The first signs and treatment of rheumatism of the legs. These shoes are not only terrible, they are also unhealthy! Why does rheumatism develop after wearing rubber shoes?

The expression “rheumatism of the legs” is more of an everyday origin. This disease has been known since ancient times; many famous people suffered from it, for example, the Roman Emperor Nero, US Presidents Adams and Jefferson, composer Mozart, Russian classical writer Saltykov-Shchedrin and many other celebrities. After all, before, rheumatism of the joints of the legs was indeed very common, until antibiotics appeared, which opened up the possibility of curing the disease.

Modern medicine has long established that rheumatism is not an isolated lesion of the legs, but a systemic disease. In this case, the disease covers the entire body, heart and joints, but in different patients certain joint joints may be more affected. Why are the joints of the legs most susceptible to disease? Because they experience the greatest stress and are more often exposed to hypothermia.

Who develops rheumatism of the legs and why?

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Medical statistics show that more than 70% of patients with rheumatism are children and adolescents. Although historical references and fiction more often mention rheumatism of the legs in adults. For example, during the Second World War, in the American army, which fought in Europe in the winter of 1944-45, more than 12,000 soldiers were out of action precisely because of rheumatism of the legs. They were shod in boots, unlike Russian soldiers, who were shod in tarpaulin boots with footcloths that did not allow moisture to pass through and retained heat.

It turns out that the legs were caused by prolonged hypothermia and a cold. But not only in extreme situations, but also in ordinary life, the same cold is the main cause of rheumatism. This is why children who are most susceptible to colds get sick, and their immune system is not yet strong enough.

Important! If your work involves prolonged exposure to cold, dampness, or wearing rubber shoes, you should periodically consult a doctor for examination. Rheumatism can also have a hidden (latent) course until a certain time.

The causative agent of the disease is B-hemolytic streptococcus, which enters mainly the upper respiratory tract and causes various colds: sore throat, pharyngitis, bronchitis, sinusitis, and so on. A couple of weeks after the apparent recovery from the cold, the joints begin to ache.

The following factors play a role in the process of joint damage:

• toxins and enzymes produced by staphylococcus;
• allergic reaction of the immune system;
• recurrence of colds, their transition to a chronic form.

Rheumatism also occurs in adults, but is quite rare. It mainly affects people who spend a long time in conditions of low temperature and humidity, as well as those who have chronic foci of infection in the body (tonsillitis, sinusitis).

Chronic inflammation of the tonsils (tonsillitis) is the main cause of rheumatism

What are the symptoms of rheumatism of the legs?

Signs of rheumatism of the legs are:

1. Joint pain.
2. Joint dysfunction.
3. External changes in joints.
4. General symptoms.

Joint pain

Most often, the disease affects the knee joints, which is where the pain initially appears. It is typical that the pain is “volatile” in nature, that is, today the right knee joint hurts, tomorrow the left or ankle joint hurts, but both can hurt at once.

This suggests that the disease is not limited to one joint.

Note. Pain in the legs with rheumatism is more intense in adults, because children do not yet have age-related changes in the joints, as, for example, in people after 40-50 years. Pain also often occurs in the calf muscles. Although in adults, especially the elderly, their legs hurt not so much from rheumatism, but from other diseases.

Knee pain is the most common symptom of rheumatism of the legs

Joint dysfunction Restrictions of movement in the initial stage of the disease are usually insignificant; the patient generally limits volitional, active movements, while the range of passive movements during examination by a doctor is, as a rule, not limited.

Only in severe and advanced stages of rheumatism, when destructive changes in cartilage and bone have occurred, is the function of the joints sharply impaired.

External joint changes With rheumatism of the legs, the knee and ankle joints increase in volume, the joints of the feet are less often affected

. In the acute stage, the skin in the joint area may be hot to the touch. With a long course of the disease and improper treatment, joint deformation develops.. These are round or oval subcutaneous formations in the joint area with a diameter of 0.5-3 cm, formed due to proliferation (hypertrophy) of the connective tissue of the joint capsule.

