THE FOOT IN CHRONIC RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

The feet of 100 patients with chronic rheumatoid arthritis were studied, 91 were Found to have different level of pain or multiple degree of deformity. The metatatasophalangeal joints of those patients were involved in a most frequent. Clinical and radiological tests (59.5%) and (71%) respectively. Clinical involvement(40.5%) were seen more often than radiological involvement (18.5%) in the ankle joint, but the reverse was the case in the mid ?tarsal joint. Hallux valgus (29%) was the commonest deformity reported, followed by Pes Plano Valgus (11%), Hammer toe (10%), clawing of the toes (8%), these deformities were involved significantly less than other studies. Ten percent of the patient were able to wear ordinary shoes, the slippers were a frequent alternative. Our findings were discussed and compared with other studies.