flat foot and valgus hind foot deformity with permanent peri-malleolar swelling

[Tracylux]

Sounds nice doesn't it? My ankle has been swollen for months now and is increasingly painful. I can now only walk for about 30 mins at a time as it gets so painful. Large kind of lump/swelling on inside of ankle. Went to GP and surprisingly he linked this to RA - I had never linked it although was diagnosed seropositive RA about 4 yrs ago. Reading up on this now, and it seems swelling due to RA can cause permanent damage to ankle joint requiring surgery! TBH I just never linked to RA as pain in ankle is constant and more dull ache, different to the agonising pain when my normal joints flare. Guess I've been a bit slow on the uptake here! So just asking if anyone else has had this - and what treatment was offered. Bizarrely it helps if I wear a small heel !

thanks all.

[medway-lady]

I have similar but the ball of the foot and big toe looks like a bunion but it's not and toe going a bit left. It hurts and going to be operated on on the 13 September to correct. I've been advised to wear small heel shoes as yes it does help as advised by my surgeon.

[Lucy76]

Hi

Feel for you as problems with your feet affecting your mobility are difficult to cope with .

I've had RA for 15 years and never had ankle problems till the last 12 months.

Firstly I was sent for x rays then to the podiatrist who gave me insoles for my shoes . Then had quite a few intermittent steroid injections in different areas of the ankle.

All of these didn't really help so eventually the consultant sent me for an MRI scan which probably should have been done earlier so I would really recommend pushing for one .

It Showed that I have a lot of problems in the ankle ,that I won't bore you with , now I'm waiting to see the Orthopaedic ankle specialist.

The main advice I have is to be politely assertive in getting to the bottom of the problem because as I have found out we take our ankles for granted and boy do we need them.

Hope things improve for you soon