4 Ways to Slow Down the Progression of Foot Osteoarthritis

When the pain and inflammation of osteoarthritis (OA) develop in any joint, it’s not great news. However, when it develops in your feet and ankles, life can be especially challenging.

Around 33 million Americans have OA, and while knees and hips tend to grab the spotlight, it can also strike your feet and ankles. When this happens, every step becomes uncomfortable.

Unfortunately, OA is irreversible and progressive, so the best way to address foot OA is to slow its progression. To that end, our team of podiatry specialists at Neuhaus Foot and Ankle works with patients across Brentwood and Middle Tennessee to help manage foot and ankle osteoarthritis with personalized care plans.

Why Foot Osteoarthritis Gets Worse Over Time

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition that occurs when the protective cartilage in your joints breaks down over time. In your feet and ankles—which contain dozens of small, hardworking joints—this wear and tear can significantly impact mobility and comfort.

Without proper support and management, the stress placed on these joints can accelerate damage, leading to increased pain, stiffness, and reduced range of motion.

Have Us Evaluate Your Foot Arthritis First

If you suspect foot OA, it’s time to come see us. First, we can confirm your suspicion (or not). Second, we can evaluate the extent of the wear-and-tear in your joints, which serves as an important baseline moving forward.

From there, we can explore the best ways to reduce your pain and inflammation and improve your mobility, such as medications, icing and heat therapies, and/or steroid injections.

This is important because we want you to be comfortable as you take more sustainable steps to slow your OA.

During this visit, we’ll review many of the strategies we’re going to discuss next.

Support Your Feet With Custom Orthotics

When you have pain in your feet due to OA, it can knock you off balance and increase discomfort. To support your feet and prevent imbalance issues, we highly recommend custom orthotics.

These inserts fit and support your feet perfectly, unlike over-the-counter products, and they can do wonders for helping you navigate arthritis.

Reduce Your Risk Factors

There are a few things that can increase your risks for OA, and at the head of this list is carrying too much weight. Excess pounds place far more pressure on your joints, especially the 30 small joints in your feet and ankles.

So, if you really want to slow the progression of your OA, weight loss can go a long way.

We also want you to switch over to shoes that support your feet and move away from shoes that harm them, such as high heels and shoes with pointy toes. Shoes that create more imbalance in your feet can speed up the progression of your OA.

Strengthen Your Feet and Ankles

Your feet and ankles contain many tiny muscles that you can strengthen to take the pressure off your arthritic joints.

Exercises like spelling out the alphabet with your foot are helpful and will not only make your feet stronger, but they can also preserve the range of motion in your lower extremities.

For more foot and ankle exercise ideas, click here.

Take Steps Now to Protect Your Joint Health

Clearly, there are steps you can take to slow the progression of foot and ankle OA. Early intervention, proper support, and lifestyle adjustments can make a meaningful difference in your comfort and mobility.

For a more detailed and customized action plan, schedule a consultation with our foot health specialists.

Schedule an Appointment

If foot or ankle pain is interfering with your daily life, our team at Neuhaus Foot and Ankle is here to help.

We serve patients throughout Brentwood, Nashville, and surrounding Middle Tennessee communities, providing expert care for osteoarthritis and other chronic foot conditions.

Contact us today to schedule your appointment.