What Causes Foot Pain?

For astir people, maintaining steadfast feet isn’t a apical interest — until they acquisition ft pain. Pain tin hap owed to a fig of ft problems , from short-term injuries to chronic conditions similar arthritis. Avoiding oregon addressing ft symptom tin beryllium cardinal to your wellness and well-being, since trouble walking tin interfere with mundane activities and movement. Depending connected the root of your ft pain, it whitethorn respond good to self-care measures oregon aesculapian treatments.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e362ae3a-4726-44a4-ac36-ec05ca651e12 Here’s what you should cognize astir the astir communal causes of ft pain, and what to bash if they impact you. Common Causes of Foot Pain Common Causes Foot symptom tin hap owed to a agelong database of wellness conditions. “The ft has truthful galore bones and joints and tendons, the anticipation of what tin spell incorrect is astir endless,” says Alexander Peterson, MD , an orthopedic surgeon astatine Keck Medicine of the University of Southern California. Here are immoderate of the astir communal causes of ft pain. Plantar Fasciitis The plantar fascia is simply a set of insubstantial that runs from your bottommost to the shot of your foot. When this insubstantial becomes inflamed owed to overuse oregon excessive accent connected the area, it tin go inflamed and origin symptom successful your bottommost oregon bottommost of your foot.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976297772a3e0-6b2e-4940-8551-96b987589f9a You’re much apt to make plantar fasciitis if you’re connected your feet each time , if you enactment oregon workout connected a hard surface, if you workout without decently warming up, oregon if you locomotion oregon basal barefoot oregon successful unsupportive footwear similar flip-flops.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629f921a29b-1da0-4ca6-9730-92219acb7258 Achilles Tendinitis The Achilles tendon runs from your calf muscles to your bottommost bone. When this tendon becomes injured, usually from overuse, it tin origin symptom astatine the backmost of your heel.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629b1696c12-3242-4e2f-835d-6fdd02589dd2 You’re much apt to make Achilles tendinitis if you rapidly summation oregon intensify your carnal activity, your calf muscles are tight, you tally connected hard surfaces, you leap a lot, oregon your ft abruptly turns successful oregon out.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629e8af9304-735d-4942-ac99-171fd814b3c8 Bunions A bunion is simply a bump that forms astatine the basal of your large toed erstwhile the bones don’t link decently astatine the associated successful this area. It doesn’t ever origin pain, but sometimes it causes chronic symptom — particularly if this bump presses against your shoe.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629aef37e85-eabe-4cff-8421-6e2f3821bbf7 Bunions tin origin stiffness oregon numbness successful summation to pain. Most commonly, they make owed to unit connected your large toe, but they tin besides hap for chartless reasons. Rarely, they tin signifier connected different toes, arsenic well.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762903fb1dc9-1b7e-4846-b3db-e14f58656a72 Metatarsalgia Your metatarsals are the bones successful the beforehand of your feet, beneath your toes. When this country of your ft (sometimes called the shot of the foot) becomes inflamed, you tin make symptom and irritation. Metatarsalgia astir commonly develops owed to activities that impact moving oregon jumping, particularly connected hard surfaces oregon without wearing shock-absorbing footwear.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629086aeca6-25ef-409a-b84d-b77fe100f629 Neuromas A neuroma develops erstwhile the insubstantial surrounding a nervus thickens, which tin origin stinging, burning, oregon numbness successful affected areas. A communal signifier is called Morton’s neuroma, which affects the front, oregon ball, of your foot, often betwixt your 3rd and 4th toes, but it tin hap successful betwixt immoderate of the toes. Wearing high-heeled, tight, oregon constrictive toed container shoes tin beryllium linked to Morton’s neuroma.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762911ca6a78-0f2a-4839-84fe-e96e8cec2eed Other types of neuromas tin effect from trauma oregon country successful immoderate country of the body.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629db5c3e8a-32a4-4f8b-aef5-b839bd569123 Bone and Ligament Injuries Bone fractures and torn ligaments tin hap owed to abrupt wounded successful definite diversion activities. Stress fractures successful bones tin besides make gradually implicit time.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762909057237-c1b5-4693-b729-01fd4df47ac0 One communal wounded is simply a Jones fracture, oregon a interruption successful your 5th metatarsal bony (behind your pinky toe).e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976296cfeaf35-0813-461c-9356-4a4738356205 “That’s seen beauteous commonly successful athletes and play warriors, oregon anybody who whitethorn rotation their ankle,” specified arsenic portion wearing precocious heels, says Dr. Peterson. Stress fractures, oregon incomplete breaks, are communal successful each metatarsals (the 5 bones down your toes).e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629a9b08957-87ce-4dcd-818b-226a57586997 This benignant of wounded is often seen successful region runners, Peterson notes. Ligaments are bands of connective insubstantial betwixt bones and different structures, and they tin go inflamed oregon torn from overuse oregon injury. A communal wounded successful your ft is simply a teardrop successful a plantar plate, which connects a toed to the remainder of your foot.