Five Symptoms Of Big Toe Arthritis - The Texas Foot Specialists

Symptoms of Big Toe Arthritis

Symptoms of big toe arthritis vary according to the stage you are in. Below are signs that you might already be suffering from the foot condition:

1. Pain that come with foot movements such as walking and disappears during rest

2. Swelling, tenderness at the bottom of the big toe

3. Stiffness or limited movement in the big toe

4. Pain or discomfort in the big toe area when wearing high heels or shoes that place extra pressure in the area

5. Pain or stiffness when exposed to cold temperatures

How can I get big toe arthritis?

Leading causes of big toe arthritis includes joint damage resulting from normal wear and tear and structural foot deformities such as those with fallen arches, high or low arches. In some cases, people have a higher risk of developing big toe arthritis as a result of inheriting certain foot types.  People who actively engage in sports and do not wear appropriate shoe wear expose the toe joint to high levels of stress. It can also result from injury or caused by inflammatory diseases such as gout or arthritis.

•  Injury
• Genetics
• Poor foot mechanics (flat feet, high and low arches
• Wear and tear
• Chronic inflammatory diseases (arthritis or gout)
• Long first or short second metatarsal bone

Hallux rigidus or big toe arthritis happens when the joint at the base of the big toe (hallux) stiffens (rigidus) severely limiting its movement. It is progressive arthritic condition that affects the toes motion. The big toe’s mobility gradually decreases until it has lost all range of movement.

A quick visit to the podiatrist could help determine if you are at high risk for developing big toe arthritis.  Dr. Bruce Miller and Dr. Gregory Mangum are Podiatrists are podiatrist that specialize in  detecting big toe arthritis and other foot disorders.

Early diagnosis gives you the best chance of recovering fully from big toe arthritis and stopping it from progressing into something more severe. This makes visiting a podiatrist at the earliest sign of the foot condition essential. When bone spurs have developed or a noticeable deformity has already occurred, surgical intervention might be the only treatment option available.

The Texas Foot Specialists located in Sugar Land, Pasadena and Houston, we specialize in helping people with foot disorders. To schedule an appointment call Sugar Land (281) 242-4448, Pasadena (281) 991-0600 and Houston (713) 664-6677.

How to Keep our Feet Healthy in our Senior Years - The Texas Foot Specialists

Aging brings many physical changes in our body. A weakened immune system, decreased physical strength and longer injury recovery times makes every medical condition a potential health threat. The feet are essential for our daily activities. And any feet condition that can affect a senior’s daily routine should be taken seriously.

 Proper foot care is important for any age group.  It starts during our development years ensuring our feet matures without deformities and during our senior years when maintaining foot health is crucial. Recovering from an injury or infection becomes more difficult as we age. And preventing foot disorders is a wiser alternative to treating foot disorders. 

Early signs of a foot injury

• Pain when walking that goes when the feet is rested
• Tenderness
• Pain felt when pressing on the big toes (ingrown toenail)
• Swelling
• Bluish skin color (bruising)
• Yellowish toenails (fungal infection)
• Deformities (hammertoe)

 If you notice of these signs consulting a podiatrist is advised. Dr. Gregory Mangum and Dr. Bruce Miller are Podiatrists who specialize in foot care and treating foot disorders in the elderly. 

Senior Foot Care Tips

Decreased visual and sensory perception makes the task of inspecting the feet difficult for seniors. This is why those who are tasked with taking care of seniors are advised to visually inspect the feet. Seniors may find bending to inspect their feet regularly a burden. Which makes regular self-assessment highly unlikely.

 Wearing properly fitting shoes. Our shoes provide additional support and strength in our feet. It compliments different foot structures protecting it against injury. Our meet may lose some of its fat stores or muscles and can also suffer from weakened bones. Wearing the proper type of shoe for a certain activity minimizes the risk for foot injury.

Promote proper blood circulation to the feet by elevating it when lying. Avoid crossing the feet when sitting. This prevents compressing the blood vessels that supply nutrients to the feet. 

Wash the feet regularly to prevent infection and ensure that this are properly dried after. Fungal infections could quickly set in in moist conditions. Sweat and dirt could quickly collect especially between the toes giving fungus the ideal environment for growth. 

Arthritis can make simple activities such as walking difficult or impossible for seniors. This can leave them confined to a wheelchair or seriously affect their quality of life.  

 The Texas Foot Specialists located in Sugar Land, Pasadena and Houston we specialize in helping seniors with foot disorders. To schedule an appointment call Sugar Land (281) 242-4448, Pasadena (281) 991-0600 and Houston (713) 664-6677.