Foot & toes
Midfoot arthritis and fusion
Midfoot pain from arthritis, injury or collapse: supportive treatment and selective joint fusion.
Understanding the condition
Midfoot arthritis can cause pain on top or inside the foot, swelling and difficulty walking. It may follow an injury, inflammatory disease or progressive collapse. Standing X-rays and, when appropriate, scans or diagnostic injections help identify the affected joints.
Treatment options
Firm or rocker-soled footwear, insoles, activity modification and appropriate medication may reduce symptoms. An injection can offer temporary relief or help confirm which joint hurts. Surgery is considered when ongoing pain and disability justify its risks.
What a procedure may involve
Fusion removes damaged cartilage from selected joints and holds the bones in an agreed position with screws, plates or staples. Bone graft may be required. Fusing only the necessary joints helps avoid unnecessary loss of movement; deformity may require additional correction.
Risks and benefits to discuss
The intended benefits are pain relief and better stability or alignment. Risks include failure to unite, healing in an unsatisfactory position, wound problems, infection, nerve symptoms, persistent swelling, painful metalwork and blood clots. Graft harvest may cause pain or numbness at the donor site.
Any operation also carries bleeding and anaesthetic risks. Occasionally, complex regional pain syndrome causes prolonged pain and sensitivity. Your health and the extent of surgery change your personal risk.
Rehabilitation and aftercare
Use walking aids and the prescribed cast or boot. Keep dressings dry and elevate the foot. Loading increases only when your team is satisfied with wound and bone healing. Rehabilitation works on walking, balance and the joints that remain mobile; do not force fused joints to move.
Expected outcomes and recovery
Recovery is measured in months. Footwear may need adjustment while swelling settles. Pain relief can improve everyday walking, although stiffness and difficulty on uneven surfaces may persist. Work and activity goals should be discussed before surgery.
When to seek urgent help
Seek prompt advice for rapidly increasing pain, spreading redness, wound discharge, fever, new numbness or a cast or boot causing pressure. New calf pain or swelling needs urgent assessment. Chest pain or breathlessness needs emergency help: call 999.
Your consent discussion
Ask which treatment best addresses your symptoms, what alternatives are reasonable, what the main risks mean for you, and what recovery will involve at home and work. This guide supports that discussion; consent is completed with your treating team. Your individual written instructions take priority.
Your consent discussion
Use the patient pack to record your priorities, the proposed procedure, its alternatives, the benefits you hope for and risks that matter to you. A clinician will discuss your individual circumstances and complete the appropriate hospital consent process with you.
Reading or downloading a guide does not give consent. You can ask further questions, decline treatment or change your mind before the procedure.
Further reading & sources
Prepared 10 October 2026 for the practice of Mr Peyman Bakhshayesh. Professional background. General patient education; your clinical assessment and written instructions determine your care.
Private care in Huddersfield
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