Arthritic Feet! Help Please!

I'm the last person to ask really as I am sitting here with my heavily bandaged post op foor (one already done) from arthritis. What I would say is taking painkillers is not a failure- pain is not a badge of hour its your body telling you something so take them. Don't be like me and delay any surgery that's needed until your bones have crumbled to mush. Take the clinical advice please and my best wishes.

Is there a reason why you are so opposed to taking painkillers?
It seems the obvious answer, if the pain is affecting walking.

I imagine that all the people you’ve seen have told you to take painkillers as they are also anti inflammatories and are there to help you.

You could try Orthotics in your shoes my DD wears them for her Arthritis.

Try 20 minute walks more often than 40 minute walks.

You don’t give your age, but you sound pretty active and now you don’t have a car, maybe you’re pushing yourself too hard?
Sometimes you have to make adjustments when your body changes.

When I was under the hospital with the arthritis in my hand they said 'heat and more heat'. I sleep with my hand on a hot water bottle. As for my feet, I wear soft trainers with cushioned insoles. Instead of walking as much as I used to I now have gym membership (£19 per month) and use the sauna there a lot. Put voltarol/ibuprofen gel on my hands/feet. Also using walking poles takes a bit of pressure off your feet and is good cardio vascular wise.

I feel your pain! I have a bunnionette on the outside of my left foot. My lovely boots are now murder to walk in. I hope my summer sandals are still comfortable, but I haven't tried them on yet. I take ibuprofen on a regular basis, and I'm thinking about getting gel supports for my shoes. I recently bought a pair of Sketchers shoes which I can walk in for most of the day.

I'm not sure what you mean by priotic.

If you have not been prescribed orthotics then it could be a good idea to ask to be referred to a podiatrist as they will be custom-made for you. They do take a lot of getting used to (a year in my case) but my feet are much more comfortable now, although some days I still get pain in them. Some days are better than others.

I find some shoes, however sturdy, are not good if they are too flat; one with a slightly raised heel is better in a trainer or shoe.

The only thing that really gives pain relief, though, is Naproxen, which the GP refuses to prescribe and it is not available off prescription.

I second what others have said about painkillers. They work (mostly) by keeping down inflammation, which is what is damaging your joints and causing the arthritis to give you pain. Taking them is not being a wimp, it is using medication which is known to help your condition. Added to that, without pain you would be able to do more walking and be healthier, and you would not be tensed against the pain and causing yourself more problems elsewhere. Toughing it out is not heroic, just stubborn. You may have to try various NSAIDs to find the one and the dosage that suits you, but your GP or a pain clinic would give you advice and assistance.

Orthotics from the MHS podiatrist before the service is fully closed down.
As Jalima says very flat shoes won't help. The podiatrist told me if I buy shoes that won't take the orthotic, to buy one with a slightly raised platform to the heel.
I can't take anti inflammatories any more - I really miss the pain relief they gave, simply the best. If you can take anti inflammatories, then do so.
Yes to using those Nordic walking poles, they do take pressure of the knees, hips and feet.
Keep moving, keep warm and enjoy being outside

The orthotics I had from the hospital were too deep to fit into any shoes and were rock hard to walk on. I have no idea what they were supposed to achieve!

One treatment that used to be available in hospitals was paraffin wax. You dip your feet repeatedly in hot paraffin wax , wrap a blanket or insulated boots around them and relax.
You can buy parawax heaters that are temperature controlled.

I have no cartlidge left in my right foot and like you Zuni I don’t take pain killers volteral was a waste of time and didn’t touch either the arthritis in my finger joints or my Gammy toe I was given NHS orthopaedic inner soles but they didn’t help as it just pushed my foot higher in my shoe making it more painful I could have the bone pinned but so far have preferred not to have the op
I find shoes like sketchers Ugg type boots anything fairly flat and soft although I have a pair of boots with a small heel that are ok
I think I ve got a bit used to the pain and sort of blank it out a good bit but can’t do long walks

I agree about the NHS orthotics - they match them to your foot out of the shoe and as soon as you put them in a shoe and put your foot in they no longer fit - they move to a position where the shape does not fit your foot - and they are rock solid. And very painful indeed to walk on.

I finished up paying £200 for private orthotics - the measurements were done with a laser scan - in the NHS you stick your foot in a box of hard foam. The resulting inserts fit perfectly and are softer. I would not be without them - I cannot even wear my slippers round the house without being in pain. But with the orthotic it is entirely tolerable.

I just thought the NHS orthotics were a total waste of NHS time and money.

So glad it wasn’t me Luckygirl I gave them back but of course they are useless for anyone else such a waste of money

Wow, that takes me back many years. Some times the older treatments are the best. They worked.

I find that not walking too much helps, though as a non car owner I do still walk a fair bit, just pace myself. You could try paracetamol which are not too strong. I find the correct shoes makes the most difference. Shoes need to have very thick soles. I find either Nike trainers or Ecco shoes or Clarks Trigenic are best, though only certain styles in each work. If I wear thinner soles, I can't walk or be on my feet for long.

I do exercises just for my feet. They may creak and click a bit while I’m doing them but they seem a bit better for it.

Skechers do a huge range of styles and are very cushioning.

The orthotics I had from the hospital were too deep to fit into any shoes and were rock hard to walk on. I have no idea what they were supposed to achieve!
Mine from the NHS aren't rock hard, they are quite nice and spongey but they did take a bit of getting used to. The ones made by a private podiatrist were awful and really caused pain.

I've had to buy new shoes Tegan, to accommodate them, although one or two pairs had removable insoles and could just take the orthotics.
Loretta shoes have removable insoles as do some Fly Flot and Pavers, otherwise there are specialist firms online.

Jalima my nhs ones were rock hard like Luckygirls and thick so when you put them in your shoe they pushed your foot up making it push on the top and side of the shoe or boot

So many people suffering severe pain from arthritis. So many people saying that Naproxen is the only pain killer that works. So many GPs reluctant to prescribe it. You’d think this painful and wasteful circle could be squared.

My NHS orthotics are good. When my feet were particularly painful a couple of years ago, the bio mechanic added an extra layer of padding. This meant I had to wear trainers or good 'stout' shoes in order to accommodate the orthotics, or go up half a size.
Wearing orthotics does affect the type of footwear available. So many previously good shoe manufacturers now have such low supports at the back, the foot is raised and sliding out of the shoe. I often cut the shoes own inner to fit my orthotic, so support is given at the front of the shoe but I can still fit the orthotic in. Tedious isn't it.

As I rely entirely on the orthotics to walk, I find it tedious to have to wear the same pair of shoes all the time, and never slippers. It is such a pain to get them in and out every time you wear a different shoe (and I think that manhandling them weakens them) - to the point where I basically do not bother and wear the same pair for every occasion!

I have a lump on top of my left instep. It's been there for ages and the rheumatologist said it was osteo-arthritis which was no surprise to me. Apparently it didn't show up on x-ray. Lace-up shoes are uncomfortable because they press on it. Added to dodgy knees, I'm finding walking painful. I can't use opiate painkillers or NSAIDs, so am left with Paracetamol. The consultant has prescribed a drug usually used for rheumatoid arthritis which isn't working, though I'm giving it a chance!

I meant to say that no-one has suggested orthotics, but the most comfortable footwear (apart from my slippers!) is my Skechers slip-on trainers with memory foam insoles. Not glamorous - especially as they are purple!