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629208138a0-21f3-4c2f-8004-e1532aeed8e1 Arthritis Different types of arthritis (joint inflammation) tin origin ft pain, including:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762999c180fa-a2fa-4318-a08a-c38278ff73d4 Osteoarthritis This signifier of arthritis tin origin symptom and stiffness successful immoderate country of your feet and ankles.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976296f2b9f10-20e7-404f-971d-92824f7b829f The large toed and midfoot are the astir commonly affected areas, according to Peterson. Psoriatic Arthritis This information often causes symptom successful the backmost of the bottommost oregon bottommost of your feet.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762981895434-f910-409f-8474-00cefaf0fd7a Rheumatoid Arthritis This signifier of arthritis tin origin symptom and swelling successful immoderate country of the feet and ankles, and usually affects some feet.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976292e5717ab-ca32-4f6d-92a0-f07e8cc4129f Risk Factors and Prevention Risk Factors for Foot Pain Not each signifier of ft symptom tin beryllium prevented, but determination are steps you tin instrumentality to debar conditions related to overuse oregon different types of injury. “Maintaining bully ft wellness is each astir prevention, communal sense, and wearing due shoes for the planned activity,” says Elizabeth Bass Daughtry, DPM , a podiatrist astatine Foot & Ankle Specialists of the Mid-Atlantic successful Dunn, North Carolina. Overall, the pursuing factors tin summation your hazard for ft pain:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629ae113a62-df3e-4f51-abd7-f8b2e1587460 Prolonged lasting Older property Overuse owed to enactment Obesity Wearing tight, high-heeled, oregon unsupportive footwear Women are astatine higher hazard for bunions, mostly owed to footwear choices. “Really choky shoes, particularly with an elevated heel, enactment a batch of unit connected the large toed associated and tin pb to weakening of the ligaments connected the interior facet of that joint,” says Peterson. Here are immoderate steps you tin instrumentality to trim your hazard for ft pain:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629ae113a62-df3e-4f51-abd7-f8b2e1587460 Wear wide, supportive shoes. A wide toed container tin assistance your feet determination people and debar excessive rubbing, portion arch enactment tin assistance forestall immoderate types of straining. “Not each arch supports are created equal,” says Dr. Daughtry. “Just arsenic immoderate footwear brands and styles are much comfy for you, they whitethorn not enactment for the adjacent person.” If you sometimes deterioration shoes that aren’t designed for activity, Daughtry recommends keeping diversion shoes connected manus — specified arsenic successful your car oregon backpack — successful lawsuit you extremity up doing unplanned walking oregon standing. Warm up and agelong earlier workout oregon carnal activity. Stretching your calves whitethorn assistance forestall Achilles tendonitis, portion warming up successful wide tin assistance forestall wounded to your feet and ankles. Replace diversion shoes regularly. It’s important to deterioration shoes that aren’t excessively worn out, and tin supply the enactment and cushioning you need. Maintain a steadfast assemblage weight. Overweight and obesity pb to greater accent connected the joints and different structures of your feet. Diagnosing Foot Pain Diagnosing Foot Pain Not each ft symptom requires a doc sojourn and ceremonial diagnosis. If your symptom is mild and you deliberation you cognize its origin — specified arsenic bunions from choky shoes oregon ankle symptom that gets worse with enactment — past you tin instrumentality steps connected your ain earlier seeking aesculapian attention.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629f45b6de9-5d7a-4aaa-801c-3be925d1d97e “For astir problems, the crushed to travel successful would beryllium if you’ve modified your activities to debar the pain, but the symptom sticks astir and it’s affecting what you privation to do,” says Peterson. Schedule an assignment with your doc if:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e5976297f37f95a-4b7b-4356-8c10-4ba7f1a03887e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629003f4866-a5b0-455d-87f3-3ba1ee06f70e You person ft symptom pursuing an wounded You person sudden, terrible ft symptom Your ft symptom doesn’t amended aft 2 weeks You acquisition redness, swelling, oregon fever You person diabetes and ft symptom You person an unfastened coiled connected your ft You can’t locomotion oregon enactment value connected your ft You acquisition ongoing tingling, burning, oregon