What Are the Best Nonsurgical Approaches for Foot and Ankle Arthritis?

Worried that foot or ankle pain means surgery is inevitable? You're not alone. But while surgery is sometimes necessary, it's often a last resort. 

All surgical procedures for foot or ankle arthritis have drawbacks. According to the Arthritis Foundation and American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society, arthrodesis, which fuses the ankle bones, alleviates pain by preventing ankle movement; however, it often leads to arthritis in surrounding joints.

In addition, ankle replacement surgery isn’t effective for many patients, and it isn’t long-lasting, requiring further surgeries.

Fortunately, there are many ways to manage arthritis and protect your joints, potentially avoiding surgery altogether.

Read on as our experts at Ledesma Foot and Ankle share what arthritis is and some evidence-based management strategies to halt its progress.

What is arthritis, and why is it progressing?

Imagine your ankle and foot as a complex machine designed to carry your own weight and allow motion. Repeated, mechanical use wears down the parts — in the case of feet and ankles, the joints and the cartilage. Overuse causes cartilage to wear away and bones begin rubbing directly against each other.

Arthritis in the foot and ankle can stem from two main sources: the gradual wear-and-tear of joints over time, and inflammation. While inflammation is a natural part of the body's healing process, in arthritis, it becomes chronic and damaging, even when there's no injury to repair.

Long exposure to inflammation in the feet and ankles leads to the breakdown of cartilage, thickening of the joint lining, and the growth of bone spurs.

Over time, the combined effects of inflammation and mechanical damage can lead to joint deformities, such as bunions, hammertoes, and changes in the foot’s arch.

As a result, you may be trapped in a vicious cycle of pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility.

Putting your arthritis in remission

Arthritis remission means significantly reducing symptoms and controlling inflammation, allowing for greater comfort and mobility. While not a cure, it's an achievable goal that can prevent complications and the need for surgery.

Our specialists may recommend:

• Custom orthotics to absorb shocks while walking and redistribute pressure to your feet and ankles
• Physical therapy to restore lost strength and flexibility
• Dietary changes (avoiding processed foods may decrease your inflammation levels)
• Corticosteroid injections to reduce inflammation and pain in the joints
• Hyaluronic acid injections to act as a joint lubricant and shock absorber

These treatments work in concert to address both the mechanical and inflammatory aspects of arthritis. Orthotics and physical therapy focus on reducing stress on the joints, while dietary changes, corticosteroid injections, and hyaluronic acid injections target inflammation and improve joint lubrication.

Prevent arthritis complications in your foot and ankle

Because arthritis is a progressive condition, the sooner you get help, the more cartilage escapes the harmful effects of inflammation.

Take the first step toward pain relief and improved mobility. Contact us to schedule an appointment in our Scottsdale, Arizona, office and learn how we can help you manage your foot and ankle arthritis.