Arthrodesis is a term, which essentially means stiffening a joint permanently. The procedure is usually performed on a painful arthritic joint and involves removing any residual cartilage, roughening up the bone ends and then fixing the bones together. This is usually done using screws but can also require a metal plate or rod. Over a period of 6 to 12 weeks then bones will heal together (fuse) obliterating the painful joint and eliminating pain that was caused by the arthritic joint. The most common joints that undergo arthrodesis include the big toe and the ankle. However, any joint in the foot can be considered for an arthrodesis.