Painful feet in rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Pain in the feet is an important diagnostic feature and a major management problem of rheumatoid arthritis. Of 50 hospitalized patients, 28% recalled painful feet as the sole presenting symptom of their disease.RHEUMATOID DISEASE COMMONLY AFFECTS THE FEET: 90% of the patients studied complained of foot pain at some time during the course of their disease, 86% had clinical involvement and 92% had radiological changes in their feet.The forefoot is most frequently involved. Midfoot involvement was noted in 68% but was symptomatic in only 22%. Changes in the ankle were least common but always symptomatic.