Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory condition that significantly impacts various joints in the body, including those in the feet. As an autoimmune disease, it arises when the immune system erroneously targets its own tissues. This malfunction leads to symptoms like pain, swelling, limited movement, and challenges in carrying out everyday activities, particularly in the feet.
Managing pain and other symptoms is crucial in RA, as the condition can affect any body part, with foot inflammation and discomfort often being early indicators. The symptoms in the feet can vary, ranging from joint pain to constant aching. RA typically starts in smaller joints, such as those in the hands and feet.
This autoimmune disorder doesn’t only affect joints. In some individuals, RA can damage a variety of body systems, including the skin, eyes, lungs, heart, and blood vessels. The most common foot and ankle symptoms of RA include pain, swelling, and stiffness. Unlike osteoarthritis, which usually affects one joint, RA often occurs symmetrically in both feet, typically in the same joints.
Diagnosing RA can be challenging in its initial stages due to its symptoms resembling many other conditions. There is no single blood test or physical sign that can confirm RA. During an examination, a doctor will check for joint swelling, redness, and warmth to help make a diagnosis.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a long-term condition leading to pain, swelling, and stiffness in the joints, commonly affecting the hands, feet, and wrists. Flare-ups or flares are periods where symptoms worsen. The condition often affects joints symmetrically; for example, if one big toe is swollen and painful, it’s likely the other will be too.
Symptoms in the feet due to RA can range from soreness, warmth, swelling, joint instability, and changing foot shape. RA mainly affects the joints and can cause problems in any joint, although small joints in the hands and feet are often the first to be affected. The disease’s effects are typically symmetrical, but this is not always the case.
For more detailed information, visit Verywell Health’s articles on Rheumatoid Arthritis in Feet, Pain in Feet as a Symptom of Rheumatoid Arthritis, CreakyJoints’ Rheumatoid Arthritis in the Feet: Symptoms and Treatments, and Mayo Clinic’s overview on Rheumatoid Arthritis – Symptoms and Causes. Also, explore the HSS’s Rheumatoid Arthritis of the Foot and Ankle: An Overview, NHS’s information on Rheumatoid Arthritis, Mayo Clinic’s Diagnosis and Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis, The Royal College of Podiatry’s guide on Rheumatoid Arthritis, NRAS’s The Foot and Rheumatoid Arthritis, and NHS’s article on Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms.
