Osteoarthritis in the instep is a common condition in the feet, although there are times when it is difficult to diagnose because, due to the particularity of the discomfort, it takes time to go to the podiatrist to consult it. However, it should be discarded because it is a type of degenerative illness that damages the articular cartilage and causes pain and rigidity in the affected area.
The problem in diagnosing it is that the pain appears and disappears regardless of the time of year. This is already a clue to suspect that it may be osteoarthritis.
“It is common to find ourselves in consultation with patients who have a ‘rare’ nuisance on the instep for quite some time, who don’t really understand where it comes from because they can’t relate it to any particular activity or change of footwear, for example”, says the podiatrist and member of the board of directors of the Illustrious Official College of Podiatrists of the Valencian Community (ICOPCV), Jorge Escoto.
These are the five symptoms that may indicate that it is osteoarthritis on the dorsum of the foot:
- 1 appears a pain in the internal and dorsal face of the foot
- 2 This discomfort may be accompanied by a bulge in the affected area.
- 3 pain is intermittent. In this way, stages can be alternated with its total absence and others with the appearance of pain, heat, flushing and functional impotence.
- 4 there is greater rigidity in the zone.
- 5 Decreases the force of the foot when performing joint movement.
This pathology is more common in people in whom the first toe is shorter than the second. Other biomechanical alterations that cause greater mobility also have an influence. In addition. the athletes They should pay special attention to these discomforts, due to hyperactivity in the area.
“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,” says Escoto.
From the ICOPCV they remember that whenever you go to a podiatrist it is essential to verify that the clinic has the appropriate health registry and the podiatrist with his or her membership number, to avoid falling into the hands of unqualified personnel who are committing a crime of fraud for professional intrusion.
Discussion about this post