Arthritis Australia and run community seminars. Arthritis is an umbrella term for more than 100 medical conditions that affect the musculoskeletal system, specifically joints where two or more bones meet. The three most significant – osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout – account for more than 95 per cent of cases in Australia. The most common forms of arthritis are: Arthritis-related problems include pain, stiffness, inflammation and damage to joint cartilage (the tissue that covers the ends of bones, enabling them to move against each another) and surrounding structures. This can result in joint weakness, instability and deformities that can interfere with the
Hallux rigidus long term function. Hallux rigidus Hallux rigidus or stiff big toe is degenerative arthritis and stiffness due to bone spurs that affects the MTP joint at the base of the hallux (big toe). Hallux flexus was initially described by Davies-Colley in 1887 as a plantar flexed posture of phalanx relative to the metatarsal head. About the same time, Cotterill first used the term "hallux rigidus". Although the condition is degenerative, it can occur in patients who are relatively young, particularly active sports people who have at some time suffered trauma to the joint (turf toe). A notable example is NBA