Many people all over the world are faced with various diseases of the legs and feet. Such pathologies cause a lot of trouble. The quality of life of patients can be significantly reduced. To prevent negative consequences, it is necessary to start the right treatment in time. When the first symptoms of the disease appear, consult a doctor. Next, existing diseases of the joints of the legs and feet, the treatment of these pathologies, as well as their main signs, will be reviewed.
Features of foot diseases
Diseases of the joints of the feet and legs are quite common. Previously, most ailments of this type were common among the elderly. Today, such pathologies are often diagnosed in middle-aged people and even children. This is due to the appearance of a large number of birth defects, as well as an improper lifestyle. Some people do not accept sports at all. There is a special category of patients who, on the contrary, received serious injuries in the process of performing strength exercises.
Joints are a system that is exposed to negative external and internal factors. With increased load, various pathologies quickly develop. They can have a different nature - inflammatory or dystrophic.
Diseases of the joints of the foot and legs cause pain, discomfort. Their mobility may decrease over time. Sometimes the disease develops almost asymptomatically. This is especially characteristic of the initial stage of the disease. However, everyone should know the symptoms that indicate the need to visit a doctor.
It is also worth noting that self-medication can be dangerous. Symptoms of different diseases may be similar. Therefore, without a proper examination, even a doctor can make a mistake. Joint diseases often provoke other pathologies in the body. Therefore, without their identification and proper treatment, it will not be possible to move on. There are a number of diseases of the joints of the legs and feet, which differ in certain signs.
Arthritis
One common disease is arthritis. This is an inflammatory pathology that can be triggered by various factors. Sometimes it can be an infection. However, there are a number of non-infectious causes due to which arthritis develops. This disease can affect both large and small joints.
Treatment of arthritis of the legs requires the use of the correct set of procedures. This disease can affect only one joint. This is monoarthritis. If several joints are affected, the disease is called polyarthritis.
If the disease is caused by an infection, the pathogen enters the joint bag with blood flow. Sometimes this happens with an open wound. In this case, the infection enters from the external environment. In some cases, hypothermia can cause arthritis. This is especially manifested against a background of reduced immunity. If the body has chronic foci of infection, it can also provoke arthritis in the joints of the limbs.
Symptoms of this disease are quite specific. Soreness and swelling appear in the joint. The skin above it may turn red. If you touch it, there is a local increase in temperature. The pain appears more often in the morning, after waking up. In this case, complex treatment is required. Arthritis of the feet and legs, the treatment of which is prescribed exclusively by a doctor, takes place under the influence of hormonal, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agents.
Arthrosis
Considering the names of diseases of the joints of the legs and feet, one should name such a common disease as arthrosis. This is a pathology of a degenerative-dystrophic nature. Often, it replaces arthritis if it is not treated properly. This disease affects the articular cartilage.
Due to increased stress on the joint, arthrosis may develop after injuries. Also, a similar disease occurs after surgery on the legs. Some people have a genetic predisposition to this ailment. Increased loads make cartilage less elastic. Over time, it becomes thinner. This gradually leads to the destruction of bone tissue.
There are certain symptoms of arthrosis. The joint may be deformed. Over time, mobility in it decreases. This process is accompanied by pain. They especially intensify after prolonged walking, when climbing stairs, etc. The joint hurts at the end of the day. In the morning, the pain almost subsides. Also, if the limb is not loaded, the discomfort disappears. This is characteristic of arthrosis.
If timely treatment is not started, joint tissues are destroyed. This process is irreversible. Therefore, everything must be done to stop this process, to prevent arthrosis from destroying the joint further. In this case, complex treatment is required. The doctor prescribes chondroprotectors, drugs to normalize blood circulation and metabolic processes in the tissues. Also required is a course of physiotherapy, massage.
Gout
Special treatment for inflammation of the joint of the foot or legs is required for gout. This is a rather dangerous and painful pathology. Uric acid salts accumulate in the tissues of the joint. Most often, this defeat applies to the metatarsophalangeal parts.
The ailment occurs due to the use of a large amount of protein food, bad habits, alcohol. Uric acid does not have time to be excreted from the body. She gets into the blood. In the joints, uric acid salts cause inflammation. This causes severe bouts of pain. Most often they happen at night. The disease requires proper treatment, otherwise the attacks will be repeated again and again. The joint will gradually collapse.
During therapy, the doctor prescribes uricodepressants. They reduce the production of uric acid. In this case, it is extremely important to adhere to a special diet. Protein foods should be reduced in the diet to a minimum. Otherwise, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and other degenerative changes will develop .
Hallux valgus
There are many diseases that develop in the foot area. They can be quite specific. Considering the symptoms and treatment of diseases of the joints of the feet and legs, one of the common pathologies should be noted. This is a hallux valgus. It develops in the joints of the ankle. They are bent, which leads to the development of other pathologies of the musculoskeletal system.
The heel support is shifted from the center to its inner edge. Determining the pathology is simple. You need to put your legs together. The distance between the heels will indicate the development of this ailment. In this case, the middle section of the foot is lowered. Due to the appearance of congenital or acquired dysfunctions of the foot tissue, a redistribution of load occurs.
