Common Causes of Foot Pain and How to Get Relief
We depend on our feet to get us to where we need to be every day, which makes them an easy target for many different problems.
If you are someone suffering from foot pain, you understand how frustrating it is to try and find any relief. Understanding what is causing your foot pain is just the beginning of your journey, but it is a crucial step in finding ways to get relief.
In this article, we will outline some of the most common causes of foot pain as well as ways that you can help yourself and your feet!
What are the common causes of foot pain?
1. Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis is a condition that causes pain in the heel, arch or along the sole of your foot. It’s the cause of 15% of foot problems. It’s the result of irritation, swelling and tightness in the band of tissues, called the plantar fascia, that runs across the bottom of your foot. The pain from plantar fasciitis is usually worse when you get out of bed in the morning and after walking or running.
2. Flat Feet (Fallen Arches)
Flat feet is a condition where one or both of your feet have little to no arch. When you stand the pads of your feet press into the ground.
Flat feet can cause symptoms such as leg cramps, muscle pain in your foot or leg, pain in your arch, ankle, shin, heel or outside of your foot or pain when walking.
3. Arthritis
Arthritis is a common problem that can affect the joints throughout your foot, especially your big toe. It can cause deterioration in the protective cushioning in the bones of your feet which can lead to stiffness.
This stiffness and swelling in your joints can eventually lead to permanent damage. Arthritis can affect different parts of your feet, including your toes, ankles, ball of the feet and heels. It can cause pain, and stiffness, which will affect the way you walk or stand.
4. Heel Spur
A heel spur is a bony protrusion on your heel that is most commonly made up of a calcium build-up. This abnormal bone growth is not painful themselves but can pull the tissues in the heel and can cause pain, swelling and redness.
You typically feel pain in your heel, usually when you’re walking, jogging, running or participating in other types of physical activity.
5. Tendonitis or Tendinopathy (Tibialis Posterior Tendon)
Tendinitis occurs when the tendon becomes inflamed, resulting in swelling and pain, especially with movement of the affected area.
The posterior tibial tendon runs down your inner ankle, along the inner arch of your foot and attaches to the bottom of your foot near the inside of your arch. This tendon helps support your foot’s natural arch.
Tendonitis will occur when the posterior tibial tendon becomes inflamed or torn. This can be due to an acute injury such as a fall, or from overuse often related to the strain from abnormal foot mechanics (ie. overpronation, fallen arches or flat feet)
Common symptoms include pain along the inside of your foot and ankle, pain that worsens with activity and pain on the outside of your ankle. This condition is more common in women and people older than 40 years of age.
6. Bunions
A bunion is a bony bump that forms at the base of your big toes, on the inside of your foot. It is caused by a misalignment, and can cause your big toes to point inward and potentially overlap with your second toe.
This lump can be painful, make the shoes you normally wear uncomfortable and change the way you walk. Other common symptoms include swelling, redness or soreness around your big toe joint, corns or calluses in between the first and second toes, and limited movement in your big toe.
7. High Arches
High arch feet may be caused by genetics or by a number of underlying conditions. A normal arch is raised slightly off of the ground when you are standing, but people with high arches have much more space between the floor and their arch.
High arches cause more stress on your feet, which can lead to symptoms including corns or calluses, an inward tilting heel, trouble finding shoes that fit well, foot pain while walking, standing or playing sports or toes that are bent while standing.
8. Hammertoes
Like bunions, hammertoes are caused by a misaligned joint in your toes that pushes tissues from the ball of your foot forward underneath your toes. It can eventually cause your toes to take on a claw or hammer-like shape. It is most common in the second, third or fourth toes.
A hammertoe is painful, especially when you are moving it or wearing close-toed shoes. You will also likely notice swelling or redness around the toe, the inability to straighten your toe, difficulty walking and a corn or callus on the top or tip of your toe.
9. Morton’s Neuroma
Morton’s neuroma is a condition that occurs when the nerves in your foot start to thicken, which places pressure on your toes. This typically occurs between your third and fourth toes.
You may experience things such as feeling like you always have something in your shoe like a rock, tingling, numbness or burning in your foot. At first, symptoms may only be occasional but they may become more common or even constant as the condition develops.
10. Strains and Sprains
Sprains and strains occur frequently and are often confused with one another! A sprain happens when a ligament is overstretched or torn, whereas a strain occurs when a muscle or tendon is overstretched.
