I am with you there. I have a lot of foot and ankle pain. My toes crunch some times i feel they might just break off. My toes swell my ankles swell on the outside around the bone and the top of foot. My knees kill me. Isn't this great. Yes my swelling is never gone. My rheumy wants to inject the ankle joint but...... uggghhh the pain. Good luck

Feet and hands have a lot of little bones and joints that RA seems to go to before it hits the big joints. My ankles get sore and swollen on the outside and top as you describe it.

Racerunner's "My toes crunch some times i feel they might just break off." is a great description of exactly how they can feel sometimes. Also I get pain in the heel and arch that makes it very hard to walk. Not all symptoms occur at the same time though. It can move around and sometimes one area flares up for a few days and then another.

The swelling can go away eventually if you are taking DMARDS that take full effect.

My ankles are what got me to a rheumatologist and finally to my diagnosis. They stay swollen from the bone in the outside, around the back of the heel, and to the other side. The MTX has helped some, but they still swell when I do any walking. This is where I have my worst pain, followed closely with shoulders.

My feet hurt all the time but never noticed my ankles until yesterday. Got on my horse and tried to put my right foot in the stirrup and could not twist it to do so. Had to have my husband some over and stick it in the stirrup. It actually hurt to try to twist it inward.

It's amazing where you get all the aches and pains of RA.

Feet and hands are affected the most with me.

My feet hurt all the time, and my feet and ankles swell, but my rheumy says the swelling is edema.. He thinks it's from the prednisone and low albumin. My ankles swell all the way around.

Thank you for your comments and help. It sounds like the ankles and swelling are RA. I go back to rheumy next month and going to try and ask about it. I don't have blood work with diagnosis, but sure have symptoms. Thanks again~ S

I had really bad ankle swelling a few months ago, when I was still on Xeljanz. I have never had ankle swelling or ankle flares before or since.

I didn't do anything for it, and when I got off Xeljanz it went away. I hope you figure out what is causing the problem.

Lady3jane, my rheumy said the same thing about my lower legs, but I know better, because I had it before prednisone. Plus I know my swelling all around my ankles is definitely RA, not prednisone. As I said, that's what let me know I had something definitely wrong other than the fibro going on. I smh over doctors!

I started Plaquenil in late May of this year, and at that time had no issues with ankles. Feet have been a bit sore and toes hurt a lot, but ankle issues are a new one for me. Meds haven't changed...so think it must be RA. Rheumy seems a little "iffy" on diagnosis, so I was wondering where others felt the pain and saw the swelling. I'm going to ask her at my appt next month how sure she is it's RA (blood work doesn't support it/MRI and symptoms do). Thinking if she's still on the fence I need to find another doctor. We've been at this 18 months and at times I feel like I'm the one doing the research. I know you must be your own advocate, but really need someone to be sure.

Sorry for vent! Thanks again ! S