Poss early arthritis in feet at 30?

immoral_angeluk

Hi guys,

After 2 months of pain in my big toe joints and ending up having to walk with a stick, I saw a GP, who diagnosed me with mild joint degeneration after an xray. She says at this stage there's no specific treatment as it's just from wear and tear, but told me to 'get good shoes, exercise and look after your joints' in a 2 min phone appointment.

I'm feeling confused and worried as she didn't really explain anything about it or offer any kind of advice other than that. After a lot of googling I settled on skechers memory foam shoes for walking and found out that I shouldn't wear flats, heels or anything tight. It's all fair and good telling me to exercise but walking/gardening or doing anything involving putting weight on my feet really has been excrutiating at times.

I'm not looking for medical advice as I'm going to book an appointment with a different doctor and ask them to explain it (after the inevitable 2-3 week wait) but I'm wondering if anyone on here has any experience of this kind of thing they could share?

I'm guessing it'll progressively get worse but the lack of info is more frightening that anything!

immoral_angeluk

NB: google only gives my info on arthritis/osteoarthritis but I've no idea really if it's severe enough to call it that or at what point it becomes that?

Upsidedown_Bear

You've probably seen this but if not it might be helpful
http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/
http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/arthritis-information/arthritis-information-search-results.aspx?keywords=foot&source=bodyMap

WestonDave

My wife has had a lot of similar sounding pain but in her case plantar fasciitis was the diagnosis - albeit her pain is more generalised over her feet. Same suggestions though - good shaped shoes etc. If it is degenerated joints then exercise seems an odd suggestion as it will only cause more wear.

immoral_angeluk

From what I've read about the exercise it's more to do with strengthening the muscles that support the worn joints? It's all so confused. Apparently cycling and swimming are good for it though.
I have an alloment so am frequently gardening as a form of exercise but all the crounching/bending etc just aggravates it so will need to find some way to avoid things like that.

Dustyblinds

When I went to my doctor last year with knee pain and pain in my feet he was very helpful. The foot pain was Planta fasciitis and the knee turned out to be osteoarthritis. He suggested the Strasbourg sock for my feet and getting good insoles, which worked. For the knee he suggested a few different supplements, I took his advice and got glucosamine sulphate from simply supplements, that and rose hip supplement seem to have done the trick for my knees, I have even managed to take up jogging again, which I never expected to be able to do. Maybe you could ask to see a different doctor at your practice if possible, my gp was really helpful, shame you don't seem to have been given the help/advice I was given.

pogofish

Exercise does help - and it also helps you feel better and keep on top of the condition. You need to work out a selection that avoids too much impact and does not overload the joint/s

I've been through this - older than you but still relatively young compared to many of my fellow patients by the time I got to surgery. Which took years because I was considered low priority despite an initial diagnosis of moderate to severe. By the time they did get to surgery there was nothing much to speak of left in the joint and the pain/difficulty in movement was extreme.

Its nearly two years since the surgery and the most progress back to fitness/good mobility has been in the last six months since starting proper physio. The first year post-op was spent just getting my feeling in the operated portion back, then my balance and a reasonable gait back. A long, slow, thankless slog!

The youngest I've known to have this was a teenager, a friend's daughter and she'd been operated-on and had bounced back like only youngsters do by the time she was seventeen!

It would be worth getting your doc to refer you to an Orthototics clinic, who can give you good practical advice and will modify your shoes in ways that will help minimise the strain/loading on the affected joints - This did help a lot at the time and even this long after surgery, I do still occasionally fall back on my modified shoes on the most painful days.

Susan1962

Just a small thing but keep your feet as warm as possible. If it is arthritis then the cold weather will be a challenge. You can buy thermal shoe/boot liners or wear layers of socks but just keep them warm and keep the circulation going in the cold weather - wiggle your toes, make circles with your ankles, etc, so they don't stiffen up as much.

As for supplements - Glucosamine, Chondrotin and MSM combined have been helpful for me.

immoral_angeluk

Thanks everyone, will book another appointment with my usual doctor and ask for a referral. Thanks for all the help!

Gingernutty

Ask for a referral to a podiatrist.

I too have a range of things wrong - early OA, bunions, plantar fasciitis, Morton's neuroma and a wide gait which exacerbates these problems and causes callouses and corns.

I was given orthotics to put in my shoes and they don't half help!

It sounds counter-intuitive to put something so hard and bulky into your shoes, but it works.

Sadly, I have to be very picky about which shoes I can wear - some of the memory foam/soft/flat shoes are the worst thing you can wear.

MallyGirl

I had plantar fasciitis and have found a huge improvement, after the initial ultrasound treatment, by buying really well fitting trainers and having insoles heat moulded to support my feet. I didn't used to wear trainers much but I live in them now.