Running advice, please - osteoarthritis

SixFourTwo

Hi all - as long distance runners I am hoping someone might be able to help.
I've been diagnosed with osteoarthritis in both feet - the right foot is worse with both the big toe and the next door toe affected.
Currently running or power walking beyond 20 minutes becomes really painful, a lot like I've got big stones inside my shoe.

Based in the UK - the advice I've been give is stop running and swim or low impact instead. That just wont work for me though (I like the - go out your door and run approach, no excuses!)

I've been researching ways to keep running with this problem and haven't come up with much. Can you share any advice?

In particular - I am keen to explore the strike pattern if you run wearing rocker bottoms (MBTs Shape Ups etc).
Any thoughts?

55in13

I have arthritis. A little in shoulders, hands and feet, worst in lower back (bad enough to show up on X Rays). I have had the cortisone shots in shoulders and back before and that helped a lot. Mostly I just take ibuprofen, 600 mg at a time. This is on doctor's advice and the doc also told me that if there is some pain but not a lot of swelling that if I power on through it I will not make it any worse. I don't know if that is generally true or not but you might ask your doctor. I wish I had better news, but I put up with some pain. It gets easier to ignore after a while. If I get swelling I stop. Again, please ask your doctor; I don't know if this is anything specific to my kind of arthritis or not (doc is not positive it isn't early signs of AS, which runs in my family).

55in13

A little more (and maybe bumping it will get you more feedback also)...

I saw my regular doc a couple of days ago (not the specialist, but still very knowledgeable) and asked her about osteo and running. She runs and is very pro running. She said that it is generally true that if you aren't getting swelling it's okay to push on through and try to get the muscles toned. It's a catch 22 if you don't. The joints will be easier to aggravate if the muscles are not toned and you can't tone them without putting up with some irritation. The last time I got the shots around my spine I did some very specific lower back exercises afterwards and it has kept it from getting as bad again.

TheBrolympus

I have arthritis in my knees (left worse than right) and my doc wasn't too concerned about the running unless they started to swell.

It can be pretty painful if I aggravate it and adding distance is very tricky for me. It took me almost a year to go from 20 mile a week to 30 miles a week.

I don't have feet issues but I found that going to less shoe helped more than going to more shoe. (If that makes sense. I am not to the minimalist shoes, yet).

It forced to me run with better form which helps my joints quite a bit. I am currently running with a Brooks Ghost and like them a lot. Have had a lot less issues with them than some of the more cushioned shoes out there.

KathleenMurry

Sorry to hear that. Feet are tricky. I've had arthritis in my hands and elbows since I was a teenager and in the last few years, developed it in my hips (yay me, only 28 years old). I get it from my mom. She had both her hips replaced in her 50s, and just a couple years ago, had her knee replaced. And soon, she's getting her shoulders done. This is what I have to look forward to

Anyhow, I'm lucky that I'm young enough and it's not SOO bad that I can still get out there. The doctor hasn't advised any treatment yet and just told me to keep at a low weight and stay active.

My left hip was a huge bother in the first few months of running. It would get so bad that I couldn't sleep at night after running (no position in the bed was comfortable). I hired a coach in August and he tore my form apart. After a few weeks of forefoot running and fixing my posture, all my hip problems disappeared.

I don't know how it is for your foot, because it would be really hard to reduce the impact on it in running. But, I think it is possible to make it better maybe with a stride or shoe change. I wonder if there is a way to better cushion your toes without compromising form?

I also wonder, would taking an anti-inflammatory before running help with the pain? Have you tried that?

Ke22yB

I have moderate to severe arthritis in my left hip and I run thru the pain most of the time. After 1/4 to 1/2 mile warm up I am ok. The opinions vary, the PT says I should have had a hip replacement like yesterday but my DO ( osteopathic physician) works on adjusting stretching the area loosen up the joints and build the muscles in the area. By favoring the hip over the years before I started to run the left side is very weak and so I am trying to build more muscle on that side and I am also doing yoga for more flexibility.
It is possible to massage the area move the toes to promote flexibility and blood flow there but not suffering in that area I do not know if that helps. I usually take an aspirin a day and will take an aleve before long runs or if I am suffering more than usual. Low dose anti inflammatory treatment

55in13

Low dose anti inflammatory treatment

With all due respect, that is something of a contradiction in terms according to the rheumatologists I have seen. OTC meds are generally right at the bottom of the range for reducing inflammation and are often below the range for an adult over 150 pounds. The doc told me there is no point in taking 200 mg ibuprofen tablets for arthritis if I don't take 3 or 4. Prescription motrin (ibuprofen) comes in 400, 600, 800 and 1000 mg tablets. A single aspirin has some benefits for the circulatory system but won't do much at all for your joints. YMMV and you should ask your own physician. Some people have digestive issues with NSAIDs.

TheBrolympus

Aren't there issues with NSAIDs and dehydration causing severe kidney issues? I try to avoid the anti-inflammatories if all possible.

I have 2 people in my family (one being my twin brother) that have kidney transplants and kidney doctors almost pass out if you mention NSAIDs.

55in13

Aren't there issues with NSAIDs and dehydration causing severe kidney issues? I try to avoid the anti-inflammatories if all possible.

I have 2 people in my family (one being my twin brother) that have kidney transplants and kidney doctors almost pass out if you mention NSAIDs.

People with kidney problems should stay away from a lot of things and should consult their doctors. Dehydration can cause kidney problems. As I said earlier, consult your doctor. Problems with almost all medicines happen, but they are rare.

Cooriander

I apparently have it in badly in both feet. I got diagnosed (MRI) when checking for a heel stress fracture in July 2012. The Dr., mentioned it but he said to continue what I am doing but just to be more careful. It is real common ...