May is a busy month for health observances but here at Superior Foot & Ankle Center, there’s one more that we can’t let pass by National Arthritis Awareness Month. Why are we so concerned about sharing information about this condition with our patients? With 33 joints in each of your feet, the effects of joint pain, swelling, inflammation and decreased range of motion can spell extreme debilitation if they attack your feet. Many people have some outdated ideas about arthritis, so we’d like to take this opportunity to expose some common myths:

Myth: Arthritis is a joint disease.

Fact: Actually, arthritis is a description of an entire category of more than 100 joint diseases. Besides the two best-known kinds—osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis–many diseases you may be familiar with are considered forms of arthritis. These include chronic fatigue syndrome, gout, Lupus, Lyme disease and fibromyalgia.

Myth: Arthritis is an old person disease.

Fact: Approximately 300,000 babies, children and teens have arthritis. Although scientists are still trying to find out definitive causes of juvenile arthritis it’s thought that genetics and autoimmune diseases play a significant role.

Myth: Exercise is too painful if you have osteoarthritis.

Fact: Although patients with arthritis may worry that exercise will cause more harm to joints, it is the most effective non-drug treatment for improving movement and reducing pain caused by osteoarthritis. There are three types of exercise that are particularly beneficial: aerobic or endurance, flexibility and strengthening. Together these can greatly improve your range of motion and ability to move.

Myth: There’s no correlation between arthritis and the weather.

Fact: Although researchers have been skeptical in the past about the weather/pain connection, studies have confirmed that certain atmospheric changes do increase arthritis pain. Drops in barometric pressure and temperature cause greater joint discomfort. One study at Tufts University found that every 10-degree drop in temperature corresponded with an incremental increase in pain.

Myth: Arthritis is not a diet-related condition.

Fact: There are foods that cause an inflammatory response in the body and other foods that decrease inflammation. In addition, maintaining a healthy weight reduces the strain on the joints, particularly those in your feet and ankles.

To learn more about your risk for arthritis and the steps you can take to prevent it talk to our podiatrists, Dr. Victoria Foley or Dr. Constance Omelas at your next appointment. And if you start to experience any pain, swelling or joint discomfort, contact our Long Beach office as soon as possible by calling: (562) 420-9800.

The joints in your feet—and there are 33 of them in each foot, by the way—are what allow your bones to glide over one another enabling you to do essential activities like walking, jumping and running. As we age, the cartilage in our joints can naturally start to breakdown resulting in bone rubbing on bone and causing painful conditions such as arthritis to develop. This week we celebrate Bone and Joint Health Awareness Week and at Superior Foot & Ankle Care Center we want patients to take a proactive approach to the health of their joints because of the big impact it has on your feet and the rest of your body.

Preventing Joint Problems

Although it’s true that the conditions that affect our joints, such as gout, arthritis and osteoporosis are not completely preventable, there are steps that patients can take at any age that will help ensure joint health now and in the future.

Be Active—physical activity actually helps protect your joints in a few ways. First, exercising regularly or participating in a sport helps build and maintain muscle which supports your joints. Exercise also helps you stay flexible—with joints, the saying “use it or lose it” definitely applies. Another benefit of being active is it can help you lose or maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight puts significant strain on the joints of your feet and other lower extremities, causing them to deteriorate faster.

Eat Purposefully—your diet also plays a big role in maintaining a normal weight. Fortunately, many of the aspects of a well balanced diet also improve joint health: avoiding sugars, processed foods, fried foods and refined flours can also reduce inflammation. Some studies show that there are some foods that fight inflammation. These include: berries, cherries, certain nuts and fish and leafy greens like kale and bok choy.

Guard Against Injuries—if you take a survey of adults with arthritis, many people will attest to the fact that a site injured in youth (knee, ankle, foot) later became a site where arthritis developed. Always wear protective gear for sports and warm up and stretch before exercise.

If you do sustain an injury, contact our Long Beach office right away by calling: 562-420-9800 so our foot and ankle surgeons, Dr. Victoria Foley and Dr. Constance Omelas can examine your foot or ankle. Prompt treatment and complete rehabilitation are two ways to guard against future joint injury and disease.