My feet have been painful for quite some time. Neuropathy, joint pain, etc. I’ve now added in bone spurs in the mid foot that are causing nerve irritation into my toes. It’s all very frustrating. And shoe shopping is an absolute nightmare, especially because of the custom made orthotics.
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My only PsA symptom for 18 months was unbearable painful feet - to the point that I was given a handicap placard for my car. Visually my feet looked fine at the time - the PsA was causing tendinitis and the misdiagnosis of plantar fasciitis didn’t help ! I still have painful feet in the evening and I soak them in an ice bath. I have neoprene toe covers for each foot that allows me to soak my feet longer. This is the best treatment for me - better than any med. I hope you get relief soon - I really understand how debilitating foot pain is - you need your feet to walk !
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Thanks for all the good advice, everybody!
Seenie, I started doing some flexing and actually trying to walk “normally” bending my feet instead of plopping along flat-footed, even though it causes more pain. I realized, it’s probably bad for my ankles to walk like I have been because they’re not getting as much motion and I think that’s part of what’s causing the weakness in my ankles and feet. I also do worry that some of this pain stems from nerves being impinged in my lower back, though. I do use the voltaren gel, also, but only in the evenings. It does help! Yes, it is prescription in the US, but I have a good supply of it!
Poo, someone else suggested crocs, too…I should give them a try! I’m just such an awful shopper, I sort of wear the same type of shoe all of the time. In the summer I do get away with wearing flip-flops. I never do much walking. When we were at the ocean, it was all we could do to walk about 1/2 block to the beach. There was a bench along the way to stop and rest! No long walks down the beach for us. 
Stoney and Frances, when I had neuropathy, I used ice packs…they totally took the neuropathy pain away. But, this is different. It doesn’t respond to ice packs…I was thinking maybe warm, Epsom salt soaks would help. Sitting in a hot bathtub helps (while I’m in the water). It is debilitating–my mom used to say, foot pain causes you to feel awful all over. Now I know what she meant.
A good friend once told me to try Tai Chi and I need to get on that! It looks challenging–I’m very uncoordinated. I’m just hoping eventually my feet will get better and not worse–worse would not be well-tolerated by me.
My rheumy suggested Tai Chi also. Swimming is also great. He also suggested a home parrafin wax machine for my feet - the kind they use at the nail salons. It honestly doesn’t help me, but if heat works for you perhaps it would be helpful. Mine is sitting in the closet unused and I could mail it to you? It seems you are trying a variety of remedies and I’m confident you will find something useful - I hope you find a remedy soon ! Meanwhile, I’m here for support 
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Thank you, Frances! 
A demonstration of tai chi walking:
If you look carefully you can see how much flexing his feet do. You don’t have to take such big steps or to bend your knees as much as he can, and in fact you shouldn’t let your knees extend over the front of your feet. But the aim is to move ‘with intention’ as they say, i.e. trying to do it right without getting all tensed up. For me, on a bad foot day, 30 moves perhaps would be enough to make my feet burn bad. Thereafter the opposite happens, if you’re lucky! Repetition is all, boring but potentially very helpful.
When you’ve transferred to one foot and it is flat on the floor, sink down into that hip, that makes you steadier. Then when the weight is fully on the other foot, sink into the hip on that side and so on.
The good thing is that you can do this in your yard, which I believe is the American term for garden. Whether it’s a yard or the garden, the neighbours may think you are nuts. However they don’t have to live with your tootsies.
Flip flops! Blinking heck. I suppose there’s an outside chance they’re great for feet but I doubt it. Walking barefoot on sand though, that’s a different matter … probably even better than Tai Chi.
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I’ve also posted a tai chi video specifically about feet in the complementary section. The point made there about standing in a slightly pigeon-toed stance is classic tai chi and seems to make sense.
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I buy them on line GrandmaJ. Their sizing is easy to follow but I would guess it would make sense if the for the first time you physically try them on in a shop. Althought you can just as easily do that at home too.
