Deep Joy!

Mike1

A phone call to my surgery yesterday confirmed that the last parts of my body which were not riddled with OA have now been affected - my feet - so now it is everywhere! My feet ache all the time and putting my left foot particularly on the ground is agony. I had X rays taken the week before last and was told to phone the surgery after a week or so which I did yesterday, the response was that "the Dr has looked at the pictures and has confirmed you have OA in your feet" I asked what happens now as my Sister, who also suffers and uses the same surgery, was referred to a Podiatrist; in my case the GP has not detailed any follow-up action whatsoever (presumably he considers that a 61 year old cripple is past help!). As a result I spent ages on the internet yesterday looking for insoles to help alleviate the pain of hobbling and was aghast at the number of different ones available, I settled on a mid-range pair and am waiting for the post. I have also ordered yet another type of pillow to try to negate waking up after 2 hours screaming in agony which forces me to get up. Can anyone recommend in-soles which will help, not that I can walk more than from my recliner to the kettle and back!

stellabean

Hi Mike sorry your feet are binging a pain. I have oa in my feet and after a bit of wrangling I eventually got referred to podiatry I have insoles and have found they relieve some of the compression on the bones. My problem has been finding shoes that accommodate the insole and the boney deformation in my feet ( shops are not keen for you to lift out the liner and try your insole in place so it has been a case of try them buy and hope) I haven't been too successful with shoes yet.
Hope your insoles arrive soon and are helpful. As if OA isn't bad enough in other joints it is the pits in your feet there every step you take.

stickywicket

Feet are horrible things when they go wrong as they support (or don't) all the rest of us.I've had to wear surgical shoes for about 50 years and, for part of that time, with a caliper. I've always regarded my orthotist as being as much responsible for me still being able to walk as the surgeons who have replaced hips and knees.

I probably shouldn't criticise 'bought' insoles as I've never worn them but I do still regard them as being for the worried well or those who want to continue running marathons etc.

I don't know why your GP hasn't reommended a visit to a podiatrist. I'm reminded of Hanlon's razor - "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.' (though I prefer 'c*ck up' as even intelligent people can be guilty of that.

I think I'd want to make an appointment - a telephone one if it's easier - and simply ask to see a podiatrist. Custom made orthotic insoles might not make much difference to anything but sometimes, when it's all of us that's affected, tiny changes can just make life more bearable.

As 'stellabean' says, though, do wear them always in sensible supporting shoes. (Not that I can envisage you in stilletos )

dreamdaisy

Deepest empathy, Mike1. I have PsA-affected toes and OA in the ankles. I have hospital orthotics which do nothing to relieve or alleviate pain - in fact they cause more as they force my knees to face the front. I don't see anyone about my feet as I regard dealing with tem is physio for the rest of me but my situation is different to yours. If only I could hover . . . . DD

Airwave!

Join the band, you and me both. I get the same comments from all health professionals when I answer that I have widespread OA, ‘ooer it’s very rare’, ‘no it doesn’t happen’, ‘it’s not possible’ etc etc, all on the same theme.

I had to laugh, after having it for forty years I got sent to the MSK team who came back a year later with the diagnosis ‘widespread OA’, who sent me on to the Pain Clinic, I think that was the end of the line!

Keep smiling mate.

Mike1

Well, the in-soles that I purchased were a waste of time and money, they pushed my toes into the ends of my shoes which merely increased the pain. Nevertheless I persevered with them all day whilst hobbling round the house on my crutches and when I took the shoes off at bedtime the pain increased significantly. So I concur with the comment made by Stickywicket that proprietary in-soles are a waste of time. After searching the internet I found that I can self-refer to the Podiatry department down here so that is what I have done.

trepolpen

Mike , I live in Cornwall like you do , My feet are a mess & both ankles need surgery (fusing) but they wont opperate because of my health/meds , but they are making a boot to help support my foot , it was arranged but the OT from rheumatology , there is help out there , so ask your surgery to be referred

N1gel

Orthotics are a minefield, but bliss when you find one that works.

Many years ago a consultant was going to put me in full leg calipers, but his orthotist suggested a single left knee brace whose successor is still doing an excellent job. Recently I saw him again (he didn't remember me) referred by a different consultant to stop my right ankle intorting. He's custom made me a full length open cast which straightens my left leg and a little cast for my right ankle; must have cost a fortune to make, but it hasn't helped the ankle!

I've gone back to what I know works (the knee brace and a self purchased ankle support) and walk barefoot indoors which allows me to make micro adjustments as I walk.

Might not suit you but some of these military desert boots are very lightweight and roomy but provide plenty of support; some have zips up the side once you've adjusted to the right fit (suspect these are not issue boots tho, and probably fall apart quickly in heavy use).

On the bright side; you haven't got 'bone spurs' like the ochre simpleton.

JoeB

Hi Mike,

'TalarMade' (without quote marks)

www.talarmade.com

Hope this is of interest - They are the brand preferred by the Chief Orthotist at a major UK Teaching Hospital.

I find them reasonably OK to wear.

Arthur

Mike1

Self-referred to Podiatry and have an appointment on the 10th Dec.

stickywicket

Well done, Mike. I hope they can help. In my long experience, they don't work quickly but usually work well. Please update us as and when.

Mike1

Well, had my appointment with the Podiatrist and identified 2 additional problems other than OA, namely Plantar Fasciitis and Tibialis Posterior Tendon Dysfunction neither of which the GP diagnosed. She wanted me to wear braces on my feet but this is not a consideration as they comprise of laces and velcro straps and I simply cannot get down to do them up, my cat is unable to help me with them either. Plus the fact that as I need a wheelchair they seem a bit over the top. She gave me insoles and exercises for my feet and a follow up in February.

stickywicket

I think you've raised several interesting points here.

1. I have realised, through being on these forums, that, over the years, I have collected lots of labels which to me, in my ignorance, I just thought were part and parcel of arthritis. On balance, I think it was simpler that way and I think I feel less disabled for having one umbrella term rather than every disability being subdivided into its relevant bit.

2. Of course neither you nor Vixen will be adept at strap fastening. That's the trouble with arthritis. It renders us incapable of doing the stuff that might ease things for us.

3. I think you may be right that, as you need a wheelchair anyway, making the odd bit better won't help. I'd go for the exercises though - gently. They just might help enough to make a few movements easier. Please let us know how you get on.
t8011

Mike1

Luckily I can do the exercises as they basically involve me wiggling my feet one way then the other, these are the only exercises I can do other than breathing!

Airwave!

Mike, I bet you can still hold a beer and raise it up! It is exercise you know and certainly counts to your ‘one a day’.

Keep smiling

Mike1

Airwave! wrote:

Mike, I bet you can still hold a beer and raise it up! It is exercise you know and certainly counts to your ‘one a day’.

Keep smiling

Nope! Cannot drink when on Morphine, it can lead to unconsciousness and stopping breathing which is not a good idea. Indeed Morphine and Alcohol has also been used as a method of murder in a thriller I watched on TV recently!