Arthritis

What is arthritis in the feet?

Arthritis is inflammation and stiffness within one or more joints, which can lead to pain, swelling and reduced mobility. The feet and ankles are common sites because they carry your body weight with every step — the foot alone contains 33 joints, all of which can be affected.

The two most common types affecting the feet are osteoarthritis (wear-and-tear changes to joint cartilage over time) and rheumatoid arthritis (an autoimmune condition that inflames the joint lining). Other forms, such as gout and psoriatic arthritis, can also affect the feet.

What causes it and what are the symptoms?

Osteoarthritis often develops gradually with age, previous injury, or repeated load on a joint, while inflammatory arthritis like rheumatoid arthritis is driven by the immune system. Common symptoms in the feet and ankles include:

• Joint pain that's often worse with activity or first thing in the morning
• Stiffness and reduced range of motion
• Swelling, warmth or tenderness around a joint
• Changes to the shape of the foot (for example, bunions or clawing toes)
• Difficulty with footwear or walking comfortably

The big toe joint, midfoot and ankle are frequently involved. Left unmanaged, arthritis can change how you walk, which may place strain on other joints.

How does Blueprint Podiatry assess and treat arthritis?

Our podiatry team takes the time to understand which joints are involved, how the condition is affecting your daily movement, and what's contributing to your pain. As every one of our three registered podiatrists is a certified Level 1 Running Coach, we're able to perform a genuine gait assessment to see how arthritis is influencing the way you load your feet — and where we can offload the painful joints.

Because we cannot cure arthritis, our focus is on helping manage symptoms, protecting joint function and keeping you moving. Your personalised plan may include:

• Custom orthotics — scanned using weightbearing 3D technology and 3D printed in-house, so each device is matched to your individual left and right foot to offload and support painful joints.
• Footwear advice and modifications to reduce pressure on affected areas.
• Foot mobilisation therapy and targeted exercise programs to support joint movement and strength — a modality all our podiatrists are trained in.
• Other in-clinic options such as shockwave therapy or dry needling where clinically appropriate.

For inflammatory arthritis, there's also growing evidence that lifestyle factors may play a supporting role. Some research suggests anti-inflammatory dietary patterns [1] and certain supplements such as curcumin [2] may help with arthritis pain, though these should always be discussed alongside your GP or rheumatologist.

When should I seek help?

It's worth booking an appointment if you have ongoing joint pain or stiffness, swelling that doesn't settle, difficulty walking or wearing shoes, or noticeable changes to the shape of your feet. Early management can make a real difference to comfort and mobility.