A friend of mine (or rather her husband) manufactures shoes called ‘Strive’. I’ve not tried them yet but also check out their website as I’m guessing with many of the foot problems many of you have, you could find these useful too, especially for the plantar facititis issues as they’re apparently designed for that. Please note I’m not at all trying to do promotion here either, none whatsoever, but it suddenly occured to me these might be an option to investigate. For me presently I’m as happy as a sandboy in my crocs and I’m not a shopper or fashion conscious so tend to try and not waste time on shopping of any sort! I used to be a ‘Hotter’ shoe person but as my feet developed this disease they don’t suit anymore.
Wow, the instructor makes it look so easy, but I’m having a little trouble getting the hang of this! I’m going to show it to my 13-year old granddaughter who’s a dancer–maybe she can help me get this thing!!!
I’ve no doubt the 13 year old granddaughter will help you figure your way through any online shoe shopping experience, Grandma J. It’s a pain returning them if they’re not right, but most of these sites makes returns easier and easier, these days. Happy shopping and hopefully by the end of your experience, happier feet for you too, that didn’t need to walk through shopping malls or centres as we call them here in the UK. Only to end up hot and bothered and in pain and then have to go through the nonsense of trying them on in the store too. Happier feet make just happier us!
Came across another online site called ‘Lesara’ which tells me it’s like ‘walking on clouds’. That might mean too little base support and too much overly soft foam cushioning but … Haven’t tried them either but if you’re minded to internet shop and their returns are easy, let me know if you try them and what you think.
Remember before PsA decided to like me rather too much, so it attached itself to me sadly, I spent well over 20 years with a stupidly increasingly bunions, worse on one foot than the other. The operation on the worst one in 2015 ignited my PsA. Of that I’ve no doubt whatsoever. Shoes therefore have always been my nemisis. Finding comfortable shoes my eternal goal. I’m 55 now and ditched anything approaching fashionable shoes by about aged 25. So I’ve no issues about what shoes I wear now once they’re presently comfortable. High heels - well I haven’t worn them since I was about 25 years old either and thank God for that. Ridiculous stupid and so uncomfortable things! And while I’m at it that goes for nylon tights or pantyhose too. Utterly obscene in my view and probably ridiculously unhygenic too. Either bare legs, with fake tan or a decent pair of trousers with nice socks and shoes does perfectly well in my view. 
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I avoid any fashionable shoes, too, Poo_therapy. To work I wear ugly, black NB shoes my foot doctor recommended a couple years ago. For every day I wear athletic shoes with orthotics in them. At home I wear sock slippers. I should try the crocks, but I prefer to try shoes on in the store rather than order online, especially because I’ve never had a pair so I have no clue what size would work.
I had a great 24 hours yesterday and into this morning. The pain and weakness in my ankles was nearly non-existent, so all I had was the pain on the tops of my arches. I had decided to cut my statin in half a couple days ago. I know statins can cause come pain problems–IDK if it’s in muscles, tendons or joints, but I had decided maybe the statin was part of the problem. When my feet felt better yesterday and this morning it got my hopes up that I had found the answer for at least part of my foot pain!!! This would be nearly a miracle, because I was worried if they kept getting worse it wouldn’t be long before I’m not able to walk at all!!! I’m a little more optimistic today! Thanks for all the ideas, everybody!
So glad you have such a better day Grandma J. It always makes such a difference doesn’t it? As for crocs - check out if there’s a store near you. I’m lucky in having an ‘outlet’ one near me. So I did go and try them on and worked out the sizes. Now that I know what they are I just order on line.
As for statins, I’m afraid I’m in the camp that says they’re only appropriate following a cardiac issue and not as a preventitive measure. It seems now they’re saying that more and more. We’ve had a real long run at trying to decide what prevents cardiac disease doing all sorts of banning injesting fats etc etc and they keep changing their minds. What I can tell you is that my mother was prescribed statins as a preventitive measure, just as part of getting older. Her immediate family being mother and brother had severe cardiac issues. So it seemed sensible. After 6 months in she was just miserable. Tired, with lots of aches and pains and her hair was thinning considerably. She had gorgeous hair. Anyway she ditched them and felt so much better within weeks. She died aged 86 from old age and non cardiac related conditions. However my sister 9 years older than me takes them and doesn’t seem bothered by them. And I think my other sister just 5 years older than me also just started taking them, although that could just be BP medication, can’t remember. No one has ever said I should yet and I would question it for me though. Why would I want to take medication that has a side effect of such aches and pains when I have PsA anyway? I certainly wouldn’t be doing that unless it was completely and medically necessary. Just my thoughts.
