Whether we are working, exercising, or running errands, we are using our feet. It’s no surprise that our poor feet might be tired and hurting.

If we stay busy, there are times we can rest our feet and feel relief from the pain and soreness. However, if it persists, the issue might be more than just overworking your feet. You might be experiencing Arthritis.

What is Arthritis?

Arthritis refers to any disease that attacks the joints commonly seen in the hands, knees, and hips. When it affects the toes, it’s usually caused by wear and tear placed on the toe’s cartilage.

One of the most common types of Arthritis is Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease that causes the cartilage in your joints to gradually wear away. This is often due to age or an injury sustained to the joints in a particular area. 

Another common type of Arthritis is Rheumatoid Arthritis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Rheumatoid Arthritis is “an autoimmune and inflammatory disease, which means that your immune system attacks healthy cells in your body by mistake, causing inflammation (painful swelling) in the affected parts of the body.”

Symptoms of Arthritis in the Toes

It’s normal for the feet to feel overworked, but symptoms that last hours or days before subsiding indicate that there might be a more significant issue. The symptoms can be in the toes themselves or other parts of the foot.

Symptoms in the Toes

Any of the above types of Arthritis will also affect the Metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joints. MTP joints connect your toes to the rest of your foot—feeling pain when you attempt to bend the big toe or while walking is one possible symptom.

Swelling and inflammation can also occur around the toe joints. When this happens, you will notice a limited range of motion in the toes. 

The correct position of your toes is to point straight and lay flat on the floor. If you notice that any toe is permanently bent, Arthritis could have led to developing claw or hammertoe. The pain will worsen as you perform activities like walking, going for a jog, or something as simple as climbing the stairs.

Symptoms Not Affecting The Toes

Indications of Arthritis in the toes can be seen in the rest of the foot as well. It can cause restricted movement in the middle part of the foot or the rear end.

The midfoot, or cuboid, and hindfoot, or calcaneus, are connected with joints. These joints will feel discomfort and pain.

Another symptom of Arthritis in the toes can be a prolonged numbness, burning sensation, or tingling feeling in the foot or the ankle.

Professional Diagnosis

Are you looking for a Fresno podiatrist? Canyon Oaks Foot and Ankle serves the central valley in Fresno, Visalia, and Porterville with over 30 years of experience. The best treatment comes with a proper diagnosis of the cause of your foot pain. 

Contact us today, and we can help you get back to healthier feet.