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Foot & Ankle Arthritis Treatment in Jupiter, FL
Each foot has 33 joints, and arthritis in any one of them can steal your walks, your golf game, and your patience. Managing it well is the difference between slowing down and staying in the game.
Arthritis is inflammation, and inflammation is treatable
Osteoarthritis is wear of the cartilage that cushions your joints, but most of the day-to-day pain comes from the inflammation that wear produces. That distinction matters, because while we can't regrow decades of cartilage, we absolutely can treat the inflammatory cycle that makes arthritic joints ache, swell, and stiffen.
The most common sites we treat: the big toe joint (hallux rigidus, stiff, painful push-off), the midfoot (aching across the top of the foot, often after old injuries), and the ankle (usually years after fractures or repeated sprains). Rheumatoid and other inflammatory arthritis also love the feet, often the first place they show.
Our approach: control inflammation, protect the joint, stay active
- MLS laser therapy, drug-free reduction of joint inflammation and pain; a genuine alternative to daily NSAIDs for many patients.
- Mechanical offloading, orthotics, rocker-sole footwear, and bracing that reduce stress through the worn joint with every single step.
- Regenerative options, PRP and cell-based injections considered for appropriate joints, aiming to improve the joint environment rather than just numb it.
- Activity engineering, swapping and scheduling activities so you keep moving (movement feeds cartilage) without provoking flares.
- Surgical care when truly needed, from minor procedures to joint fusion or replacement, performed by Dr. Cedeno when conservative care has genuinely run its course.
Signs it's arthritis
- Aching joints after activity or in the morning
- Stiffness that loosens as you move
- Swelling or warmth around a joint
- A big toe that won't bend at push-off
- Shrinking walking tolerance year over year
Arthritis questions, answered
Is walking good or bad for foot arthritis?
Good, in the right dose and the right shoes. Motion circulates joint fluid and keeps supporting muscles strong. The goal is "motion without overload": supportive or rocker-soled footwear, appropriate distances, and flare management. We'll help you find your dose.
Can I avoid taking anti-inflammatories every day?
That's one of the most common goals patients bring us, long-term daily NSAID use carries stomach, kidney, and cardiovascular risks. Laser therapy, offloading, and joint-targeted treatment give many patients enough control to reserve pills for occasional flares instead of daily maintenance.
My ankle arthritis started after an old fracture. Is that normal?
Very. Unlike hips and knees, most ankle arthritis is post-traumatic, the legacy of fractures and bad sprains years earlier. It also means younger, active people get it, which makes joint-preserving treatment strategies especially important.
Keep doing what you love.
Arthritis is a condition to manage, not a sentence to accept. Let's build your plan.