Treatment Choices

• Your treatment options for arthritis pain in the foot may depend on the type of arthritis you have. There are three different types of arthritis that can affect the joints in the foot: osteoarthritis, gout and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, while rheumatoid arthritis is the most crippling. Gout is a type of arthritis that specifically affects the big toe due to small uric acid crystals that form around the joints. Gout makes walking and other activities where the toe has to do most of the weight bearing extremely painful. Men are much more susceptible to this type of arthritis than women are.
  
  

Non-Surgical Treatments

• Surgical treatment is not always necessary to help ease arthritic pain. In the case of the foot, sometimes arthritic pain can be helped by making some proper accommodations for your foot. Often your doctor will recommend special types of orthotics or special footwear made specifically for those affected by arthritis of the foot. These special shoes are made with a wide boxed toe, removable insoles and special soles that reduce the impact on the ball of the foot to reduce pain. These special shoes are designed to provide support and comfort and should be made of a material called Plastazote for optimal performance. Gel products such as toe caps, toe shields and toe straighteners may also be recommended for individuals with this condition.
  
  

Surgical Treatment

• When non-surgical treatment has been exhausted and the arthritic pain still lingers in the foot, doctors will then often consider surgery as an option. Surgical treatments use different methods to effectively relieve you of pain. In some cases surgery involves treating the actual ligaments, tendons, and other areas of the joint. In other cases, surgery involves fusing bone together so the joint is no longer there. Some available surgical treatments include: arthroscopic debridement, arthrodesis or fusion and arthroplasty or joint replacement.