Look at Your Shoes for the Clue
Ankles that turn in our out, even slightly, increase your risk of developing osteoarthritis (OA) in the feet later in life. Supinators—those whose feet turn out—and pronators—those whose feet turn in—are 23 percent more likely to develop the stiffness and pain of OA in their big-toe joint than those who have a neutral foot. The medical term for this condition is hindfoot valgus. A study of more than 1,500 adults with osteoarthritis found the link between how the foot moves and foot OA. “Even a slight difference from a neutral foot was found to be linked to a higher risk for foot OA,” said Frances Vaughn Wilder, PhD, the study’s lead researcher and the executive director of the Arthritis Research Institute of America (ARIA), which published the study in the peer-reviewed Foot & Ankle International. The study was co-written by Dr. Wilder with doctoral candidates Melissa Y. Mahiquez and Heidi M. Stephens. Arthritis is a group of different diseases whose symptoms can range from and conditions, its symptoms can range from stiff joints to complete immobility and pain. The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis, the "wear and tear" type that affects more than 27 million Americans after the age of 50 as their joints begin to age. Since 1988, the Arthritis Research Institute of America (ARIA) has been studying thousands of participants to learn more about osteoarthritis. The 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit research organization is based in Clearwater, FL, but its findings have been published worldwide. ARIA’s x-ray database is globally acknowledged as one of the most complete sources of information about the progression of osteoarthritis. For information, call (727) 461-4054.
|
|
Osteoarthritis (OA) Bring Out the Flip-Flops and Sneakers, Better for Osteoarthritis Hope For Those With Osteoarthritis Knee Pain |
|
Your shoes may be a sort of crystal ball to predict whether you’ll develop osteoarthritis in your feet. Excessive wear on the outside or inside of the soles may signal unstable ankles that have been associated with a higher risk of developing the pain and stiffness of foot osteoarthritis.
