Capsulitis Treatment

Capsulitis is a painful, even a potentially crippling condition. Even though it does not explicitly threaten life, you get impaired mobility, which is enough to affect your quality of life. If you also suffer from a similar problem, you already know how important it is to look for effective capsulitis treatment. That’s why we are here to help. 

In this blog, we will discuss what capsulitis is, what the symptoms of capsulitis are, and what treatment options you have, especially when it comes to second-toe capsulitis. Whether you’re first noticing symptoms or already have been dealing with this problem, this blog will be an excellent resource for you. 

Read ahead to make every step pain-free. 

What is Capsulitis?

In simple words, capsulitis is nothing but the inflammation of the capsule, which is the connective tissue that envelopes a joint. It can occur in any part of the body. But our concern here is with capsulitis of the foot. In feet, capsulitis is common among toe joints, especially the second one, called second toe capsulitis. 

Common Causes of Capsulitis on Toe

Anyone can have capsulitis. But certain conditions and your particular way of living can make you more susceptible than others. Therefore, understanding the causes of capsulitis can help you with effective foot capsulitis treatment and management. 

Capsulitis of the feet often results from uneven pressure distribution during movement. The primary causes include,

Improper Footwear

Shoes that don’t hold your foot’s arch well and distribute your body weight evenly will, in turn, have high pressure on your toe joints. The high heel transmits excessive pressure by the toes getting stuffed in the front part of the shoes; hence, lots of pressure gets exerted on the joints.

Intense Physical Activity

Engaging in activities that have a lot of repetitive motion or pressure on your feet, like running or jumping, can only increase the risk of getting capsulitis.

Foot Deformities

Some of the foot shapes or deformities—such as having a high arch or having the second toe longer than the big toe—predispose a person to capsulitis. Such conditions can modify normal foot mechanics with added stress on the toe joints.

Symptoms of Capsulitis

Common symptoms of capsulitis on the toe are,

1.     Pain and tenderness
2.     Joint stiffness
3.     Swelling of the affected toe, or in severe cases, swelling of the whole feet
4.     Difficulty in walking
5.     The feeling of walking on pebbles

Capsulitis Treatment

Effective capsulitis treatment not only aims to relieve pain and inflammation but also restore the normal function of the foot. Here are some of the methods recommended by experts.

Non-Surgical Capsulitis Treatment

In about 90% of the cases, non-surgical capsulitis treatment options are enough to manage the symptoms. Important non-surgical options are, 

Footwear Modifications: Wearing shoes with a wide toe box, low heels, and adequate arch support can relieve pressure on the toe joints. 

Orthotics: You can also choose custom-made orthotics from the 5BoroPodiatry. These shoes are explicitly designed according to your feet’ natural dynamics to provide extra support and distribute pressure away from the affected area.

Rest and Ice: Reducing activities that put stress on the foot, combined with applying ice packs to the affected area, can help reduce swelling and pain.

Medications: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or naproxen, are helpful against pain and inflammation associated with capsulitis on the toe. In some cases, corticosteroid injections may be recommended. 

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy, involving strengthening and flexibility exercises, can also strengthen the foot and improve its flexibility. This can help alleviate pressure on the affected joint and enhance recovery.

Surgical Options

In cases where none of the above-mentioned capsulitis treatment strategies seems to work, your podiatrist may advise you of the surgical options. Common surgical techniques are joint reconstruction and osteotomy. Although both of these procedures involve different steps, the common aim is to relieve pressure on the affected toe and relieve symptoms. 

When to See a Podiatrist?

The severity of capsulitis is different from person to person. Some only experience mild pain. Then, there are others whose daily life activities are potentially limited due to the pain of capsulitis. Therefore, in some cases, it becomes quite important to seek expert advice to devise a capsulitis treatment plan based on your individual condition. 

Here’s when you should seek professional help for capsulitis treatment. 

1.     Pain in the ball of the foot is persistent and is not relieved by techniques like rest and icing. 
2.     If you notice there is excessive swelling or redness over the skin. 
3.     If the pain has started interfering with your day-to-day activities and even your sleep 

If not treated, capsulitis may develop into a chronic disease in which the affected toe compresses the other toes. This leads to a permanent deformity. Therefore, early capsulitis treatment from expert podiatrists at 5 Boro Podiatry can reduce risks and provide better outcomes. 

The Bottom Line

Knowledge of foot capsulitis treatment can help you maintain the top-notch health of your feet and, in fact, the overall quality of your life. Capsulitis on the toe commonly develops as second-toe capsulitis, and your attention is not only essential to relieve the symptoms but also to prevent damage to the joint. 

Additionally, we recommend you seek professional advice any time you experience pain or swelling of the toes. This proactive approach to the treatment of capsulitis of the foot could go miles into improving the quality of living and further ensuring that the feet are not only healthy but indeed functional.