Arthritis in the Feet
Rheumatoid arthritis, gout and osteoarthritis are more commonly known types of arthritis, however there are many other types of arthritis. The bones in the joint along with the soft tissues around the joints such as cartilage, joint capsule, ligaments and tendons become inflamed and painful.
The cause of this joint inflammation can be due to:
- Injury
- Ageing process
- Trauma from occupational or sporting activities
- Abnormal metabolic processes in the body
- Inherit certain types of arthritis from one your parents or grandparents
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is caused by wear and tear over a life time. This is a progressive degenerative disease. Women are affected more than men. Osteoarthritis is caused by a thinning of the cartilage covering the bone ends in the joint. This is an on going process until you start to notice the pain of your bones rubbing together.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a common type of arthritis that occurs more frequently in women as compared to men.
The cause of Rheumatoid arthritis is thought to be auto- immune. This disease process causes the body’s own immune system to attack the soft tissues around the joint. The synovial tissues around the joint are attacked resulting in bone destruction and a loss of joint lubrication. The synovial tissues produce lubrication for the joint. The result is the joint becomes stiff and very painful and inflamed. This creates limited mobility and movement especially if this occurs in the foot joints.
Gout
Gout is a frequently mentioned disease in historical texts including the bible. Gout is caused by a build up of uric acid crystals in the fluid of the joint spaces and tissues throughout the body.
Uric acid is a breakdown product that forms after the body digests and metabolizes the foods we eat. Some people inherit an abnormality in the body’s ability to process uric acid and this inability by the body to handle uric acid will lead to painful attacks in the joints and elsewhere in the body.
