Arthritis in big toe

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quartzmonzonite

climber

Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 25, 2015 - 04:52pm PT

I'm 21 and already have arthritis in the ball of my foot. I've been using arthritis cream and take glucosamine daily but it won't go away, it started about a year ago and only starts to get better if i stick to steeper routes or boulders, but i'm all about slab, and it even hurts bad on longer easy stuff. I switched to stiffer shoes too. Everytime i climb something low angle i have to backstep my left foot or endure extreme pain, I'll take weeks off and the second i get on the rock the pain is back. I know this ussue is common but has anyone found a true fix?

Cancer Boy

Trad climber

Freedonia

Aug 25, 2015 - 05:49pm PT

You may not have arthritis. Gout is a possibility, and is frequently manifest in big toe joints. See a doctor for diagnosis and treatment if you haven't already. Good luck!

TGT

Social climber

So Cal

Aug 25, 2015 - 05:57pm PT

At 21 gout is a real probability. Get some blood work done.

At 62 I thought I might have gout from the toe pain. there was a newspaper advertisement for a drug company study and I went for it.

Got about $500 of free lab work only to find out I didn't have gout and later X rays confirmed Osteo in the big toe.

Wish I had gout. Diet changes and a few pills cure that.

I spend a lot more time on the bike than on the rock now.

quartzmonzonite

climber

Topic Author's Reply - Aug 25, 2015 - 06:06pm PT

I dont think its a gout, there's no swelling.

TGT

Social climber

So Cal

Aug 25, 2015 - 06:09pm PT

Gout doesn't necessarily involve swelling.

Have some blood work done for uric acid levels. If it's Arthritis it will show up on an X ray.

Don't waste time guessing. Get a diagnosis.

Ricky D

Trad climber

Sierra Westside

Aug 25, 2015 - 07:36pm PT

You can always cut some toes off and go for custom shoes.

TGT

Social climber

So Cal

Aug 25, 2015 - 08:08pm PT

Ye'r way to young to have worn anything out (Osteo) and most of the gazillions of types of Arthritis other than that are autoimmune conditions of one sort or another.

So unless you've cratered on that foot and know for certain how you tore it up, a docs office and not the intardnet is the place to find out what's going on.

jonnyrig

climber

Aug 25, 2015 - 08:10pm PT

I'm 40. A couple years ago, during routine blood work, my doc asked if I had gout. "Does that explain the pain in my big toe for the past two years?" Apparently, she noticed a high uric acid content in my numbers.

No swelling. Just pain. I've altered my diet, and so far, it's only intermittent. I cut back on alcohol and soda, and some other changes. Significant effect on the pain in my toe. Easy fix, so far.

ß Î Ø T Ç H

climber

ne'er–do–well

Aug 25, 2015 - 08:23pm PT

... my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Wayno

Big Wall climber

Seattle, WA

Aug 25, 2015 - 10:54pm PT

Wish I had gout. Diet changes and a few pills cure that.

Really? Not quite that simple. Gout is no cakewalk and a little more complex than what you make it.

Bruce Morris

Social climber

Belmont, California

Aug 25, 2015 - 11:37pm PT

All the older climbers I know with gout seem to drink a heck of a lot of hard liquor. Is that a coincidence?

Reeotch

climber

4 Corners Area

Aug 26, 2015 - 05:09am PT

You could be developing bunions, you are a bit young for that, but thats what happened to me from wearing too tight climbing shoes on a lot of slab routes.

Killer K

Boulder climber

Sacramento, CA

Aug 26, 2015 - 06:03am PT

Bursitis?

Had pain in my big toe for probably a year.

TGT

Social climber

So Cal

Aug 26, 2015 - 06:57am PT

Really? Not quite that simple.

Not simple but potentially a lot less permanent than Osteo

Wayno

Big Wall climber

Seattle, WA

Aug 26, 2015 - 08:24am PT

All the older climbers I know with gout seem to drink a heck of a lot of hard liquor.

I gave up hard liquor years ago because of gout.

Not simple but potentially a lot less permanent than Osteo

Not sure how anything can be more or less permanent. As far as I know there is no cure for gout. It can be managed through diet and other means but not cured. If there was a cure, I would be all over it.

Gout is not caused by drinking or bad diet, only exacerbated when having an attack. Many things can cause gout-like symptoms and the intensity and duration of attacks can vary. It can be very debilitating and cause permanent damage to joints.

The kidneys play a delicate balancing act with uric acid levels. The body can produce too much or the kidneys don't eliminate enough or both. Certain foods and alcohol can produce too much uric acid as can injury or stress or even sleep apnea. (low levels of oxygen in the blood cause high uric acid levels)

So it is not completely understood but there is progress being made.

quartzmonzonite

climber

Topic Author's Reply - Aug 29, 2015 - 11:19am PT

Been reading about gouts, seems like a common symptom is "a nightime attack of swelling, tenderness, redness, and sharp pain..." its never hurt at night, just when im climbing and just got off a climb, there seems to be no swelling or redness, its also been going on for a year without any swelling, also symptoms include: "can last a few days or many weeks..." where this i dont get flare ups, its hurt about the same until i started using arthritis cream which keeps it slightly less painfull. One of you said that im too young for arthritis, but ive been climbing slab constantly for the last 5 years and toe issues can be hereditary, (my mom and grandpa have bad toe pain and arnt climbers. Also a symptom of gout is burning, which i dont have it's just sharp pain and just when i climb

quartzmonzonite

climber

Topic Author's Reply - Aug 29, 2015 - 11:21am PT

Gouts seem to be more of attacks, where this is consistent pain everytime i climb slab, i can climb up to 5.11 slab with my left foot backstep technique, but this toe is limiting me from progressing