Arthritis in your foot can turn everyday activities like walking, standing at work or climbing stairs into a painful challenge. When pain and stiffness keep you from doing what you need and enjoy, the right treatment can help you move more comfortably again.
Dr. Fred DeLucia, a dual board-certified foot and ankle surgeon at Ankle and Foot Surgical Specialists in Valhalla, New York, treats foot arthritis with both nonsurgical care and surgery. Your care starts with an accurate diagnosis, so your treatment plan fits your condition and your goals.
What Is Foot Arthritis?
Arthritis is inflammation and wear of a joint. In a healthy joint, smooth cartilage covers the ends of the bones and lets them glide against each other. When that cartilage wears down or is damaged, the bones can rub together, causing pain, swelling and stiffness. Your foot has many joints, and arthritis can affect any of them.
Commonly Affected Joints
- Big toe joint (hallux rigidus): Arthritis at the base of the big toe can make the joint stiff and painful, especially when you push off to walk, run or climb stairs. A bony bump may form on top of the joint.
- Midfoot: Arthritis in the middle of the foot can cause pain across the top of the foot, often worse with standing and walking. Over time, the arch may lose some of its shape.
- Hindfoot: Arthritis in the back of the foot often involves the subtalar joint, just below the ankle, and the talonavicular joint, where the ankle bone meets the midfoot. It can make walking on uneven ground painful and limit side-to-side motion.
Types of Foot Arthritis
- Osteoarthritis: The most common type, caused by gradual wear of the cartilage over time.
- Post-traumatic arthritis: Arthritis that develops after an injury, such as a fracture or a severe sprain, damages a joint. It can appear years after the original injury.
- Inflammatory arthritis: Conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, in which the body’s immune system attacks the joints. These conditions often affect several joints in both feet.
Symptoms of Foot Arthritis
- Pain in the affected joint, often worse with walking, standing or activity
- Stiffness and reduced motion, especially first thing in the morning or after rest
- Swelling, warmth or tenderness around the joint
- Bony bumps or changes in the shape of your foot
- Difficulty walking, fitting into shoes or staying active
How Foot Arthritis Is Diagnosed
An accurate diagnosis is the first step in your care. Your evaluation may include:
- A review of your symptoms, medical history and any past foot injuries
- A physical exam to check the joint’s motion, alignment, tenderness and the way you walk
- X-rays to look at the joint space, bone spurs and alignment
- Other imaging, such as CT or MRI, or lab tests when more detail is needed or an inflammatory condition is suspected
Nonsurgical Options to Try First
Not every case of foot arthritis needs surgery. Depending on your diagnosis, Dr. DeLucia may recommend starting with nonsurgical care.
General Measures
- Footwear changes: Supportive shoes, a roomy toe box or a stiffer sole can reduce stress on painful joints.
- Activity changes: Adjusting or temporarily limiting activities that worsen your pain, and choosing lower-impact exercise, can ease symptoms.
Treatments Dr. DeLucia Offers
- Custom foot orthotics and braces: Custom orthotics are shoe inserts made for your feet to support alignment and relieve stress on painful areas. Braces can add support and limit painful motion.
- Shockwave therapy: A non-invasive treatment that uses acoustic waves, designed to support tissue healing in certain foot and ankle conditions.
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections: An injection prepared from a small sample of your own blood, concentrated to support healing in certain tendon and soft-tissue conditions.
Not every option suits every patient or every type of arthritis. Dr. DeLucia will discuss whether these treatments are appropriate for your condition.
When Surgery May Be Recommended
Surgery may be considered when:
- Pain and stiffness continue to limit your daily activities despite nonsurgical care
- Arthritis has caused significant joint damage or changes in your foot’s alignment
- Walking, working or staying active has become difficult because of your foot
Seeing a surgeon doesn’t mean you’ll need an operation. If surgery is an option for you, Dr. DeLucia will explain the reasons, the expected benefits and the risks so you can make an informed decision.
Surgical Options That May Be Considered
The right procedure depends on which joint is affected, how advanced the arthritis is, your foot’s alignment, and your activity level and goals. Options that may be considered include:
- Joint debridement and cheilectomy: Removing bone spurs and damaged tissue from around the joint. For the big toe joint, a cheilectomy removes the bony bump on top of the joint to reduce pain and improve motion.
- Joint fusion (arthrodesis): Joining the bones of a painful joint so they heal together as one solid bone. Fusion is designed to relieve pain by eliminating motion in the damaged joint, and it may be used in the big toe, midfoot or hindfoot.
- Joint replacement or implant for the big toe: Replacing or resurfacing the damaged big toe joint with an implant, which aims to relieve pain while keeping some motion in the joint.
Each option has its own benefits, limitations and risks. Dr. DeLucia will review which approach, if any, suits your condition.
Recovery After Foot Arthritis Surgery
Recovery depends on the procedure, the joint involved and your overall health. In general, you can expect:
- A period of protecting your foot, which may include a surgical shoe, boot or cast and limits on putting weight on it
- Follow-up visits to check your healing, which may include X-rays
- A gradual return to walking, work and activities as your foot heals
- Guidance on caring for your incision, managing swelling and knowing when to call the office
Your timeline is individual. Following your post-operative instructions carefully is one of the most important things you can do to support healing.
Why Choose Dr. DeLucia
- Dual board-certified foot and ankle surgeon
- Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (FACFAS)
- A focus on complex reconstruction of the foot and ankle for adults and children
- Surgical and nonsurgical options, so your treatment matches your diagnosis
- Personalized treatment focused on helping you return to your daily activities
Can foot arthritis be treated without surgery?
Often, yes. Many people start with nonsurgical care such as footwear changes, activity changes, and custom orthotics or braces. Surgery may be considered if pain continues to limit your daily life despite these measures.
What is hallux rigidus?
Hallux rigidus is arthritis at the base of the big toe. It causes stiffness and pain in the joint, especially when you push off to walk, and a bony bump may form on top of the joint.
Will I lose motion in my foot after a fusion?
A fusion eliminates motion in the joint that is fused, which is how it relieves pain. Dr. DeLucia will explain how a fusion of your specific joint may affect the way you walk and move.
How long does recovery take?
Recovery varies with the procedure, the joint involved and your overall health. Dr. DeLucia will give you a recovery plan for your situation and adjust it as you heal.
Can an old foot injury lead to arthritis?
Yes. Post-traumatic arthritis can develop after a fracture or other injury damages a joint, sometimes years after the original injury.
When should I see a foot and ankle surgeon about foot arthritis?
Consider an evaluation if foot pain, stiffness or swelling keeps you from walking, working or staying active, or if your symptoms continue despite rest and changes in footwear.
Request an Appointment
If foot arthritis is holding you back, an evaluation with Dr. DeLucia is the first step toward getting back on your feet.
Call to schedule, or submit an appointment request online. A member of the staff will contact you during business hours to schedule and confirm your appointment.