Exercises For Gout In Big Toe

Big Toe Extension Stretch

This exercise is particularly useful for people with big toe stiffness and heel pain caused by plantar fasciitis. The end goal is being able to stretch your big toe at a 90-degree angle toward your ankle. Achieving this may take several days or weeks of exercise.

To perform this exercise:

• While sitting in a chair, put your affected foot up on your other knee.
• Hold the heel of the affected foot in one hand and use your other hand to pull the big toe back toward the ankle until you feel a gentle stretch along the bottom of your foot.
• This stretch should be held for at least 15 to 30 seconds at a time. If youre having difficulty, try shorter hold times where you put the pressure on and off more frequently.

Common Myths About Gout

Drinking too much alcohol and eating too much rich food were once considered the prime suspects in causing gout. Although eating certain foods and drinking alcohol may cause uric acid levels to spike, these habits alone may not cause gout.

A recent study indicates that our DNA is a key factor in gout flare-ups. Researchers found that diet was less important than genetics in determining whether or not patients would develop high levels of uric acid.

If you suspect you have gout, make an appointment with your doctor to be tested and learn how to prevent or reduce future gout attacks.

What Are The Causes And Triggers Of Gout In The Knee

The buildup of uric acid in the body is known as hyperuricemia. Your body produces uric acid when it breaks down purines. These are compounds found in all your cells. You can also find purines in several types of food, especially red meat and some seafood, as well as alcohol and some sugar-sweetened drinks.

Usually, uric acid passes through your kidneys, which help to eliminate extra uric acid in your urine. But sometimes, theres too much uric acid for your kidneys to handle. In other cases, the kidneys cant process typical amounts of uric acid due to an underlying condition.

As a result, more uric acid circulates throughout your body, ending up in your knee as uric acid crystals.

4 percent of adults in the United States. It tends to be more common in men because women usually have lower levels of uric acid. But after menopause, women start to have higher uric acid levels. As a result, women tend to develop gout at an older age than men do.

Experts arent sure why some people produce more uric acid or have trouble processing it. But theres evidence that the condition is often genetic.

Other things that may increase your risk of developing gout include:

• consuming a lot of high-purine foods
• consuming foods and drinks, especially alcohol, that increase uric acid production
• being overweight

Read Also: Almonds Good For Gout

Gout In Your Big Toe: Practical Steps To Relieve The Pain

Nov 13, 2017 | General |

Imagine suddenly waking up in the middle of the night with excruciating pain in your big toe. Youd find it difficult to walk, and even the gentle pressure of a duvet resting on the affected foot would be agonising. It sounds like a nightmare, doesnt it? Sadly, this scary situation is a reality for many people who suffer from a type of arthritis known as gout. Thats why its crucial to understand what causes the problem, as well as how to manage and prevent it.

Manage Your Gout Effectively

If gout is present, preventing the number of attacks is key to preventing or delaying the formation of big toe arthritis. This is obtained by dietary management and limiting your intake of purine-rich foods.

Proper medical management of your gout, which may include daily medications such as allopurinol or episodic medications such as colchicine or steroids, will also help limit the amount of joint destruction.

ALSO READ:Home Remedies and Self-Care Tips for Gout

Recommended Reading: Gout In Heel Pictures

Managing A Gout Flare

Gout flares are unexpected and painful heres how to get a handle on them.

Few things in life are more painful than a gout flare, so if youre awakened in the wee hours by a joint that is tender, swollen, red and radiating heat, youll want to act fast. Heres what you can do when a gout flare starts to ease the pain and reduce the risk of others.

Take Medicine You Have on Hand. Start treatment immediately with over-the-counter ibuprofen or naproxen , but never take aspirin, which can worsen a flare. If you have had a flare before and your doctor has prescribed an anti-inflammatory medication to take in the event of another, take your prescribed medication as your doctor directed. If you are already taking a uric acid-lowering drug to reduce the risk of flares, continue to take that drug.

Ice Down. Applying an ice pack to the painful joint may help ease pain and inflammation. Wrap a pack in a dish cloth and apply to the area for 20- to 30-minutes at a stretch several times a day.

Let your doctor know what is going on right away. She may prescribe a new medication, or have you come to the office for a joint fluid test or an injection of a corticosteroid to start relieving inflammation quickly. Getting treatment within the first 24 hours of the start of a flare can lessen its length and severity.

