Stiff morning feet - Arthritis Message Board

dorri · 07-26-2005, 08:04 AM

Hi, for the last few months I have stiff feet when I first get up. The stiffness is also in my hands and knees. After a half hour or so of moving and walking about, the stiffness goes away from all but my knees, but some joint pain lingers through various parts of my body.. Last year, all my tests for O and R arthritis came back negative but I was diagnosed with arthrialgia and myalgia. Could any of these conditions have anything to do with the stiffness? I was looking up osteoarthritis to see if this may be my problem, but the areas that are affected don't mention the stiffness in the feet. (knees yes, but not feet) Can anyone help explain?

South656 · 07-26-2005, 09:06 AM

Hi Dorri-

You might want to look into seeing a rheumatologist. The stiffness in your feet could be related to many kinds of arthritis. Could be the early stages of Rheumatoid Arthritis aswell. Where is the stiffness exactly? Upper/Lower foot? Any stiffness in your ankles at all? My stiffness started in my knees and it was excruciating pain when bending them and putting on socks and shoes then my feet and ankles started stiffening up to the point where it was almost impossible to get out of bed to walk in the mornings. After a few weeks, they started to swell and become bruised so my doctor referred me to a rheumatologist...which I have been seeing for the last 4 months and have finally gotten back to a fairly normal life. Which is nice. No more, swelling, pain, and stiffness! Prednisone helps the pain tremendously and very quickly as well. But this has to be prescribed of course by your doctor or rheumatologist after examining your symptoms. And just b/c your Rheumatoid factor is negative, that does not necessarily mean that you cannot have a form of rheumatoid arthritis. I would ask your doctor about what you are experiencing and see what they have to say about it. They may want to refer you to a rheumatologist. Hope this helps....keep me posted on the details. Good Luck...

South

JPope · 08-10-2005, 07:21 PM

Hi Dorri,

I have started to have morning stiffness in my feet this summer.

When I get up in the morning and start down the stairs the top of my feet are very stiff; I have to take the stairs one at a time.

I also get stiff feet if I have been sitting for too long such as when driving. After walking as bit the stiffness goes away.

Were you able to find an explanation for these symptoms???

dorri · 08-10-2005, 10:20 PM

No, I haven't an explanation yet, other than to tell you that my other joints are painful and stiff as well. I have the stiffness in the bottom of my feet, and the best way I can describe it, is, it feels like someone took the padding away from the bottom of my feet so I feel every single stiff bone when my foot hits the floor. Some of the stiffness goes away, but at other times it lingers even when moving, in the feet and especially in the knees, the stiffness is constant.
I bought a new, over the counter arthritis formula, and I don't know if it is coincidental, but the stiffness in my feet seemed much better where I didn't notice it. I forgot to take it for a few days and the stiffness came back, so I will take it again to see if it goes away.

dorri · 08-10-2005, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by South656

Hi Dorri-

You might want to look into seeing a rheumatologist. The stiffness in your feet could be related to many kinds of arthritis
South

Hi South, thanks for the reply. I did visit a rheumatologist and all the tests revealed nothing. My joint pain started after being weaned of long term prednisone which I was taking for another chronic condition. I also started taking actonel at the time. The rheumy put me back on prednisone, and within a couple of days, I felt untied from the stiffness and pain I suffered from for months. The problem is, they are now trying to wean me off the last 5 mg of prednisone, and the pain and stiffness is returning. (I haven't been able to go down without pain, even when I take 4 1/2 mg) At this point, I am confused if the pain is from an arthritis which isn't showing up on tests as of yet, or from prednisone withdrawal, or from a complication of crohns disease or from the actonel I'm taking. I just don't know anymore....