Hope you have a great day today too.
Crocs get my vote too but I wear them around the house mainly, walking any distance requires more supportive footwear I think. I notice there are a lot of Croc lookalikes that have a completely different fit and of course you need to try before you buy. But don’t you order stuff online and then send either all or most of it back? I thought everyone did that these days lol! And with PsA feet we’re surely justified in doing that … I order several sizes of the same shoe and try them on at different times of the day.
Did you take statins before you got heart issues? Or does taking them correspond with the increase in foot pain? But anyway the fact that the pain has eased up is marvellous. Due to our spooky transatlantic PsA link, my feet are happier too. However, as we have damaged feet we are always going to have to do things that will help the feet stay as strong and flexible as possible, so even if statins have been amplifying the foot pain there’s still that requirement to find exercise or physio, and shoes, that will support them.
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Ugh, I’m not a shop-a-holic–that’s one typically female trait you can wipe off my list! I don’t like it in the stores or on-line. I have two stores I shop in for clothing and that’s only when I’m desperate. Oh, and a shoe store I’ve been to that isn’t in a mall so it’s easy to park close and walk in.
But, anyway, eventually I’ll get around to trying crocs…as you’ve probably noticed, I’m slow at getting around to doing things that might help me–probably because I’m a pessimist and the fact that they only “might” help is a deterrent to bother about shopping for the shoes, practicing Tai Chi, going to p.t. or taking a new med.
Sybil, I did take a statin a few years back–Lipitor for 3 days ONLY! It caused really weird pain in my shoulder and boob (I usually say chest, but really the pain went through my right boob! It was the most unusual pain I’ve ever had, and I don’t think it was in a muscle, it was probably in a gland or something). Anyway, I called my doctor at the time and she said stop taking the Lipitor immediately!
When I had my blockage last August, my heart doctor started me on Crestor. I didn’t ask any questions or argue about having to take a statin. I knew my LDL was in the danger zone and I didn’t want another emergency!! So, I’ve been taking the Crestor for 8 months now. I don’t remember when the ankle pain started, it’s been a few months at least. I was just getting so frustrated because it’s bad enough to have the sometimes horrendous pain on the tops of my arches down to my toes, and then adding the ankle pain was, well, agonizing sometimes and depressing!
I tried the Tai Chi a little and I’m bending my feet more when I walk, trying to strengthen muscles and stretch tendons that I’ve probably been protecting for too long. But, it seems interesting how much improvement I suddenly have since reducing the Crestor to 5mg a day instead of 10. Maybe it’s a combination of those things. I’ll ask my cardiologist at my appointment May 25…I’m just so amazed and happy my ankles are feeling at least 50% better!
I worked outside this evening for two hours, raking some small patches of leaves in the bushes along our house and garage, and all kinds of fun work like that…the day was gorgeous and it felt so good to be outside and able to work–I almost felt completely well. It wasn’t until after I came in and sat down that my feet sort of “locked up”, but it still was a great day and if the whole summer would be like this (70 degrees Fahrenheit) and my feet only felt a little sore most of the time, I wouldn’t have one complaint!! 
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LOL! It does sound awful femmie doesn’t it …‘ooh, I always order tons of things to try on, such fun! And then I send them back of course teehee!’ But I didn’t mean it like that, honestly! Online works for me 'cos I have such difficult to-fit-feet and trying a range of sizes on at home makes it much easier to make the right decision in terms of comfort, support etc. as well as style.
As for the ‘might help, might not’ feeling, I know it so well! And when you’re quite busy enough already, trying things out that may not work can seem such a waste of time. I think the exercise angle is very tried and tested though. I guess we can all envisage the poor old boney joints all too well. But I know that my knowledge of tendons and muscles and the role they play in keeping the whole shebang together is not very good at all. Slowly it’s dawning on me that they can slow the damage down and limit the effects of damage if we keep them in good nick. Every rheumatology department I’ve been to recommends Tai Chi specifically as well as exercise in general.
