October is Women’s Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to routine screenings and listening to our bodies. But while most women know to check for breast health and cardiovascular issues, they often ignore a major early warning system: their feet.
Women are diagnosed with autoimmune disorders like Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Lupus at a rate up to four times higher than men. What many people do not realize is that the very first physical symptoms of these systemic conditions often appear in the small joints of the toes and ankles. My Chicago Foot Expert elaborates below.
Why Autoimmune Diseases Target the Feet
Conditions like RA attack the synovium, the lining of your joints. Because the human foot contains 33 individual joints, it is often ground zero for autoimmune inflammation.
If you are searching for answers to your joint pain, here are three warning signs that your foot ache is arthritis related:
- Symmetrical Pain: Unlike a sports injury that affects one foot, autoimmune joint pain typically occurs in both feet simultaneously.
- Severe Morning Stiffness: While plantar fasciitis causes sharp heel pain, RA causes a deep, throbbing stiffness in the toes and ankles that lasts for hours after waking up.
- NOTE: Try to note your impressions of the pain as you experience it. This can be useful as we work with you to determine its origin!
- Unexplained Swelling: The joints may feel warm to the touch and appear visibly puffy, even if you haven’t been on your feet all day.
Protecting Your Mobility
You don’t have to “live with” joint stiffness. We can be a vital part of your diagnostic healthcare team, and together, a return to better movement is possible.
- While a rheumatologist manages the disease systemically, our goal is to protect your local kinetic chain.
- We use custom orthotics to stabilize inflamed joints, redistribute weight away from painful areas, and prevent permanent structural deformities like hammertoes.
- We can help you spot warning signs, gauge symptoms, and do targeted stretches to maintain any progress you’ve made.
As the saying goes, “motion is lotion.” With the right tools at your disposal and the right team to guide you, we can get you mobile without all the aches and pains!
For any questions about foot health and wellness, reach out to the tenured staff at My Chicago Foot Expert by calling (773) 561-8100 or by clicking here to schedule an appointment with Cook County podiatrist Stavros O. Alexopoulos, DPM, in our modern, comfortable Ravenswood office today.