Geelong Podiatrists – Help treat your foot arthritis

With cold and wet weather on its way, our Geelong podiatry team are preparing to manage increased pain from osteoarthritis.

Many of our patients are affected by osteoarthritis that affects their feet. Some symptoms of osteoarthritis are:

• Pain that worsens during or after activity
• Stiffness that goes away after movement
• Swelling around joints
• Clicking or cracking in joints when bending

Our Geelong Podiatrists suggestions for ways to manage and improve your osteoarthritis:

1. It is important to stay active over the colder months

• Although it can be challenging in this cold weather, it is important to keep your joints moving. If you struggle in the cold, inside activity such as swimming or exercise classes are a great alternative.

2. Keep your feet warm and dry

• If you are exercising outdoors in this weather, it is important to wear thick socks of a merino or natural fibre compound such as bamboo Normal track sneakers are not ideal; we would recommend waterproof boots to keep your feet insulated.

3. Have your foot structure assessed

• Each case of osteoarthritis can be treated somewhat differently; it depends on severity and also composition of the joint. We can help assess and then plan the best way to manage your individual case.

4. A foot x-ray can be informative

• Cartilage loss is characterised with osteoarthritis and an X-ray allows our Geelong Podiatrists to assess the worst affected areas and then develop a plan for improvement. At times a foot orthoses may be necessary.

Hopefully these few suggestions are useful for you. If you believe foot arthritis is slowing you down, please contact us for a thorough assessment by our Geelong Podiatry team.