What It Is
Midfoot arthritis affects the small joints across the middle of the foot - most commonly the tarsometatarsal (Lisfranc) joints. It can be primary, post-traumatic (after a missed Lisfranc injury, for example), or part of an inflammatory arthritis.
What It Feels Like
A deep, dull ache across the top of the midfoot, worse with weight-bearing and at the end of the day. Patients sometimes describe a bony bump on top of the foot that catches on shoelaces - this is osteophyte formation at an arthritic joint.
Care Pathway
Stiff-soled or rocker-bottom shoes, prescription orthotics with a Morton’s extension or arch support, intermittent corticosteroid injection, and activity modification. When pain limits daily life despite optimal conservative care, selective midfoot fusion eliminates motion at the painful joint and gives durable relief.