Hi guys 
Just realised my rheumy has never even looked at my feet! They have started to get a little sore recently. Both 4th toes are bent and are started to rub on my shoes 
do my feet show any signs of PsA in your opinion/experience? Does anyone else have this prob and is it a PsA thing or just incidental? Thanks guys Kelly
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I know exactly what you are going through. my toes make a question mark on both feet and it is also the forth toe that is doing this. it very well could be joint damage, I went years with the toes bending and turning more and more each year all while I was seeing a podiatrist. I mention it to him and he said it was a cosmetic fix. can you believe that. any who that is where I get my username from. I would definitely tell your Dr. about it the nest time you see him. Sometimes they are so over-worked you need to point out the obvious. my Dr. just said it's joint damage, because what was done is done. you can't make them strait again lol. I hope everything goes well with you and you get some answers. I just looked at your photo and it is joint damage that is how my toes looked early on
Yes, he should be checking your feet. I'm having issues with mine as well but the left seems to be the worst. Though it is not an obvious "sausage" like swelling, I have an enlarged toe. The problem being I don't think my Rheumy recognizes it. He thinks it's fine. I told him it's sore but got no where. It's not bent but I cannot put pressure on it and cannot bend it much.
I think there are signs that are common that the docs don't recognize because they need to be told what to recognize.
Thank you for your help, I really appreciate it 
crookedtoes84 said:
I know exactly what you are going through. my toes make a question mark on both feet and it is also the forth toe that is doing this. it very well could be joint damage, I went years with the toes bending and turning more and more each year all while I was seeing a podiatrist. I mention it to him and he said it was a cosmetic fix. can you believe that. any who that is where I get my username from. I would definitely tell your Dr. about it the nest time you see him. Sometimes they are so over-worked you need to point out the obvious. my Dr. just said it’s joint damage, because what was done is done. you can’t make them strait again lol. I hope everything goes well with you and you get some answers. I just looked at your photo and it is joint damage that is how my toes looked early on
Thank you dini, I will bring it up with the rheumy
Dini said:
Yes, he should be checking your feet. I’m having issues with mine as well but the left seems to be the worst. Though it is not an obvious “sausage” like swelling, I have an enlarged toe. The problem being I don’t think my Rheumy recognizes it. He thinks it’s fine. I told him it’s sore but got no where. It’s not bent but I cannot put pressure on it and cannot bend it much.
I think there are signs that are common that the docs don’t recognize because they need to be told what to recognize.
I show off my feet pretty much every time. No significant swelling. The problem is that feet have so many other forces acting on them, it may be hard to differentiate. But swelling should be palpable, even if not particularly visible. I walk in with a laundry list of what's been swollen and/or painful.
Am I glad you posted this as I was just about to start a thread with this topic. I have noticed that my right big toe is starting to move and overlap the next toe. It's getting a bit uncomfortable as I am on my feet almost all day. I have started to put a bandage on the toe to stop the rubbing. I was unsure if this was going to be a rheumy or orthopod thing. I see my rheumy in about a month so I will mention this to him.
Waiting for swelling to occur before complaining is simply to late! I have no swelling in my right hand but my ring finger is bent about 20 degrees from the mid joint. My wedding ring no longer fits!
Thanks for the info xox
This may also be due to bunions, and x-rays should clear this up. You can purchase toe separators, made out of foam or a gel type, at the pharmacy. This will keep the toes from rubbing and keep them straighter. This may be a short term or long term fix. My general policy is to tell/show everybody about new problems.
Clearly, if the separator makes it less comfortable, stop using them. I think it just took me a little bit of time to get used to them.
Sherm said:
Am I glad you posted this as I was just about to start a thread with this topic. I have noticed that my right big toe is starting to move and overlap the next toe. It's getting a bit uncomfortable as I am on my feet almost all day. I have started to put a bandage on the toe to stop the rubbing. I was unsure if this was going to be a rheumy or orthopod thing. I see my rheumy in about a month so I will mention this to him.
That is the first place that my damage showed up. I buy DREW shoes, they have a huge toebox, and Chaco Sandals. I can walk all day long wearing either of those. Other shoes, and I am a wreck within 30 minutes. My toes are arced up, and before I wore those shoes, I would get huge calluses because I would be leaning on the sides of my feet, unknowingly. I also have a hot wax machine where I put my feet into, esp in the winter. The heat goes way down into the bones, and if FEELS great. You should get an OK from your Dr before using it, though.
Here is praying that Enbrel works and I have no flare-up this winter. (I was switched to Humira last summer, and it didn't work at all for me, hence the flare-up. Enbrel has worked in the past...)
I always take my shoes and socks off before my exam, just so my feet are 'out there' for the doc to see.
My doc doesn't put people in gowns...I also experienced this at another doc in AZ. Is this a new thing for rheumy's? Up until about 2004, all the rheumy's I saw wanted a gown to see every joint.