hm. you raise an interesting question. it's true that broken bones may be more prone to developing arthritis. it helps to understand that osteoarthritis (which is what we're talking about here) doesn't necessarily mean the development of painful bony spurs in a joint (which is what a lot of people think). technically "osteoarthritis" refers to the raw edges of two pieces of bone rubbing together painfully. we usually think of osteoarthritis as something that comes on gradually over the course of years because that is how the disease usually progresses in healthy tissue. osteoarthritis is called the "wear and tear" disease because under normal circumstances the cartilage between bones in a joint wears away over the decades until the two pieces of bone grind against each other. however the course may be different for osteoarthritis caused by trauma (such as a broken bone). i'd suggest you sit down with your doctor and have him or her define "arthritis" for you so that you understand better what they're talking about. they should also be able to explain in very clear terms how it is arthritis could develop in your foot so quickly. i hope this information helps!
how fast can arthritis develope in a broken foot. i broke my left foot over a year ago and am still having problems. i've been told it is arthritis and nothing can be done except fuse the foot. what no one can or will tell me is why no problem before breaking the foot but after breaking it i suddenly have arthritis? can it develop that fast? i feel like the doctors and insurance nurse just want me to go away. thank you.