03/03/2025
FOOT PAIN CAUSES
1. PLANTAR FASCIITIS
Plantar fasciitis occurs when the band of tissue on the bottom of your foot becomes inflamed due to a small tear. It causes a stabbing pain in your heel that may ease when you begin moving, but will likely return after you have been standing or walking for a while.
This is a common injury for runners and ballet dancers, but it can also occur when you wear shoes that do not offer enough support during extended periods of activity. Plantar fasciitis may also affect those with flatfeet, those who walk on their tip-toes, and anyone who is on their feet most of every day.
2. ARTHRITIS
There are actually quite a few different types of arthritis that can affect your feet. Each of them can cause foot pain, and they all also require medical attention. These types include:
Gout – Causes severe pain and swelling of your big toe as a result of injury or sickness.
Osteoarthritis – When the cartilage that protects the ends of bones begins to breakdown.
Psoriatic arthritis – Your toenails may thicken and pits may develop. Eventually the nail will separate from the nail bed.
Reactive arthritis – Causes inflammation and pain due to a rash on the bottom of your feet.
Rheumatoid arthritis – Causes pain in the foot because it affects the joints in your feet, causing bunions, corns, claw toe, or hammer toe.
3. BONE SPURS
Along the edges of the bones in your feet you may develop osteophytes (bone spurs), which are abnormal pieces of bone that stick out, commonly found where two bones come together.
Oftentimes, bone spurs happen as a result of osteoarthritis because the cartilage on the ends of your bone breaks down. The bone spurs are your body’s attempt at repairing the cartilage. These uncomfortable bone protrusions may go unnoticed for a while, but other times they cause severe pain and a loss of motion in the joints of your feet.
4. PLANTAR WARTS
Plantar warts typically develop on your heels and are abnormal growths on your feet. They may grow outward and appear as a tiny bump on the skin, or they can grow inward and you will notice a callus on your foot, instead.
A virus called HPV causes plantar warts, and you can contract the virus by walking around barefoot in a locker room or pool area. These warts do not usually require medical attention, but if they are causing pain and you want them removed you can seek professional treatment or buy a kit at the store for wart removal.
5. BUNIONS
These bony bumps on the side of your foot near your big toe are somewhat common and happen when your big toe is regularly pushed against your second toe. The joint at the base of your big toe gets abnormally large, protrudes outward, and can be very painful.
Bunions can develop if you wear shoes that are too tight for extended periods of time, or they can develop due to genetics. Other ways that bunions occur is through abnormal stress on your feet or because of arthritis. The only way to remove bunions is to have surgery, but it isn’t always medically necessary.
6. TARSAL TUNNEL SYNDROME
If you are experiencing foot pain, tingling, or numbness near the sole of your foot or on the inside of your ankle, you may have tarsal tunnel syndrome. This may occur due to flatfeet, varicose veins, injuries, abnormal growths, or diabetes.
You may be able to treat tarsal tunnel syndrome at home by resting and keeping your foot elevated. If that doesn’t work, you may need to have medication prescribed by a doctor. On rare occasions, you may need to have surgery to fix it.
7. INGROWN TOENAIL
When the edge of your toenail grows into your skin you will experience pain, inflammation, and possibly infection. Normally, you won’t need medical attention to relieve an ingrown toenail, but if it becomes infected or if you have diabetes, you should see a doctor.
You can avoid getting an ingrown toenail by taking the following precautions:
Wear shoes that are not tight on your toes.
Cut your toenails so that they match up with the tips of your toes to ensure protection.
Wear protective footwear.
8. TENDINITIS
When a tendon in your foot becomes inflamed or irritated it will likely cause pain and tenderness in the area. In your foot, it will likely occur near your heel and is commonly referred to as Achilles tendinitis.
If you are dealing with tendinitis in your foot, it can usually be healed by resting your foot for a while and by participating in physical therapy. To ease the pain during the healing process, you can take painkillers. If the tendinitis has been left untreated for too long and becomes more serious it can cause your tendon to burst, which can only be treated with surgery.
9. BURSITIS
When the bursae (sacs filled with fluid to protect bones, tendons, and muscles) in your feet become inflamed, you may experience extreme pain. It normally occurs from doing repetitive motions on a regular basis, but it can also occur due to injury. Conditions such as arthritis, infection, and bunions can often lead to bursitis, as well.
The best way to treat bursitis is by resting the affected area and being more careful to avoid trauma in the future. With rest, bursitis normally clears up in a couple of weeks, but it will likely come back regularly.
You can help yourself avoid bursitis by taking special care of your body while working if your job requires you to do the same motions repeatedly. You should also make sure you are bending, lifting, and doing other exerting activities properly and with the correct form. Taking breaks, exercising, stretching, and warming up before activities can also prevent bursitis from occurring.
10. FLATFEET
When the arches of your feet are flat and the bottom of your entire foot touches the ground, you have flatfeet. This is a common condition and may or may not cause pain or swelling. It can happen due to normal stress of your feet due to age, being overweight, after an injury
