Arthritis Specialist

Rhode Island Foot Care

Podiatry, Foot and Ankle Specialists located across Rhode Island & Massachusetts

About 90% of people living with rheumatoid arthritis have symptoms in their feet, and foot pain is also a common sign of osteoarthritis. At Rhode Island Foot Care, the team of highly qualified podiatrists offers targeted arthritis foot and ankle care to minimize symptoms and improve mobility. There are offices in North Providence, Pawtucket, Newport, Riverside, Johnston, Warwick, Cranston, East Providence, Cumberland, Warren, and Central Falls, Rhode Island, and additional locations in Taunton and Dartmouth, Massachusetts. Call the office in your area or schedule online for foot arthritis help today.

Arthritis Q & A

What types of arthritis affect the feet?

There are a few types of arthritis that can affect your feet, including:

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a mistaken immune response. When your body wrongly perceives your own tissue as a harmful invader, it destroys the synovium, the tissue lining your joints. In most cases, rheumatoid arthritis starts in the small joints like those that connect your feet and toes. It's normally symmetrical, occurring in both feet at once.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis, aka "wear-and-tear arthritis," is common in older adults. It occurs when the cartilage that coats the ends of your bones breaks down. Osteoarthritis can develop in one or both feet.

Post-traumatic arthritis

Post-traumatic arthritis develops in an area of prior injury. For example, if you had a poorly-healed foot fracture or sprain years ago, you could later get post-traumatic arthritis.

Gout

Gout typically affects the big toe joint, but it can also affect other parts of your foot. This type of arthritis happens when uric acid crystals grow on your joints.

There are more than 100 different types of arthritis, so other forms of the disease can affect your feet as well. The good news is that new advances in arthritis treatment allow for safe and effective symptom relief very quickly, no matter what kind of arthritis you have.

What are the signs of foot arthritis?

Arthritis causes a variety of symptoms, with foot pain being the most common. You may also have joint stiffness, poor range-of-motion, red feet, warm-feeling feet, and joint swelling.

If you suspect arthritis, schedule an assessment at Rhode Island Foot Care promptly. The skilled team uses on-site equipment to diagnose your condition and starts your treatment immediately.

How is foot arthritis treated?

Rhode Island Foot Care personalizes your arthritis treatment for your symptoms, lifestyle, and health needs.

Some common treatments include:

Custom orthotics
Physiotherapy including stretching and strengthening exercises
Corticosteroid injections to ease inflammation
Amniotic stem cell injections for joint rejuvenation
Aspirin or other medications

In most cases, a combination of treatments can minimize your symptoms and get you back to normal activities.

In the most severe cases of foot arthritis, you might need surgery. The board-certified podiatrists are premier foot surgeons who can restore, repair, or replace damaged tissue, if necessary.

If you're aching with arthritis, book your appointment at Rhode Island Foot Care by phone or schedule online now.

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