Get a Cane. Walking with a cane during an acute gou flare can help keep pressure off your painful joint.

Quick Links

Medications For Acute Gout

Recommended Reading: Are Almonds High In Purines

Check Out The Gout Show

The Gout Show is a new podcast series for people living with gout and their loved ones, whether youve been managing gout for years or are newly diagnosed. Host Steve Clisby, who was recently diagnosed with gout, interviews fellow patients and gout experts to explore the basics of this often-misunderstood disease, debunk common myths, and share useful tips for taking control of your health. Youll learn from gout patients and renowned doctors what living with gout is all about and how to do it better. Check it out here.

How Exercise Helps Foot Pain From Arthritis

People with arthritis who exercise regularly have less pain, more energy, and better day-to-day function, according to the American College of Rheumatology. Exercise can also help burn calories, so you shed extra weight, thus lightening the load on the joints in your feet. Another perk: more endorphins, adds Dr. Zinkin: When you exercise, it makes you feel good, which helps your mood and state of mind.

Find comfortable ways to stay active. You dont have to run or jump if it hurts, say experts. Instead, choose low-impact activities that are less stressful on the joints in your feet, such as swimming, water aerobics, or using an elliptical machine or stationary bike. Aim to work up to 150 minutes of aerobic exercise a week, split up into five- or 10-minute blocks of time if thats easier on your joints.

Strength exercises are important as well. As joints become painful to move in arthritis, muscles of the foot become atrophied from lack of use, which subsequently causes more joint and ligament pain, explains Lance Silverman, MD, orthopedic surgeon in Minnesota and fellow of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons . Exercises that help strengthen a group of small muscles in the foot can help ease symptoms, he says, as well as improve balance.

Stretching can also help increase range of motion and flexibility and relieve pain.

Don’t Miss: Are Almonds Bad For Gout

What Is Turf Toe

Turf toe, or hyperextension, is when you bend your big toe too far toward the top of your foot. It can cause a sprain of your toe or your ligaments surrounding it. Turf toe is a kind of metatarsophalangeal joint sprain, which means that at least one of your joints connecting your toe to the rest of your foot is injured.

Turf toe can happen during any sport or activity when your forefoot is on the ground with your heel up, and then you are pushed into a position of hyperextension of your toe. It most often occurs among football players on artificial grass. This is because the turf is harder and not as shock absorbent. Turf shoes also often have less protection in the forefoot because they tend to be more flexible.

Treatment for turf toe depends on the severity of the injury, which ranges from grade 1 to 3:

• Grade 1. Treatment for grade 1 turf toe involves the RICE method, which can be done at home, along with taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs . You can return to sports once you can tolerate this level of activity.
• Grade 2. Grade 2 treatment focuses on improving your symptoms, which may include wearing a walking boot and partial weight-bearing. An MRI may be done to get a better idea of the extent of your injury.
• Grade 3. Grade 3 injuries may require 8 or more weeks of recovery and immobilization, and sometimes even surgery.

• joint pain or stiffness
• being unable to move your toe typically
• redness, discoloration, or swelling around your toe and joint

Lifestyle Tips For Gout

How to Live With Gout

Although you cant predict when a gout attack will occur, there are several things you can do to try to prevent an attack. Developing a healthy lifestyle is one of these things.

The lifestyle tips below play a major role in preventing a gout attack. As an added bonus, they may also help prevent some complications of gout such as kidney disease and heart disease.

What stress management techniques work for gout? Try relaxation techniques, such as meditation and deep breathing. A little bit of stress relief can go a long way.

You May Like: Is Tofu Good For Gout

Make Physical Activity A Part Of Your Life

Check in with your doctor before starting an exercise program. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends adults do 150 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking, per week. An ideal exercise routine includes three components:

Aerobic exercise. These activities increase your heart rate and boost endurance. Aim to include some type of aerobic exercise in your program three to four times per week for about 30 minutes at a time. You could try walking or using a stationary bicycle. Or consider taking a dip. Swimming and exercising in warm water may feel good on . You may find its easier to move your joints in the water than on land. Plus, the water supports your body and reduces wear and tear on your joints.

Flexibility exercise. These exercises help improve your range of motion. Increasing your flexibility will make other types of exercise easier and will help you move around more comfortably during your day. Try carving out 15 minutes to stretch every day. Move slowly and smoothly when you stretch.