These types of injuries are typically the result of stepping awkwardly or landing funny. In both cases, these injuries should be evaluated by a physiotherapist to ensure quick resolution and no long-term damage occurs.
11. Neuropathy
Neuropathy refers to a diseased state of nerves typically associated with diabetes, medication toxicity (i.e., chemotherapy), or circulation issues like peripheral vascular disease. This alters the sensation in your feet and can be especially problematic when cuts or injuries are not noticed. Sensation changes can also make you more susceptible to balance issues and falls.
No matter what type of pain you are experiencing in your feet, getting help sooner than later will help you in the long run. Our physiotherapists at PhysioPlus Health Group in Toronto will help you reduce your pain and get you moving comfortably once again!
12. Bursitis
Bursae are closed, fluid-filled sacs that cushion and help create a smooth gliding surface to reduce friction between body tissues. These sacs of fluid protect tendons from the bone.
An injury or overuse can cause inflammation in the bursae (aka Bursitis) which prevents tendons from smoothly gliding over the joint and can be painful or even debilitating. This condition commonly affects your foot and heel.
10 WAYS TO GET FOOT PAIN RELIEF
We all know that we rely on our feet to keep us moving all day every day. However, there are times when our feet need to rely on us! Here are 10 things that you can do for your own feet to help relieve foot pain.
1. Stretching
Sometimes tight muscles in your feet and lower legs can be the cause of some of your foot pain, so getting your feet moving is an excellent way to manage the pain. Doing some gentle, basic stretches while you are sitting can help ease the pain you are feeling in your muscles.
Calf Stretch
- Grab a towel and fold it lengthwise a couple of times
- Sit on the ground with one leg out in front of you
- Wrap the towel under the ball of your foot and grip both ends of the towel in each hand
- Pull towards yourself until you feel a light stretch in the back of your lower leg
- Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and then slowly come out of the stretch
- Repeat the stretch 2-3 times on both legs multiple times a day
Toes Stretch
- Sitting on the edge of a chair
- Cross one leg over the other and grab your toes with one hand
- Pull your toes up until you feel a stretch in the bottom of your foot
- Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and then slowly come out of the stretch
- Repeat the stretch 2-3 times on both feet multiple times a day
The aim of a stretch is to hold a position for long periods of time. You should be able to feel a gentle stretch, but you shouldn’t be sore or uncomfortable.
2. Foot and Toe Exercises
Similar to keeping your feet loose and limber, it is also important to keep the muscles of your feet and lower legs strong. By doing this you can help reduce foot and ankle pain, reduce muscle soreness and improve your overall foot health.
Calf Raises
- Stand with both feet flat on the ground
- Raise your heels off the ground, shifting your weight onto the balls of your feet
- Slowly lower your heels back to the ground
- Perform this exercise 10 times, 1-2 times a day
Toe Curls
- Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the ground
- Lay a kitchen or hand towel on the floor in front of your feet with the short end facing you
- Place the toes of one foot on the end of the towel
- Scrunch your toes so you pull the towel towards you while keeping your heel on the ground.
- Perform this exercise 10 times, 1-2 times a day
These strengthening exercises will allow your muscles to provide you with better support and protection for your foot as a whole.
3. Ice or Cold Foot Bath
Applying ice or soaking in a cold foot bath is a great way to get fast temporary relief. One of my favourite ways to apply ice to the bottoms of my feet is by using a frozen water bottle. Place the frozen water bottle under your foot and gently roll it back and forth.
This method helps to gently stretch out the muscles and tendons along the bottom of your foot while the ice provides cooling relief for your pain. In order to prevent frostbite, I recommend only icing or soaking your feet for 10 minutes at a time.
4. Properly Fitting Shoes
One of the most important ways to ensure that our feet are staying healthy and pain free is ensuring we have shoes that fit us properly! Our shoes serve many functions, including protecting our feet, cushioning our body weight and making our feet feel comfortable, but this won’t happen if we have shoes that don’t fit us right.
Here are some tips to make sure you have the best possible fit!
- Have your feet measured each time you buy a pair of shoes
- Fit your shoes to the larger foot
- Get measured at the end of the day when your feet are the largest
- Look at the shape of the shoe and make sure it resembles your foot
- Don’t plan on the shoes stretching over time
- Check the width of the shoe
- Check the depth of the shoe
- When standing there should be about the width of your finger between your longest toe and the end of the shoe
- Always stand and walk around in the shoes!
