Cycling UK Forum

yes it's osteoarthritis

Vorpal wrote: ↑21 Jun 2021, 8:22pm edited to add: have you been offered physiotherapy? that will generally be the first approach for most osteoarthritis. Very often particular exercises can strengthen muscles &/or change the wear patterns that are causing difficulty. I have had osteoartritis pain successfully treated this way in several joints.

No- that's interesting! Might really help!

Psamathe wrote: ↑22 Jun 2021, 4:26pm With the arthritis diagnosed in my foot (as mentioned above), GP's attitude was to do nothing but I pushed as I wanted options. One possibility she mentioned was to have the bones fused - I didn't investigate what the impacts of this would have been as I pushed for a specialist referral which is the way I then went (special insoles ...).

Ian

Yep that's what he told me too and ultimately it might be that's what I have to do, if it gets too bad. I don't know though what impact that would have on the rest of the joints in the foot.

Pebble wrote: ↑22 Jun 2021, 5:59pm Several years ago I developed arthritis in one finger (xrayed and diagnosed by doc as ostio) It was a concern with me for a while as it was painful and quite disabling esp as I work with my hands a lot. Anyway - it eventually settled down and apart from that joint being considerably larger than any of the others, it is pain free and just works as well as any of the other fingers.

may be you will have such luck with your foot.

Well I live in hope It does seem to flare up and then fade, the British weather is a dream for that!

cotswolds wrote: ↑22 Jun 2021, 4:12pm I assume as you've seen a surgeon there's no doubt it's arthritis? =

Yes, as I said, I've been diagnosed with arthritis. I've even seen the xray. The surgeon advised ibuprofen, referred me to an orthotic clinic, I have orthotic insoles, and he said if it got really bad I can go back and have steroid injections into the joint which don't appeal, and ultimately I can have surgery to fuse the joint.

so meanwhile, all I'm after is ways to minimise the aggravation to the joint to keep it manageable until I get to the point where I have to let them do something to me. And I thought maybe a community of cyclist might have some ideas and tips about things that have helped them.

well quite! I'm not in a hurry to go down the steroids road! And the surgeon did say it's only a temporary fix anyway, so I'm focused on trying to minimise the aggravation to the joint and wear orthotic soles and eat ibuprofen for now. At least till it gets intolerable. Then I guess it's sit down and stay down, or surgery.

No not yet.

Jdsk wrote: ↑19 Jun 2021, 9:56pm
Which joint?

Well I don't know all the bones of the foot but I think it's the cuneiform bones? Top of the foot anyway, not toes.

Jdsk wrote: ↑19 Jun 2021, 9:56pmAnd do you have a diagnosis, eg osteoarthritis, gout... ?

well, yes - recently diagnosed. Been offered steroid injections in the joint and/or surgery to fuse the joint but I don't know it it would help or just put pressure elsewhere on the foot. Pressing with the ball of the foot is the problem, exactly what you do on a bike (and ladder come to that)

Hello - just joined. I recently got diagnosed with arthritis in one joint in my left foot. Which makes pedalling quite painful after any length of time. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced anything similar and what - if anything - helped?