Strengthening exercise. If youve been inactive because of painful and , your muscles may be weak. Lifting weights and doing resistance exercises will help increase your strength. Stronger muscles support your joints and prevent injury. Go slow to prevent injury, and intensify your workout as you gain strength. As you get stronger, everyday activities such as climbing stairs and lifting heavy objects will become easier to do.

The Ins And Outs Of Gout And Exercise

As you may have guessed, regular exercise is a good idea for just about everyone. It helps keep weight in check, stave off chronic disease, and boost your energy and outlook. As it turns out, exercise can bring even more benefits to people who suffer from gout.

Your diet and genetics play a big role in how gout affects your life, but an active lifestyle can help every part of your gout management plan work more efficiently. Learn why exercise is crucial for comfort, and how to go about it when your gout symptoms threaten to immobilize you.

Read Also: Almond Milk And Gout

Tips For Preventing A Gout Flare

Do you feel unexplained, intense pain in your big toe? Does even the weight of your sheets against your toe cause pain? If so, you may be one of the 8 million Americans who suffer from gout. While this form of arthritis often seems to come and go at random, here at Podiatry Hotline, we understand the root causes of gout and can help you prevent future flare-ups.

Arthritis often impacts us as we age, and gout is no different. The condition typically develops in men between the ages of 30-50 and in postmenopausal women. While gout is a form of arthritis, its aggravated when the level of uric acid in your blood rises above normal levels and the acid starts to crystalize in your joint. These acid crystals bring severe pain, inflammation, and a decrease in your range of motion.

Gout can impact just about any joint in your body, but it seems to affect the big toe joint most often. In many cases of gout flare-ups, the toe gets so sore and sensitive that shoes and even socks get hard to wear. Many of our Mission Viejo, California patients tell us that even the pressure of their sheets and blankets is enough to cause sharp pain.

While you cant necessarily eliminate gout from your life, there are things you can do to reduce the amount of uric acid in your blood and, therefore, decrease your risk for gout pain and inflammation. To help you overcome this painful condition, weve gathered our five top tips for preventing gout flare-ups, all of which you can try from home.

Reduce The Pressure Reduce The Pain

Gout cant be cured, but it can be managed effectively and ensuring that your feet receive expert care plays an important part in that process.

Our London podiatrists can help to relieve the pain caused by gout in your big toe with prescription orthotics. These custom-made shoe inserts are designed to make the affected area more comfortable by reducing the pressure its under. Whats more, we can offer expert advice on which shoes youll find most comfortable.

Podiatric padding and foot shields can be beneficial when gout strikes. In addition, if the swelling has led to sores, ulcers, calluses, etc., we can treat those issues too.

For expert help to relieve the foot pain caused by gout, please call Feet By Pody today on 0207 099 6657 or book a podiatry appointment online.

Don’t Miss: Is Pistachio Bad For Gout

Lifestyle Changes Can Make Gout Attacks Less Likely

When you consider how much pain gout causes, it makes sense to try and prevent the problem flaring up. A key approach is to consume fewer foods and drinks containing high levels of purines, substances that lead to a uric acid build-up. A low-purine diet means avoiding beer, rich meats such as bacon, pork and liver, as well as many types of fish, seafood and shellfish.

The link between gout and over-indulgence is why the condition was known historically as the rich mans disease. Being a healthy weight, drinking plenty of water to flush out uric acid and exercising regularly can all help you to avoid gout attacks.

How To Treat Gout In The Big Toe

Im incredibly sorry for the delay.

The full detailed video on How To Treat Gout In The Big Toe is now out:

How Thousands Of Individuals Have Stopped Gout Discomfort Eating Particular Foods

I acquired Shelly Mannings gout program just over two years ago.

Also it does for me personally exactly what it claims on the deal with.

Because I no more undergo those excruciating gout attacks.

And I dont have to cancel programs because I have been still left by a flare-up unable to function properly.

Im never going to experience any of that ever again.

And thats because I right now learn how to ensure the fitness of my helpful gut bacteria. And how exactly to not supply the unfriendly ones.

Im thus pleased I made a decision to deal with gout myself.

Shellys program provided me everything I had a need to find out about how and why her approach works so fantastically well.

She goes into some depth about your gut, its bacteria and just why scientists nowadays realize that treating the gut heals your body.

However you can skip all that if you want to.

You can move straight to the program itself easily. And start getting healthy again.

You do it However, youll be very happy that you does.

by Chane Leigh

Recommended Reading: Gout And Tofu