The situation is exacerbated by the development of flat feet. The bones of the foot are displaced relative to each other. This is called hallux valgus. Similar diseases of the joints of the foot more often occur in childhood. The cause is often congenital dysplasia of the connective tissues. A number of other diseases transferred in childhood can lead to the development of this pathology.
Such deformation causes pain, especially after walking. Discomfort is also determined in the muscles of the legs. The gait is broken. In the initial stages of the disease, orthopedic shoes should be worn. The doctor prescribes special gymnastics, physiotherapy and massage. With severe deformation, only the operation can correct the situation.
Finger curvature
In the modern world, diseases of the joints of the toes of the foot are often diagnosed. They may bend. The fingers at the same time take on an unnatural appearance. This leads to the appearance of pain in the joints of the legs, muscle cramps, ulcers, as well as various chronic diseases in this area.
In violation of muscle balance, the structure of the bones changes. The cause of this ailment often becomes flat feet. Because of this, the muscles and tendons of the fingers do not work properly. The flexor varieties of their function more actively than the extensor muscles. Tendons are tight. As a result, the position of the finger becomes unnatural. The curvature may be claw-shaped or hammer-shaped.
The reason for the appearance of such an ailment can also be the wearing of narrow, uncomfortable shoes, high-heeled shoes. Injuries and chronic joint diseases, overweight, also lead to such an outcome.
Treatment involves wearing orthopedic shoes, attending massage sessions, exercise therapy, and physiotherapy. If the adverse effects on the joint are not eliminated in time, only surgery will help to correct the wrong position of the finger over time.
Side proliferation
Considering the diseases of the joints of the legs and feet, the treatment of such ailments, it is worth noting another common disease. This is an overgrowth of the bone on the side of the foot. It is also called a bump. She appears on the joint of the thumb. Over time, such a growth causes pain when walking. Such a pathology is always caused by some other ailment.
Most often, the growth appears due to the development of hallux valgus. The joints and bones are shifted, the load on them is distributed unevenly. This leads to the development of transverse flat feet. The first finger leans inward. Because of this, the growth grows.
Bursitis, gout can provoke the development of this disease. Sometimes a similar pathology begins to develop after an injury or due to a genetic predisposition. More often a similar problem affects women. They wear high-heeled shoes. This provokes the development of growth. You need to choose comfortable shoes with heels no higher than 4 cm. Treatment involves wearing orthopedic shoes, physiotherapy, massage and exercise therapy.
Skew heel
Knowing the main symptoms of diseases of the joints of the feet and legs, one can suspect the development of a particular pathology. This allows a person to contact an orthopedist for help in a timely manner. Another disease of the feet is their skew.
A change in the structure of the feet can be caused by various reasons. An uneven load is exerted on the muscles and ligaments. This leads to an imbalance in muscle function. Hypersupination or hyperpronation lead to skew of the foot. In the first case, the foot will be tilted outward. The pivot point also shifts. At the same time, the arch of the foot rises. With hyperpronation, the back surfaces of the feet unfold inward. The soles in this case become turned outward.
This leads to deformation of the feet. Moreover, the treatment in this case is long. Need to wear shoes with orthopedic insoles. Much attention is paid to the implementation of special exercises. They are developed by a doctor in accordance with the characteristics of the pathology. You need to train the leg muscles correctly. This will allow them to work harmoniously, harmoniously.
Tendinitis
There is another disease of the joints of the foot, the treatment of which is required immediately. This is tendonitis. Pathology affects the Achilles tendon. It is irritated and inflamed. Such a pathology develops due to the strong mechanical load on this area of the foot. It is worth noting that quite often a similar pathology appears in athletes who, before carrying out strength exercises, did not conduct a high-quality workout.
Treatment consists of taking anti-inflammatory drugs. This, for example, may be aspirin. To remove unpleasant sensations allows a cold compress. Feet need rest. It is impossible to load them during this period.
Failure to properly treat the injury can lead to the development of chronic diseases. Therefore, before performing strength exercises, you need to conduct the correct warm-up. It is impossible to load a joint more than the limit set for it.
Prevention
Treatment of diseases of the joints of the legs and feet requires immediate. In order to prevent the development of pathology, it is necessary to devote enough time to preventive actions. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle allows you to get rid of many diseases. Therefore, you need to abandon bad habits, do not drink alcohol, do not smoke. Need to rethink the diet. It must be balanced.
It is recommended to play sports. And it should not be running or strength training. They affect the joints. It is best to go swimming. This sport allows you to strengthen all muscle groups. In this case, vertical loads on the joints are absent.
It is recommended to temper the body. This will avoid the development of inflammatory diseases. It is necessary to take a contrast shower or do baths with hot and cold water for the feet.
If a person has a concomitant disease, you need to cure him. Otherwise, a joint problem will appear again. Only by eliminating the cause, you can overcome the main ailment.
Having examined the features and varieties of diseases of the joints of the legs and feet, the treatment of frequently diagnosed pathologies, you can understand in time that the disease develops in the body. Timely action will avoid complications during treatment.