Osteoarthritis: Why Your Joints Hurt and What You Can Do About It
Understanding the symptoms, causes, and modern treatment options for healthier joints.
Have you ever gotten out of bed in the morning and noticed that your feet or ankles feel stiff? Or perhaps you’ve experienced joint pain that seems to worsen after a long day on your feet?
You might be experiencing osteoarthritis, one of the most common forms of arthritis affecting millions of Americans.
While osteoarthritis is often associated with aging, it isn’t simply something you have to accept as you get older. Understanding what’s happening inside your joints and knowing your treatment options can make a significant difference in how you move and feel.
At Align Foot & Ankle, we believe that treating joint pain means looking beyond the symptoms to understand why they’re happening in the first place.
What Is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint condition that develops when the protective cartilage cushioning the ends of bones gradually deteriorates.
Healthy cartilage allows joints to move smoothly while absorbing the forces of everyday activities such as walking, running, and climbing stairs.
As cartilage breaks down, the joint becomes less efficient at absorbing those forces. Over time, this can lead to inflammation, stiffness, pain, and changes in the surrounding bone.
Although osteoarthritis can affect nearly any joint, it is particularly important in the feet and ankles, which support our body weight with every step.
The foot alone contains 26 bones and more than 30 joints. When even one of these joints becomes painful or stiff, it can affect the way you walk and how the rest of your body moves.
Common Symptoms of Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis doesn’t always begin with severe pain. In fact, many patients initially notice subtle changes that gradually become more disruptive.
Common symptoms include:
- Joint pain: Aching or discomfort during or after physical activity.
- Morning stiffness: Difficulty moving comfortably after waking up or sitting for extended periods.
- Swelling: Mild inflammation around affected joints.
- Reduced flexibility: Difficulty bending or moving a joint through its normal range of motion.
- Grinding or clicking: A sensation known as crepitus that may occur as joint surfaces change.
- Bone spurs: Bony growths that may develop around affected joints and contribute to discomfort.
One of the most common complaints we hear is, “It takes me a while to get moving in the morning, but once I do, I feel better.”
That pattern can be characteristic of osteoarthritis, although other conditions may cause similar symptoms.
What Causes Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is often described as wear-and-tear arthritis, but the reality is more complex.
It involves changes throughout the entire joint, including cartilage, bone, ligaments, and surrounding tissues.
Several factors can contribute to its development:
Age: Cartilage becomes less resilient over time, increasing susceptibility to joint degeneration.
Previous injuries: An old ankle sprain, fracture, or joint injury may contribute to osteoarthritis years later.
Foot structure and biomechanics: Flat feet, high arches, bunions, and abnormal joint alignment can change how forces are distributed across the joints.
Repetitive stress: Occupations and activities involving prolonged standing, walking, or high-impact movement may contribute to joint stress.
Genetics and metabolic factors: Family history, obesity, and certain metabolic conditions can also influence joint health.
Importantly, osteoarthritis is not always directly related to age. We see patients with joint degeneration who are still relatively young, particularly those with previous injuries or longstanding biomechanical problems.
Where Does Osteoarthritis Affect the Feet and Ankles?
Although many people associate osteoarthritis with the knees and hips, it frequently affects joints throughout the foot.
Big Toe Joint Arthritis (Hallux Rigidus)
One of the most common locations is the first metatarsophalangeal joint, located at the base of the big toe.
When this joint becomes arthritic, patients may experience pain when pushing off during walking, difficulty bending the toe, or discomfort in certain shoes.
Midfoot Arthritis
The joints across the top and middle of the foot can develop arthritis, resulting in aching, swelling, and difficulty walking or standing for extended periods.
Ankle Arthritis
Unlike arthritis in the knees and hips, ankle osteoarthritis frequently develops following previous injuries such as fractures or severe sprains.
Patients may notice stiffness, swelling, and discomfort when walking on uneven surfaces.
Hindfoot Arthritis
Arthritis affecting the subtalar joint beneath the ankle can make side-to-side foot movement painful, particularly on uneven terrain.
How Is Osteoarthritis Diagnosed?
An accurate diagnosis is essential because not every painful joint is necessarily arthritic.
At Align Foot & Ankle, we begin with a comprehensive evaluation that considers your symptoms, medical history, foot structure, joint mobility, and walking mechanics.
Depending on the findings, diagnostic testing may include X-rays to evaluate joint-space narrowing, bone spurs, and structural changes. Ultrasound or advanced imaging may also be appropriate when additional soft-tissue or joint information is needed.
We also look at how your foot functions as a whole.
Sometimes the location of pain is only part of the story. Abnormal forces elsewhere in the foot can contribute to excessive stress on an already compromised joint.
Our goal is not simply to identify arthritis. It’s to understand what may be contributing to your discomfort and what we can do to help.
Modern Treatment Options for Osteoarthritis
One of the biggest misconceptions about osteoarthritis is that treatment is limited to pain medication, steroid injections, or eventually surgery.
