Bit of a strange one - sorry!

[YorkieBard]

Current diagnosis is seronegative inflammatory arthritis, but I'm waiting for a MRI scan on pelvis / spine to rule out axial spondyloarthropathy because I get a lot of SI pain.

The thing is, I get frequent swelling on either L or R foot (& I mean swelling - like a balloon from toes to heel - or should that be "hell") - I can't bear to walk, bear any weight on it (exquisite pain) & it's hot.

Anyway, last night my L foot started up & as usual, I compared the 2 feet to see how much difference there was.

Oh was there!

The difference in swelling was quite minimal.

However I noticed a major change in my left foot. The bones on the top of my L foot had "dropped" - the L foot bones were not as high as the R foot bones & L foot had suddenly got a lot wider. Yikes.

I've got a flat foot - I thought.

Anyone else experience any thing similar please?

[Jimminey]

I have had seropositive RA for 6 1/2 years, have been on sulfasalazine for 6 years and have just started sarilumab.

Even when inflammation elsewhere was under control I still had swollen red toes and toe-end of feet. My RA has got worse over the last year and the swelling in my feet has spread back to my ankles - it is not always symmetrical with my left foot at present more swollen and wider. My outer 3 toes on each foot have also started to splay outwards. Despite all this I have been and am still able to walk reasonably well although painful - but not too bad. And I have no signs of flat feet.

My feet have for the last 6 years always been an 'outlier' and the rheumatologist once thought it was CRPS (not now I think) and I've had vascular and microvascular examinations - both 'normal'. And there's no Reynauds.

I also had a MRI scan of my whole spine due to lower back pain, and it seems I may have some osteoarthritis there - in or just above the SI joint.

I found your symptoms somewhat similar and I hope this comparison of notes is of some help to you.

[YorkieBard in reply to Jimminey]

Hi Jimminey & thanks for replying. Our symptoms do sound similar!

It is mainly the sudden collapse of my arch that is worrying me & reading your post has made me link somethings together (I don't know why).

For the last 3 nights, I have woken in the night with "cramp" under my arch. Now dawned on me that the "cramp" is in fact pain from my collapsing foot! So thank you for that!

[ABwn]

Both my feet swell, along with ankles and below the knees. GP I saw thinks I have a heart murmur, so going for blood test. Good luck.

[YorkieBard in reply to ABwn]

Hi ABwn,

Thanks for replying - both my feet & both knees take turns at swelling - but I'm sure it's arthritis as they are so painful that I can't move them at all & can't bear ANY weight on the affected leg. Wearing out my crutches with use!

Also been in hospital recently with lung issues & they gave my heart a good check over & a full MOT! Good luck to you as well.

[ABwn in reply to YorkieBard]

Thanks YorkieBard. Hope you find out about your feet and knees.

[RAstruggle]

I am seronegative and my feet are a mess. They weren’t too bad until my biologic stopped working and I’ve been in a massive flare since February. It’s definitely RA for me, I’ve been checked out. I have flat feet because I’ve been shuffling around this year with the RA pain. Hospital has referred me to orthotics and I’ve had an appointment come through for next month. In the meantime I get by with Skechers Arch Fit teainers, painkillers and flip flops in the house. I get the stabbing pains in my arches, it’s horrible.

[Lester23]

Hi, I have just visited my RA nurse and I have plantar fasciitis in my left foot and achilles tendonitis in my right foot. I didn't realise this was caused by inflammation in my ankle joints but I have been walking differently to compensate for the pain (didn't even realise I was doing it). My left arch has also dropped and my ankles swell when I have been walking. She advised me to start physiotherapy and that the swelling should start to reduce once my flare up is under control. Not sure if this helps!