Important: the onset of any manifestations of pathology in the joints may indicate the development of rheumatism, so a visit to a doctor and examination are mandatory.

General symptoms

Common symptoms of rheumatism include:

• increase in body temperature: in the acute stage up to 38-40°, in the chronic stage - up to 37.2-37.8°;
• general weakness, increased sweating;
• headache, poor sleep;
• pale skin;
• rashes on the skin in the form of pink rings and ovals;
• increased bleeding, fragility of blood vessels: bleeding from the nose, from the gums when brushing teeth, skin bruises without visible injury.

Unlike in adults, local manifestations are less pronounced, but more noticeable - pain, deformation of the joints of the legs.

How is rheumatism treated?

Treatment of joint rheumatism is carried out according to the generally accepted antirheumatic program, which includes:

1. Antibiotic therapy.
2. Anti-inflammatory drugs.
3. Antiallergic drugs.
4. Hormonal agents.
5. Diet therapy, vitamin therapy.
6. Local treatment (physiotherapy, external agents).
7. Sanitation of foci of inflammation (tonsillitis, sinusitis and other sources of infection).

Antibiotics are prescribed for any form and stage of the disease: bicillin, synthetic penicillins, broad-spectrum drugs (cephalosporins). In each case, the doctor selects the drug and dose individually. The duration of the course of antibiotic therapy is from 10 to 14 days.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are necessarily prescribed - Aspirin, Butadione, Diclofenac, Naproxen, Voltaren, Ibuprofen and their other analogues.

Antiallergic treatment (antihistamines, calcium salts) are prescribed to block the hyperimmune allergic reaction to the action of the pathogen. Steroid hormones (Prednisolone, Triamcinolone, Hydrocortisone) are used for the same purpose; they are also prescribed to relieve inflammation in prolonged cases of the disease.

Movalis is one of the most widely used modern antirheumatic drugs

Diet therapy is required, which includes complete, easily digestible protein, essential fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins. Additionally, increased doses of vitamin “C” are prescribed, which strengthens connective tissue, rutin (vitamin “P”) to strengthen blood vessels, and “B” vitamins to restore the nervous system and skin.

Locally, in the acute stage, various analgesic and anti-inflammatory ointments are used, and after the acute symptoms of the disease subside, physiotherapy (UVR, UHF, magnetic and pulsed currents, infrared and laser irradiation) is added to the treatment of rheumatism of the legs.

Important: you should not take antibiotics and other drugs, as well as all kinds of home remedies, without your doctor’s knowledge. The question of how and with what to treat rheumatism of the legs can only be decided by a doctor.

After acute inflammation subsides and body temperature normalizes, the source of infection is sanitized: treatment of tonsillitis, sinusitis, pharyngitis, bronchitis, carious teeth.

Is it possible to treat rheumatism of the legs at home?

Treatment of rheumatism at home has been used for many centuries using traditional medicine. These are various drugs (ointments, tinctures, decoctions, rubbings) made on the basis of natural products, the effectiveness and harmlessness of which has been tested by time.

The following are most often used as folk antirheumatic remedies for internal use:

• lemon juice;
• blueberries, cranberries;
• decoction of fruits and leaves of raspberries, currants;
• decoction of pine buds;
• infusion of lilac flowers,
• flower honey with lemon zest.

Important: as a rule, folk remedies for treating rheumatism of the legs are not dangerous, but their choice should still be made in consultation with a doctor.

The arsenal of external means is much wider. This includes applications with mustard, horseradish, radish, turpentine, nettle, warming with quartz sand and salt, lotions with a decoction of aspen leaves, burdock root, birch buds and many other remedies.

Rheumatism of the legs is a disease that is successfully cured by modern medicine. The main condition that the patient must fulfill: treatment of rheumatism of the leg joints should be started as early as possible and carried out by a specialist.