numbness At your appointment, your doc volition inquire astir your symptoms and analyse your ft thoroughly. If you person a occupation that could necessitate analyzable treatment, your doc whitethorn notation you to a podiatrist oregon different ft specialist. In summation to going implicit your symptoms and aesculapian history, and examining your foot, galore podiatrists volition instrumentality an X-ray of your ft successful a lasting position, says Daughtry. “I walk a batch of clip doing a carnal exam” to find problems, notes Peterson. “The quality betwixt an injured operation and an uninjured operation tin beryllium conscionable a fewer millimeters.” Sometimes, Peterson says, imaging beyond emblematic X-rays whitethorn beryllium needed, specified arsenic an MRI oregon CT scan . Treatment Options for Foot Pain Treatment Options Sometimes, self-care strategies tin beryllium effectual for ft pain. If your symptom is related to overuse, the pursuing measures whitethorn help:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629c99d3b76-4368-4e29-b248-b54167d0d2f2e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629256280f9-26ec-4e04-bf9f-61baedc92918 Rest Take a interruption from activities that marque your ft symptom worse. Ice Applying crystal for 15 to 20 minutes a fewer times regular tin assistance with redness and swelling. Heat Applying vigor tin assistance with stiffness and soreness. Elevation Keeping your feet raised portion you beryllium tin assistance trim swelling. Soaking Similar to applying heat, soaking your feet successful lukewarm h2o tin easiness soreness. Massage For stiff oregon sore feet, effort massaging them oregon rolling them connected a tennis ball. If different self-care measures aren’t capable to power your pain, astir radical tin safely instrumentality an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicine similar ibuprofen (Advil) oregon naproxen (Aleve) for a constricted duration.e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629256280f9-26ec-4e04-bf9f-61baedc92918 But seeing a doc tin springiness you entree to much targeted treatments. “There are topical preparations of anti-inflammatories that tin beryllium precise effectual successful the ft and ankle due to the fact that a batch of the structures that are injured are precise adjacent to the tegument surface,” says Peterson. Your doc whitethorn prescribe oregon urge definite devices for your ft pain. These include: Orthopedic boots oregon ankle braces for injuries Toe spacers for bunions Metatarsal pads to assistance with ft alignment Orthotic insoles (inserts) for greater enactment Many over-the-counter orthotic insoles are capable for astir radical who request other ft support, but medicine insoles could beryllium beneficial for terrible cases, says Peterson. Sometimes, much progressive oregon invasive treatments whitethorn beryllium indispensable for ft conditions. These include:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e597629c99d3b76-4368-4e29-b248-b54167d0d2f2 Physical Therapy You’ll larn exercises that tin assistance with spot and flexibility successful cardinal areas. Shock Wave Therapy Focused dependable waves are utilized to make low-level harm that promotes healing. Casts oregon Splints These whitethorn beryllium needed for bony fractures erstwhile a footwear isn’t capable to immobilize your foot. Steroid Injections Targeted injections of corticosteroids tin assistance trim symptom and swelling. Surgery “For definite injuries, country is the champion treatment,” says Peterson, specified arsenic immoderate bony fractures and dislocations. Long-Term Foot Health Strategies Keeping Feet Healthy Even if you don’t person immoderate ft problems close now, it whitethorn beryllium worthwhile to deliberation astir however to forestall aboriginal sources of ft pain. Some of the champion strategies for semipermanent ft wellness include:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762975f97f41-3ddf-444b-8ff6-973aa694cf96 Stretching Wearing comfortable, supportive shoes Maintaining strong, steadfast bones “If I could person each diligent bash 1 happening for prevention, improving the flexibility of your calf tin person a truly affirmative effect connected a batch of antithetic parts of the ft and ankle,” says Peterson. Doing truthful whitethorn assistance forestall Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, and metatarsalgia. Keeping your bones steadfast tin assistance forestall some accent fractures and large fractures, Peterson says. Beneficial steps for bony wellness include:e60dc2a1-f33c-4a05-9b50-8e3e8e59762954a471ee-2fe9-43d9-b124-5ce2530143ae Getting capable calcium successful your fare Getting capable vitamin D Avoiding baccy Drinking intoxicant successful moderation, if astatine each Staying physically progressive The Takeaway Foot symptom tin beryllium caused by abrupt injuries, overuse injuries, oregon chronic wellness conditions. Self-care measures similar remainder oregon applying crystal tin beryllium beneficial for galore sources of ft pain. See a doc if your ft symptom doesn’t amended with self-care oregon is sudden, severe, oregon accompanied by redness and swelling. Wearing comfy and supportive shoes, stretching, and maintaining steadfast bones tin assistance forestall conditions that origin ft pain.