I guess what I’m saying is that any exercise almost certainly will help. Perhaps not immediately in terms of pain, but long-term by minimising ongoing damage or mitigating it. And exercising the feet ain’t easy, the damn things are workhorses, slamming down on the ground relentlessly with all our weight on them so walking and house work etc., while it does provide exercise for the feet, also puts more strain on them. Anything that involves gentle stretching and flexing therefore seems good to me, as does re-thinking how you walk, as you have been doing.
Sometimes I think the main thing that I’ve done right is to remain a bit of an exercise freak. Little by little the sad truth about my joints is being revealed and I don’t know what the future holds, but for now I really am very mobile much of the time. And I’m sure it’s no accident. That’s why I’m unashamedly banging the drum for exercise, physio, tai chi … any damn thing that makes the body as strong and resilient as possible. It works.
Oh doesn’t it feel wonderful when the sun comes out and you get to do something you enjoy and feel at peace with the world? It’ll be interesting to hear what your cardiologist has to say about Crestor. Hope I haven’t annoyed the hell out of you! Gotta go, simply have to order 50 pink frocks …
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Thanks, Poo_therapy, I appreciate your comments and wanted to get back to you about the statins. That’s interesting about your mom and your sisters–cardiac issues can definitely be genetic. My cardiologist told me the fact that my brother and sister both had heart attacks at a young age proves we have this in our family DNA. My oldest brother is the only one so far who hasn’t had any problems, and he’ going on 70.
The use of statins is very controversial. My daughter, who’s a Registered Dietitian, does not recommend them. Something complicated about the LDL and all that good stuff, which she’s explained to me a hundred times, but, of course, I don’t remember it!
Anyway, my Internist had been coaxing me into taking a statin for years! After the Lipitor experience, I totally refused and I took Ultimate Omega Fish Oil and CoQ10 instead–and I do think these things are very beneficial and SAFE. But after I had the coronary blockage, blushing, I apologized to my Internist about being so stubborn and not taking a statin…she said, no worries! She basically told me the predisposition to having heart problems has been with me since I was a child, and possibly the statin wouldn’t have made a difference! Like you said…
I’d really like to stop taking it altogether, but I don’t think that would be a good idea, either, because of the cardiac issue I now have. Sometimes it seems, though, doctors just push more and more meds on their patients, not concerned at all about the SEs or harmful interactions with other meds (thank God that’s where the pharmacist comes in!)
My legs are really achy today–not my feet, but I think working outside yesterday, up and down, feeling smart because I felt so good, worked my thigh and calf muscles more than usual…so, I’m laying low tonight!
I wouldn’t take statins either, if I were you! Sounds like your mom didn’t worry about not taking them, and she did well! 
I take CoQ10 too quite alot of the time. I perceive it gives me energy. Right now though I think my hair is thinning too much - menopause issues - so I’m concentrating on upping biotin and zinc and such like.
It makes me smile though that I’ll happily target ‘vitamins’ and indeed wait several months to decide if they’ve made a difference without batting an eyelid. But I’ll be like a cat on a tin roof and fussing how long everything takes once I start mxt in a couple of weeks. Just you wait for my whining and whinges then.
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I started this discussion 4-1/2 years ago (Sep.2015) after my feet had started hurting in March 2015.
Today I got my 3rd ever visit with a podiatrist. I basically put up with the pain all those years, trying to wear shoes that helped, taking as few OTC meds as possible, ice, heat, Voltaren gel and limping a lot.
Showing me the x-rays the podiatrist told me I’m a candidate for surgery. He’d do my left foot first, fusing the joints at the top of my arch. He doesn’t think injections would do much good for my type of pain. He molded my feet for new orthotics to use in the meantime and I’ll get them in 2 weeks.
Seenie, if you see this, I’d appreciate your thoughts. You had surgery in your feet that was unsuccessful, and I’m wondering if it’s the same surgery we’re planning for me. I’m attaching a photo I took of the x-ray. If anybody else has had fusion of the bones in their arches, I’d love to hear from you.
Those are very impressive x-rays! I guess now the next step is to get a second opinion. I’ll likely be doing that at Hospital for Special Surgery in NYC. In other words, even if the second opinion is inconvenient, get it at the absolute best place that you can go. The other reason for me to go there, is because I know that they have absolutely fantastic infection control.
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A previous doc wanted me to do Tai Chi for my PsA - haven’t done it yet. Although I joined a gym today (baby steps:-)
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