flare-ups of symptoms