Archive for September 2nd, 2009
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic disease that affects about 2.1 million Americans, mostly women. It has been shown to attack multiple joints throughout the body. It is estimated that 1.5 million women and 600,000 men are victims of this debilitating disease. Of these affected, approximately 90% of the people with RA eventually develop foot or ankle problems and even deformity. In fact, many of the early symptoms of RA often include foot problems. Problems with feet are more common than problems with the hand and only second to the knee. Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms can lead to serious disability, such as foot drop, when the person has to wear foot drop braces to be able to walk.
The exact cause of RA is still unknown, even with years of study. Some possible causes include genetics from parents, chemical or environmental “triggers”. These all lead to a malfunction of the immune system. In RA, the immune system turns against itself and damages the joints causing cartilage inflammation.