Rheumatoid/Inflammatory arthritic foot conditions

An inflammatory arthritis (e.g. Rheumatoid arthritis) is different to ‘wear and tear’ arthritis (osteoarthritis). In inflammatory arthritis, there is usually a degree of inflammation within the joint which causes the joint to be destroyed as opposed to ‘wear and tear’ arthritis which is due to ‘over-use’ (e.g. as we age). Inflammatory arthritis such as Rheumatoid arthritis can be extremely debilitating as it usually affects multiple joints, especially when concerning the feet. This can cause difficulty with footwear, pain and lead to a condition called ‘metatarsalgia’ which means ‘painful metatarsals (bones in the foot).’ There are many surgical procedures that can be considered to reduce the pain and improve the foot shape when related to inflammatory arthritis.