While those treatments may have an appropriate role, there are several approaches that can help manage symptoms and improve joint function.
At Align Foot & Ankle, we focus on developing individualized treatment plans based on the patient’s symptoms, joint condition, lifestyle, and goals.
1. Custom Orthotics and Biomechanical Support
The way your feet distribute pressure can significantly influence joint discomfort.
Custom orthotics may help redistribute pressure, support foot alignment, and reduce excessive stress on painful joints.
For some patients, appropriate footwear modifications, such as rocker-bottom soles or stiff-soled shoes, can also reduce painful joint motion during walking.
2. Shockwave Therapy (ESWT)
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy uses acoustic waves to stimulate biological responses in targeted tissues.
Although shockwave therapy has established applications for certain tendon and soft-tissue conditions, research into its effectiveness for osteoarthritis is still evolving.
In selected patients, it may be considered as an adjunctive treatment for pain management, with the understanding that it has not been proven to restore damaged cartilage.
3. Class IV Laser Therapy
Laser therapy uses specific wavelengths of light to interact with tissues through a process called photobiomodulation.
Research suggests that certain laser protocols may help reduce pain and improve function in some patients with osteoarthritis, although outcomes vary and evidence for foot and ankle arthritis remains limited.
At Align, laser therapy may be incorporated into a broader treatment plan to support comfort and mobility.
4. Biologic and Regenerative-Focused Approaches
Regenerative medicine is an evolving area of musculoskeletal care, with growing interest in how biological signaling and the joint environment may influence symptoms and tissue responses.
At Align Foot & Ankle, we evaluate emerging biologic approaches carefully and discuss their potential roles, limitations, and regulatory considerations with patients.
It’s important to understand that products such as umbilical cord tissue allografts have not been FDA-approved to treat osteoarthritis, and clinical evidence has not established that they can restore cartilage or reverse joint degeneration.
Our approach is to distinguish promising research from proven treatment benefits so patients can make informed decisions.
5. Activity Modification and Therapeutic Exercise
Movement remains an important part of managing osteoarthritis.
Low-impact activities, strengthening exercises, and targeted physical therapy can help maintain mobility and support the muscles surrounding affected joints.
For many patients, the goal isn’t to stop being active. It’s to find ways to remain active without repeatedly aggravating the joint.
6. Medications and Injections
When appropriate, topical anti-inflammatory medications, oral medications, or corticosteroid injections may provide symptom relief.
These treatments require individualized consideration, particularly in patients with diabetes, kidney disease, cardiovascular conditions, or other medical concerns.
7. Minimally Invasive Surgical Options
When conservative treatments are no longer effective, surgery may become an option.
Depending on the location and severity of arthritis, procedures may include removal of painful bone spurs, joint-preserving procedures in carefully selected cases, or more definitive surgical treatment.
At Align Foot & Ankle, we believe surgery should be considered thoughtfully, with an emphasis on preserving function and minimizing unnecessary disruption whenever possible.
Not every patient with arthritis needs surgery, and not every arthritic joint requires fusion.
Can Osteoarthritis Be Reversed?
This is one of the most common questions patients ask.
Currently, there is no established treatment that reliably reverses osteoarthritis or fully restores lost joint cartilage.
However, that doesn’t mean patients are powerless.
Many people can significantly improve their pain, mobility, and quality of life through a combination of appropriate treatments, better joint support, strengthening, and lifestyle modifications.
The goal is to manage symptoms, improve function, and help patients continue doing the activities they enjoy.
When Should You See a Foot and Ankle Specialist?
Occasional joint discomfort after a particularly active day isn’t always a cause for concern.
However, persistent pain, recurrent swelling, worsening stiffness, or changes in how you walk deserve further evaluation.
Early intervention may help address contributing mechanical problems before symptoms become increasingly disruptive.
And remember, the severity of arthritis seen on an X-ray doesn’t always match how much pain a person experiences.
We treat patients, not just X-rays.
You Don’t Have to Accept Joint Pain as Part of Aging
At Align Foot & Ankle, we believe patients deserve more than a one-size-fits-all approach to arthritis.
Some patients benefit from better footwear and custom orthotics. Others may need targeted therapies, rehabilitation, medication, or surgical intervention.
Often, the best treatment plan combines several strategies rather than relying on one solution.
Our philosophy is simple: understand the problem, address the contributing factors, and create an environment that supports better movement and long-term joint health.
Because getting older doesn’t mean you should have to give up the activities you love.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If you’re experiencing persistent foot or ankle pain, stiffness, or swelling, don’t wait until it begins limiting your daily activities.
At Align Foot & Ankle in Austin, Texas, we offer comprehensive evaluations and individualized treatment plans that combine established medical care with carefully selected innovative therapies.
Schedule your consultation with Align Foot & Ankle today and discover your options for moving more comfortably.
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Contact Align Foot & Ankle
• Phone: 512-882-4911
• Location: 1600 W 1600 W 38th St #408, Austin, TX 78731
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