RA Creating Trouble Underfoot When the body attacks itself the results can be devastating. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that targets joints in the body. More than 90% of patients will feel it in their feet. “The joints get inflamed, swollen, it stretches out the tissues. The joints become very flexible, hyper-mobile, and then they start getting a little deviated. And usually in the feet any of these imbalances can be affected quicker because of the stress on your feet,” says Dr. Andrew Belis, who is a podiatrist on medical staff of Lee Memorial Health System. Often leading to debilitating deformities. “Where the toes and the joints of the feet collapse or dislocate or angulate, usually in an outward appearance. And that can cause a lot of pain,” says Dr. Belis. That’s exactly what happened to Audrey Walston. Symptoms came on quickly; her RA creating trouble underfoot. “It got to the point before I went to Dr. Belis for the first surgery on my foot that it was, it was painful to walk, to move, to put a shoe on. I got that I couldn’t wear shoes because the foot had got quite deformed,” says Audrey Walston. Surgery is an option to rebuild the foot, lengthen tendons, create better alignment and balance and relieve pressure points. In advanced cases when a lot of damage is already done – fusion. “Once the bone is fused together, the arthritic joint has been removed, then technically there’s no residual chance of recurrence. So that’s why the fusions are way more predictable. Once it’s in the correct positioning and infused well, it usually lasts a lifetime,” says Dr. Belis. A total rebuild on both feet left Audrey on solid ground. “Maybe when you’re walking up and down steps you’re a little flat footed because the ankle doesn’t bend but you’re still getting up and down the steps. The major part is that the pain’s gone,” says Walston. In its place is quality of life. Allowing people with rheumatoid arthritis to get moving again. View More Health Matters video segments at ift.tt/1hcl5Cg Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we’ve been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries. Visit leememorial.org _______ FOLLOW LIPSapp Classic Radio _______ FB: r-js/1vz7Pcz / TW: r-js/1kHd2Qt / Listen to LIPSapp Classic Radio r-js/1dOIQ18 #classicrock #rollingstones #ledzeppelin #santana #eagles #zztop #thewho #beatles #elvis #jimihendrix #dylan #acdc #michaeljackson #pinkfloyd #madonna #u2
Posted on: Sun, 14 Dec 2014 18:57:50 +0000
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