Foot osteoarthrosis is a fairly common disease, which is considered to be age-related. Indeed, statistics confirm that women over the age of 40 are more susceptible to disease. In addition, often a similar ailment is diagnosed in young athletes, as it is primarily associated with wear of the cartilage tissue of the joints. So what are the symptoms of osteoarthritis and is it possible to get rid of it?
Osteoarthrosis of the foot: causes of the disease
As already mentioned, osteoarthritis is associated with the gradual thinning of the cartilage tissue inside the joint bag. There are many reasons for this disease:
- For example, quite often, such a violation is observed in people with inflammatory joint diseases.
- In addition, various infections can be attributed to the reasons.
- Osteoarthritis of the foot can often indicate metabolic disorders.
- Various abnormalities in the development and structure of joints can also be considered risk factors.
- Violations of the hormonal background often lead to a similar result.
- The situation is significantly exacerbated in overweight patients.
- As already mentioned, young people professionally involved in sports are prone to the disease.
- The risk group includes workers of those professions that require constant heavy load on the muscles and joints of the foot.
- Statistical studies indicate that deforming osteoarthrosis of the foot is quite common in people with flat feet.
- Wearing narrow and uncomfortable shoes can also lead to the development or complication of the disease.
Osteoarthrosis of the joints of the foot: the main symptoms
Symptoms and their intensity directly depend on the severity and stage of development of the disease. As a rule, pain in the foot first appears , which is especially felt after physical exertion. But as the disease develops, soreness torments a person even at the stage of rest and during sleep. And in the morning, many patients complain of a feeling of stiffness in the leg. The gait of a person changes gradually, as he tries to ease the load on the sore foot. The affected joints are deformed, the skin in the area of the joints swells and often acquires a reddish tint. In some cases, there is an increase in body temperature, weakness, decreased performance, constant fatigue. In the last stages, osteoarthritis of the foot is accompanied by severe deformity, noticeable even to the naked eye. Fortunately, if treatment is started on time, all these sad consequences can be avoided.
Osteoarthrosis of the foot: treatment
In modern medicine, many treatment methods are used. But first of all, the doctor must find out the cause of the pathology. Therapy should slow down the development of the degenerative process. For this purpose, anti-inflammatory drugs and chondroprotectors are used. In addition, experts recommend wearing special orthopedic shoes. Regular foot massage, as well as special therapeutic exercises, is considered useful. Foot baths, manual therapy and some physiotherapeutic methods are also used.