5. Avoid High Heels and Flip Flops
Even though high heels may be stylish and flip flops may be convenient, wearing them can cause or worsen many foot problems. Wearing high heels puts your foot in an awkward position, adding pressure to the front of your foot which would lead to the development of a bunion or other problems, causing foot pain.
When we wear flip flops our toes tend to over grip. Over-gripping along with the lack of arch support can cause inflammation along the bottom of your foot, leading to other serious problems like plantar fasciitis. It’s best to try and avoid these types of shoes to prevent new or worsening foot pain.
6. Use Arch Supports
Arch support inserts are devices that are placed into your shoes to support the arch of your foot. They provide many benefits including distributing pressure evenly across your foot, providing additional stability and balance, aligning the body and reducing foot pain.
7. Get Fitted for Custom Orthotics
Custom orthotic insoles will improve how your feet and lower legs feel and function. They will combine custom-built support with specific materials to suit your activities and footwear. Some of the benefits that custom orthotics can provide you include minimizing foot and ankle pain, correct foot alignment, decrease stress on the skin of your foot, support the arches of your foot and reduce pain related to standing, walking, running or sports.
At Physioplus, Brandon Maggen, our Chiropodist, can perform a thorough assessment of your feet and help you determine which type of orthotics is the best fit for you!
8. Get a Walking or Running Assessment
Looking at your feet as you sit or stand is only a small part of the whole picture. Foot pain is often a result of how we move, so taking a look at how our feet are moving while we walk or run is a critical part in determining the cause of your foot pain.
We can tell a lot about what is going on in your body by watching you walk or run. At Physioplus, Brandon Maggen, our Chiropodist, can use technology to see how you put your body weight through your feet. These findings will be used to not only help explain why you are having foot pain but also how we can fix it.
9. See a Physiotherapist
You might be wondering how a physiotherapist can help with your foot pain. A physiotherapist is trained to work with you to address your life factors, alignment of your body and the mechanics (how your body moves) that may be causing your foot pain.
They can educate you about the nature and structure of your own foot, while providing you with tailored exercises that will improve your strength, flexibility and balance all while reducing your foot pain.
Book a consultation with a physiotherapist today to determine if they are the right fit for you and your foot pain!
10. See a Chiropodist
A chiropodist is a practitioner who is dedicated to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of conditions of the feet and lower limbs. They focus their treatment on repairing damage, increasing mobility, reducing stiffness, decreasing pain, increasing stability and increasing your quality of life.
Chiropodists can also thoroughly analyze your feet, providing you the best information on custom orthotics and properly fitting footwear. Our Chiropodist at Physioplus, Brandon Maggen, is no stranger to foot pain and will offer advice and treatment that will get you feeling pain free again. Book a consultation with a chiropodist to determine if they can help you!
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When Should I see a Chiropodist about my foot pain?
If you are suffering from any of the following, you should seek medical attention from a doctor:
- Foot pain when you walk or run
- Pain that makes it difficult to complete daily activities
- Frequent swelling and redness in the feet
- Visible deformity in the foot
Book an appointment with a physiotherapist or chiropodist who will provide you with a thorough assessment and treatment plan to get you and your feet back to feeling good as new.
This blog was written by Francesca Biondi, a Physiotherapist student at the University of Toronto.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my foot pain go away on its own?
It depends! If your foot pain is mild, they can heal on their own if you use some at home treatments. If you have severe foot pain that seems to be lingering and won’t go away on its own, you may need to seek professional care for tests and treatment.
Do massages help foot pain?
If your feet are aching after a long day, a foot-massage can give you much-needed relief. Foot massages boost circulation, which can help with healing and keep your muscles and tissues healthy.
However, there are a few things to think about before giving yourself a foot massage to make sure you are keeping your feet safe! Make sure to check your feet for cuts, bandages or athlete’s foot before beginning the massage, and ensure that you are not causing any severe pain while doing it!
How do I know if I need orthotics?
There are many different types of orthotics and determining which one is right for you is based on the cause of your pain, the activities you participate in, as well as your overall preference.
A chiropodist is a foot specialist who can assess your feet and determine which type of orthotics is best for you. If you are suffering from foot pain and you think orthotics could benefit you, book an appointment with our highly trained chiropodist today.