One of the most frequent and well-known rheumatic diseases is osteoarthritis. So much so, that according to 2016 carried out by the , osteoarthritis affects the joints of around 30% of the Spanish population over 40 years of age.
In total, this joint disease affects about 7 million people in our country.
But, as it is a disease that has many subtypes, there are some patients who, without knowing it, suffer osteoarthritis in a very specific place in their anatomy: the instep.
As they explain from the instep osteoarthritis is a common condition in the feet, although there are times that it is difficult to diagnose because, due to the particularity of the discomfort, it takes time to go to the podiatrist to consult it.
How do I know if I have osteoarthritis in the instep?
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease that damages the joint in any of the parts that make it up:
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ligaments
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tendons
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joint capsule
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subchondral bone
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synovial membrane
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Cartilage.
This affectation causes pain and stiffness in the affected area.
As he explains chiropodist Jorge Escotomember of the ICOPCV board of directors.
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“It is common to find ourselves in consultation with patients who have had a ‘strange’ discomfort in the instep for quite some time, who do not quite understand where it comes from because they cannot relate it to any particular activity or change of behavior, for example”.
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“In addition, the pain comes and goes regardless of the time of year.”
“This is already clues that make us suspect that the associated pathology is osteoarthritis on the dorsum of the foot.”
To determine that the pain that we are suffering in our feet responds to this rheumatological problem, the Valencian podiatrists explain five very specific symptoms that may indicate that we have osteoarthritis on the back of the foot:
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The first is the area where the pain appears: the inner and dorsal side of the foot.
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Secondly, that the discomfort in this area is accompanied by a bulge in the affected area.
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Another aspect to take into account is that the pain suffered is not continuous but intermittent. In this way, stages can be alternated with a total absence of discomfort and others with the appearance of pain, heat, redness and functional impotence.
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The area feels very stiff.
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And finally, the patient may experience a decrease in foot strength when performing joint movement.
Causes of osteoarthritis in the instep
The specialists in rheumatology of the SER explain that traumatisms that may have been suffered during life are one of the main risk factors for the appearance of osteoarthritis.
But it is not the only one, because age, being overweight or also contribute to the appearance of osteoarthritis.
However, there is another element that can contribute to the appearance of this disease. We talk about the misalignments and/or discrepancy of the extremities.
Thus, in the case of osteoarthritis in the insteps, the ICOPCV points out that:
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This pathology it is more common in people in whom the first metatarsal (first toe) is shorter than the second
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Other biomechanical alterations that cause greater mobility also influence
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And special attention must be paid to athletes due to hyperactivity in the area.
Regarding the solution to the problem, the podiatry expert Jorge Escoto explains that “depending on the degree of severity of osteoarthritis, the solution can range from using plantar supports made to measure by the podiatrist to having to opt for surgery.”
Of course, these treatments must always be carried out by qualified professionals, and in clinics that have the appropriate health registry. In this way, we will avoid falling into the hands of personnel who do not have sufficient knowledge to treat this type of pathology.