Problemas de Pie en Español

• Artritis Reumatoide en el Pie y Tobillo
• Biopsia de Tejida Blando
• Buniones (Juanete)
• Coalición Tarsal
• Complicaciones Diabéticas y Prevención de Amputaciones
• Curación de Los Huesos
• Dedo Cruzado
• Dedo en Martillo
• Deformidad de Haglund
• Diabeticas: Estatisticas Alarmantes
• Disfunción de Tendón Tibial Posterior
• Dolor de Talón
• Dolor de Talón Infantil
• Ejercicios de Elongación
• El Dolor Crónico de Tobillo Lateral
• Enfermedad Vascular Periferica (PAD)
• Equinismo
• Esguince de Tobillo
• Fibroma Plantar
• Fractura de Estrés
• Fracturas de Los Dedos Del Pie
• Fracturas de Tobillo
• Fracturas del Calcáneo (Fracturas del Hueso del Talón)
• Fracturas del Quinto Metatarsiano
• Gota
• Hallux Rigidus
• Heridas Por Punción
• Inestabilidad Crónica de Tobillo
• Inicio de Drenaje Siguiendo Los Pasos de Absceso Infectado
• Inflamación Aguda
• Instrucciones par el Cuidado de Heridas
• Instrucciones Para Muletas
• Juanetes de Sastre
• Lesión del Domo Talar
• Lesiones de Lisfranc
• Lesiones del Tendón Peroneo
• Lesiones en un Hueso Sesamoideo del Pie
• Melanoma Maligno del Pie
• Necesito un Examen Para PAD?
• Neuroma de Morton
• Neuropatía Diabética Periférica
• Osteoartritis del Pie y el Tobillo
• Pie Cavo (Pie de Arco Alto)
• Pie de Atleta
• Pie de Charcot
• Pie Diabético
• Pie Plano Flexible
• Pie Plano Pediátrico
• Que Usted Espera con el Tratamiento de Acido par Alas Verrugas
• Que Usted Espera Por Las Inyecciones de Esteriodes
• Quiste de Ganglio
• Ruptura del Tendón de Aquiles
• Síndrome del Hueso Trigono
• Síndrome del Navicular Accesorio
• Síndrome del Túnel Tarsiano
• Tendinitis de Aquiles
• Terapia con Onda de Choque Extracorporea (ESWT)
• Trastornos Comunes del Tendón de Aquiles
• Trombosis Venosa Profunda
• Uña Encarnada del Dedo del Pie
• Uña Infectada Por Hongos
• Verruga Plantar (Verruca Plantaris)

Osteoarthritis

What Is Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a condition characterized by the breakdown and eventual loss of cartilage in one or more joints. Cartilage, the connective tissue found at the end of the bones in the joints, protects and cushions the bones during movement. When cartilage deteriorates or is lost, symptoms develop that can restrict one's ability to easily perform daily activities. Osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative arthritis, reflecting its nature to develop as part of the aging process. As the most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis affects millions of Americans. Many people refer to osteoarthritis simply as arthritis, even though there are more than 100 different types of arthritis.

Osteoarthritis appears at various joints throughout the body, including the hands, feet, spine, hips, and knees. In the foot, the disease most frequently occurs in the big toe, although it is also often found in the midfoot and ankle.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Osteoarthritis?

People with osteoarthritis in the foot or ankle experience, in varying degrees, one or more of the following:
 

• Pain and stiffness in the joint
• Swelling in or near the joint
• Difficulty walking or bending the joint
   

Some patients with osteoarthritis also develop a bone spur (a bony protrusion) at the affected joint. Shoe pressure may cause pain at the site of a bone spur, and in some cases blisters or calluses may form over its surface. Bone spurs can also limit the movement of the joint.

What Causes Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is considered a "wear and tear" disease because the cartilage in the joint wears down with repeated stress and use over time. As the cartilage deteriorates and gets thinner, the bones lose their protective covering and eventually may rub together, causing pain and inflammation of the joint.

An injury may also lead to osteoarthritis, although it may take months or years after the injury for the condition to develop. For example, osteoarthritis in the big toe is often caused by kicking or jamming the toe, or by dropping something on the toe. Osteoarthritis in the midfoot is often caused by dropping something on it, or by a sprain or fracture. In the ankle, osteoarthritis is usually caused by a fracture and occasionally by a severe sprain.

Sometimes osteoarthritis develops as a result of abnormal foot mechanics. People who have flat feet or high arches are at increased risk for developing osteoarthritis in the foot. A flat foot causes less stability in the ligaments (bands of tissue that connect bones), resulting in excessive strain on the joints, which can cause arthritis. A high arch is rigid and lacks mobility, causing a jamming of joints that creates an increased risk of arthritis.

How is Osteoarthritis Diagnosed?

In diagnosing osteoarthritis, Dr. Neuhaus will examine the foot thoroughly, looking for swelling in the joint, limited mobility, and pain with movement. In some cases, deformity and/or enlargement (spur) of the joint may be noted. In addition to the foot examination, x-rays may be ordered to help Dr. Neuhaus diagnose osteoarthritis and evaluate the extent of the disease in the foot and ankle.

What is the Recommended Treatment?

To help relieve symptoms, Dr. Neuhaus may begin treating osteoarthritis with one or more of the following non-surgical approaches:
 

• Oral medications. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, are often helpful in reducing the inflammation and pain. Occasionally a prescription for a steroid medication is needed to adequately reduce symptoms. In addition, certain nutritional supplements may provide some longer-term benefit.
   
• Orthotic devices. Custom orthotic devices (shoe inserts) are often prescribed to provide support to improve the foot's mechanics or cushioning to help minimize pain.
   
• Bracing. Bracing, which restricts motion and supports the joint, can reduce pain during walking and help prevent further deformity.
   
• Immobilization. Protecting the foot from movement by wearing a cast or removable cast-boot may be necessary to allow the inflammation to resolve.
   
• Steroid injections. In some cases, steroid injections are applied to the affected joint to deliver anti-inflammatory medication.
   
• Physical therapy. Exercises to strengthen the muscles, especially when the osteoarthritis occurs in the ankle, may give the patient greater stability and help avoid injury that might worsen the condition.
   

When Is Surgery Needed?

If non-surgical treatment fails to adequately reduce the pain associated with osteoarthritis, surgery may be recommended. The goal of surgery is to decrease pain and improve function. Dr. Neuhaus will consider a number of factors when selecting the procedure best suited to the patient's condition and lifestyle.