Good morning everyone, I don't post much but I lurk everyday and find this group very informative. I have not been officially diagnosed with RA and in fact most of the symptoms that started in July 07 have improved quite a bit after using Plaquenil for 4 months. I stopped the Plaquenil on my own due to digestive side effects about a month ago. So far my joints feel pretty good, except lately I have a problem with my right foot/ankle and I was wondering about your experiences with RA in this area. When all this started I had foot pain in the joints on the bottom/front of my foot, but now I have a new pain, only on the right, that seems to be centered just in front of the bony ankle protrusion on the outside. It kind of feels like a sprain but I haven't twisted it or done anything else to it. It only hurts when I walk or point my toes. It doesn't look swollen or bruised or any different from the left foot. It started back in November I think but comes and goes. Today it is worse than it's ever been, I can't walk without a pronounced limp, probably because I was on my feet a lot yesterday cleaning house.
Does your RA ankle pain sound anything like this? I am trying to decide if I should call my pcp, my podiatrist, an orthopedist, or my RD. I've only seen the RD once, back in August, and I have to admit I didn't like him so I haven't gone back.
Thanks in advance and Happy New Year to all, Andrea
That pretty much sounds like my left ankle. It's been that way ever since high school, when I sprained it badly a few times. I ran track and cross-country. Hurts like hell for a few days, then feels fine for months on end. When it gets bad, I wear a lace-up ankle brace 24x7 for a few days. I have much more flexibility in my left ankle than I do my right ankle. The rheumatologist said "it's not supposed to move like THAT!!!" I went through physical therapy back in high school; strengthening exercises seemed to help quite a bit. X-rays back in high school also showed a slight deformity in one of the ankle bones (not RA-related... the doctor said it looked like a congenital malformation).Hi Andrea
Your ankle symptoms are a carbon copy of mine. I've had r/a for two decades and been affected in most of my joints at some time or the other. However, this last year, for the first time, I've had a pain in the right ankle just below the bony protrusion on the outside. It's not intolerable, but yes it does feel like a sprain, although I haven't sprained it, but it makes walking difficult. Been like that on and off for a year. Some days it feels OK and I can go for a long hike. Once or twice, it's been like I can't walk. I've had the same dillemma: whether to see a rheumatologist, podiatrist, or an orthopaedic doc. It might be worth seeing your RD about this. Just a postscript: if you don't like your RD go to another one. With RA, two opinions are certainly better than one. Let us know if your ankle problem resolves. Tim
I haven't had any real ankle pain is quite a few months, but you describe what it was like perfectly with one exception~I had a lot of swelling with mine.
My ankles don't usually bother me. I mean on and off. It's mostly the bottom of my feet. I know this is going to sound crazy but when I get up to walk the bottoms hurt real bad if I don't have shoes on. Now if I have shoes on they hurt but not near as bad. More a bit sore.
same ankle pain here. I've broken that ankle once and sprained it at least a couple dozen times since I was 11.
The pain that made me sit up and take notice though was in my toes. right where they join the foot, it feels like everytime I step its on jagged hot rocks..
lately I'm geting a weird electric shock type feeling..from the outer side of the ball of my foot weird and painful.. ICK
My PCP dx'd RA because of my swollen sore ankles and feet. I couldn't wear any regular shoes except flip-flops or Teva sandles (the ones with all the velcro straps). They were that way for weeks. Prior to that for many months my feet were very tender in the AM when I tried to walk. It would take 1 - 1 1/2 hours to go away enough so I wasn't in pain. Never dreamed then it could be RA. My barefeet are still tender without shoes. Since that "flare" 6 months ago, I have constant dull achiness in ankle and feet joints that is sometimes worse than other times. My RA caused posterior tibial tendinitis and plantar fasciitis. I just got back from the podiatrist. I have already had a month of PT and am having a special brace being made now. I started feeling so great with Enbrel that the pain in my foot and ankle really stood out. I have another month of PT and if it isn't better I will probably have to have surgery
Thank you all so much for sharing your experiences. I miraculously managed to get an appt. with an orthopedist this afternoon (they had a cancellation) and after x-rays and an exam he diagnosed tendonitis of the peroneus brevis tendon. He said it might be split. He was going to prescribe anti-inflammatories but I told him I've been taking them regularly for months, so he gave me a cortisone shot, and said if it doesn't help, or helps for a while and then the pain comes back, the next step is an MRI. He didn't say what causes it and I didn't think to ask. If anyone's interested, here's a link to site that explains this condition in detail: http://www.orthogate.org/patient-education/ankle/peroneal-te ndon-problems.html
Also, he recommended crocs shoes and said they have about 20 new styles out...interesting.
Thanks again for your insight, it was very helpful to know I'm not alone in this. Best wishes, Andrea
Thanks for the update FM. Hope the cortisone shot works well for you.