Relieving pain from arthritis in metatarsals post riding

How stiff are your biking shoes?

I have arthritis in left big toe joint, had operation to remove bone spur last year,will need joint fixed or some form of joint replacement at some point (I’m putting this off as it means months off exercise).

I’m interested to hear people’s solutions. I use xc shoes so quite stiff already. Sizing up so more room in toe box has helped a little, but nothing else has made a significant difference (I’ve also tried orthotics).

I've developed this (also in ankles, knees and hips following) ADT and chemotherapy. It's absolute agony and makes me not-want to get up in the morning 🙁

This is what I've done / doing:

Descent footbeds in shoes,
Compression socks (Endura are great for the money),
Cold water therapy (baths and showers),
Reflexology (Thought it was quackery but I was wrong),
Stretch feet and ankles every day,
Bit of yoga,
Loads of pills... Ibuprofen, paracetamol, codeine
Loads of supplement... Shark-liver oil, glucosamine, etc.

Hope some of that helps

I'm the same as Stanley. Fingers, thumb joint, ankles. I use kinetic tape where I can and stacks of 30mg codeine. Nowt else works.All the supplements in the world didn't do anything.
I also wash two of those codeine down with a beer. Sometime helps me sleep, sometimes not.

Cold water is a good start, followed by heat - I sometimes use those chemical handwarmer sachets plus ibuprofen and paracetamol. I have arthritis in both feet particularly big and 2nd toes. Also keep a 500ml bottle of water in the freezer do I can roll the soles and arches too.

Fellow sufferer here, mostly in my hands (need surgery to remove bone spurs). One thing I’ve found really helps is boswellia supplements, highly recommend giving them a try

Pretty low level stuff from me compared to above but I started with sore elbows. Fingers and feet. I think it's related to my diet in my case.

Definitely improves if I remove sugar, coffee and booze.

Stomach often sore too. I'm guessing this whole inflammation thing is connecting some dots.

Fused joints here through arthritis. Flat wide roomy shoes help. Spread the load so to speak.
Walking sandals and v12s work for me. Anything spd kills me.

Wow, thanks for all the information and some of those stories are pretty intense. Mine is definitely at the lower end of the scale, but still bloody annoying having gone from no real health issues to this.

I'm taking all the supplements, fish oil, glucosamine, turmeric , Vitamin B complex and resvetrol. Def checking out the shoe inserts and those hot/cold therapies sound good.

Thanks guys!

Biking shoes. I use those shimano enduro shoes, so they are moderately stiff

Definitely improves if I remove sugar, coffee and booze.

All the aches and pains i used to get in my knees and ankles disappeared after i quite eating sugar for a few months. The best bit is I went back to eating sugar (just less) and the pains didn't come back.

Turmeric capsules should be the variant with black pepper in them. My mother swears by it.

All the aches and pains i used to get in my knees and ankles disappeared after i quite eating sugar for a few months. The best bit is I went back to eating sugar (just less) and the pains didn’t come back.

Interesting. Assumed this was a one way journey.

Interesting. Assumed this was a one way journey.

There are many different types of arthritis, and osteoarthritis (which is by far the most common type) is not a progressive disease, and can be managed very effectively with diet and exercise

The shoe inserts that were recommended to me for this kind of thing were here:
http://www.salfordinsole.co.uk/ - the blue ones

They do 2 for 1 promos now and again.

Along with some stretches of the toes. I can say it's helped a bit, I'm a mild case currently and it at least enables me to manage things. I got some Leatt riding shoes (flat pedals) as reviews said they had an unsually wide toebox and certainly find them easier going than my Fivetens.

Osteoarthritis is definitely progressive.

I have a fused ankle and a hip replacement that will testify to this.

Osteo is wear and tear and is progressive

You can slow the progress of it tho.

I have it in the big toe second knuckle.   Stiff shoes and spds and its fine for cycling.  Really limited walking now

@John_Key when you say 'auto immune arthritis' do you mean Rheumatoid Arthritis?

@muddylegs Yes I think that is it. Basically I got Lymes disease which I got treated very promptly but at the end of the antibiotic treatment the arthritis started. I'd never had this before and the doc thinks the Lymes is responsible

I'd ask your doctor to refer you to a rheumatologis. They should be able to tell you one way or the other usually with blood tests and an examination. I've had Rheumatoid Arthritis for a number of years and it can be pretty unpleasant at times but with the right treatment it can be suppressed up to a point.

Don't delay asking though as early diagnosis will be helpful to your general health.

Obviously I'm not saying that's what you have but would be good to get it ruled out.

I have just been diagnosed with moderate arthritis following discomfort and agony when snowboarding. Had some x-rays and a follow up text with the diagnosis and the offer of an appointment to discuss further.

I did speak to a podiatrist who said it was quite common in some of her older, walker clients, she offered some comfort that once the joint naturally fuses the pain will disappear. I hope so or my snowboarding days are over!