Foot pain can occur due to a long list of health conditions. “The foot has so many bones and joints and tendons, the possibility of what can go wrong is almost endless,” says Alexander Peterson, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at Keck Medicine of the University of Southern California.
Here are some of the most common causes of foot pain.
Plantar Fasciitis
Achilles Tendinitis
The Achilles tendon runs from your calf muscles to your heel bone. When this tendon becomes injured, usually from overuse, it can cause pain at the back of your heel.
You’re more likely to develop Achilles tendinitis if you quickly increase or intensify your physical activity, your calf muscles are tight, you run on hard surfaces, you jump a lot, or your foot suddenly turns in or out.
Bunions
Bunions can cause stiffness or numbness in addition to pain. Most commonly, they develop due to pressure on your big toe, but they can also happen for unknown reasons. Rarely, they can form on other toes, as well.
Metatarsalgia
Your metatarsals are the bones in the front of your feet, below your toes. When this area of your foot (sometimes called the ball of the foot) becomes inflamed, you can develop pain and irritation.
Metatarsalgia most commonly develops due to activities that involve running or jumping, especially on hard surfaces or without wearing shock-absorbing footwear.
Neuromas
A neuroma develops when the tissue surrounding a nerve thickens, which can cause stinging, burning, or numbness in affected areas. A common form is called Morton’s neuroma, which affects the front, or ball, of your foot, often between your third and fourth toes, but it can occur in between any of the toes.
Wearing high-heeled, tight, or narrow toe box shoes can be linked to Morton’s neuroma. Other types of neuromas can result from trauma or surgery in any area of the body.
Bone and Ligament Injuries
Bone fractures and torn ligaments can occur due to sudden injury in certain athletic activities. Stress fractures in bones can also develop gradually over time.
One common injury is a Jones fracture, or a break in your fifth metatarsal bone (behind your pinky toe). “That’s seen pretty commonly in athletes and weekend warriors, or anybody who may roll their ankle,” such as while wearing high heels, says Dr. Peterson.
Stress fractures, or incomplete breaks, are common in all metatarsals (the five bones behind your toes). This type of injury is often seen in distance runners, Peterson notes.
Ligaments are bands of connective tissue between bones and other structures, and they can become inflamed or torn from overuse or injury. A common injury in your foot is a tear in a plantar plate, which connects a toe to the rest of your foot.
Arthritis
Different types of arthritis (joint inflammation) can cause foot pain, including:
- Osteoarthritis This form of arthritis can cause pain and stiffness in any area of your feet and ankles. The big toe and midfoot are the most commonly affected areas, according to Peterson.
- Psoriatic Arthritis This condition often causes pain in the back of the heel or bottom of your feet.
- Rheumatoid Arthritis This form of arthritis can cause pain and swelling in any area of the feet and ankles, and usually affects both feet.
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