Frequent wearing of rubber boots can negatively affect the health even of those who do not suffer from any chronic diseases. This is primarily due to what such shoes are made from.

Rubber is a completely air-impermeable material. Cold air from the street and heat coming from the feet contribute to the formation of condensation. Thanks to this greenhouse effect, feet in rubber boots are constantly in a humid environment. And such an environment is simply a paradise for the development of various microorganisms. Therefore, by abusing the wearing of rubber boots, there is a risk of developing fungal infections of the skin or nails.

Rubber boots provide absolutely no warmth. Therefore, wet feet combined with cold threaten the owner of such shoes with serious hypothermia, which in turn can cause the development of arthritis and diseases of the genitourinary system.

Despite the fact that modern industry produces many different models of rubber boots, most consumers choose shoes with flat soles. And prolonged wearing of such shoes, as a rule, entails the development of flat feet and the formation of heel spurs.

Wear high heels? We have no idea what this might turn out to be in the future! Researchers from Boston University have concluded that wearing “harmful”, that is, uncomfortable, shoes is the most common cause of foot disease in old age.

Scientists studied a group of 3,372 people over the age of 50 - 1,472 men and 1,900 women. Over the course of six years, they were regularly surveyed about the occurrence of discomfort and pain in their legs.

In addition, participants were asked to provide details about the types of shoes they wore during their lifetime: aged 20–29 years, 30–44 years, 45–64 years, 65–75 years, and over 75 years.

Footwear was classified into the most “healthy” (sports and casual sneakers), “average” (boots or shoes with rubber soles) and “harmful” (high-heeled shoes, outdoor sandals and flip-flops).

According to the data obtained, approximately a quarter of respondents (19 percent of men and 29 percent of women) suffered almost constantly from pain in their legs. Moreover, almost all women who experienced pain in the hindfoot admitted that they had previously worn “harmful” shoes.

Of the men, however, only 2 percent complained about uncomfortable shoes. This is explained by the fact that representatives of the stronger sex are not inclined to sacrifice their comfort in order to look elegant.

So, what ailments can “harmful” shoes give you?

Arthritis, flat feet and varicose veins

They are the result of wearing high-heeled shoes. Unfortunately, when choosing shoes and boots, our ladies are often guided by the principle: beauty requires sacrifice. “Yes, it’s terribly uncomfortable to walk in them, but at least I feel like a queen!” - many admit.

Meanwhile, from wearing such shoes, the foot becomes deformed over time, the developing transverse flatfoot weakens the ligaments and joints, and problems arise with posture and gait...

Heels also provoke constant overstrain of the calf, thigh and pelvic muscles, leading to poor circulation. Hence the occurrence of swelling, pain, etc.

Not long ago, British trade unions estimated that high heels cost the national economy £300 million. This money goes to pay for treatment and temporary disability payments to employees who get sick from wearing such shoes. Trade unionists are demanding the abolition of the existing dress codes in many companies that require the wearing of high heels.

If you can't completely give up high heels, then at least don't wear them all the time! And another valuable piece of advice: it wouldn’t hurt to do leg exercises regularly to neutralize the negative consequences.

Pain and swelling can also be the result of wearing shoes that are too tight. If possible, buy shoes not made from artificial leather, but from genuine leather, as they subsequently stretch along the foot.

Choose your shoes by size. It is better to buy autumn boots half a size, and winter ones - one size larger, since you will also have to wear socks underneath.

Calluses and corns

They occur very easily if you wear shoes that don’t fit or, say, sandals on your bare feet. Sores and calluses on your feet can be very painful and can limit your ability to move.

It is better to purchase shoes with a soft rather than hard last, and made from natural materials. It should not be too tight or too big for you. Under no circumstances should you wear boots on bare feet: be sure to use socks, knee-high socks or heel pads.

When you go outdoors or on a hike, wear sneakers or sneakers. If you must wear rubber boots, don't forget cotton or wool socks, depending on the weather.