Hi All

Can someone please tell me if this is normal for RA as you know I'm still new to all this.

Yesterday afternoon I had a flare up in my right ankle (not unusual anymore) and could hardly walk by evening. This morning apart from feeling sore it was ok. I have now developed a large bruise all around the ankle.

Wondering and hoping this is normal for RA.

Anne x

Hi Anne,
Like Lyn, I have never had a flare in just one joint, it usually affects my whole body.
Having said that , I do occasionally get just one really painful joint. A couple of weeks ago I got out of bed to find I could not bear any weight at all on my left heel. After about 3 days it was back to normal, but definitely no bruising.
So I don't think yours sounds normal either and agree that you should get it checked out.
Hope it feels better soon.

Love, Doreen xx

Hi Anne

When you have RA you do become very susceptible to injury, you don't need to be doing any sport! Sometimes turning over in bed, bending down or twisting quickly can be enough to inflict injury and you won't necessarily know what's caused it. That's the nature of joint disease unfortunately.

What you describe sounds like normal RA behaviour in that as the day wears on our bodies respond accordingly and overworked joints will become tender and inflamed showing a need for rest. Once rested they will improve, generally. A flare affects several or all joints at once and is caused by a breakdown in the action of the immune system and usually takes at the very least a few days and often additional medication to bring under control. When individual joints are affected it is over use of that joint.

BUT where a joint shows damage, as in bruising, and you can't weight bear it suggests to me that something else is going on. Bruising is typically a traumatic injury of the soft tissues that results in breakage of the local capillaries and leakage of red blood cells into the surrounding tissue. It isn't related to RA but the underlying cause could be. If the bruising is still present today or soreness remains I would consider getting a nurse at your surgery to have a look. The joint may require an X-ray and it certainly needs strapping for support to avoid further strain until it repairs. Please get it checked, it could be damaged. I should add perhaps that often medical staff don't always understand RA and you may have to be quite firm ... what they consider to be 'a bit of a bruise or a twisted ankle' could potentially be quite serious (and long term) to someone with RA. Don't wish to scare you in any way but this is unfortunately the reality

Do let us know how things are!

Lyn x

Hello Anne,

Same as Carol - As soon as I start to be on my feet for the day my feet and ankle
swell. Tight and painful.

I do get shooting pains runnign through my feet and sometimes my ankles appear to buckle
so for that reason if I walk outside now i tend to use my stick.

Like Lynn suggest to look at if could be a sports injury


Good luck

Hi Anne
good diea to see gp soon as you can,
I know for me i can just put foot down little bit unsual,lay awkward and i suffer for it though not with brusing,that would be a injury and often wont even know you have injured yourself when got RA.
brusing does concern me and really should be looked at.
let us know how you get on at gp.hugs
melly

Oh Barbara - sorry to hear about this on top of everything else. You take care
xxxxxxx

Hi Anne,

Ask as many questions as you like, there is usually someone who can come up with an answer!
I have learnt more on this forum in three years than I learnt in the 6 years that I had RA before joining!

Love, Doreen xx