General Foot Pain

Bottom of Foot Pain

Bottom of foot pain can be related to several different factors depending on the exact location of the pain. Other factors include type of footwear, activities and hobbies, age, weight, and overall health. Some of the more common bottom of foot pain conditions include plantar fasciitis, heel spur syndrome and metatarsalgia. Most of these conditions can be alleviated with chiropractic manipulation.

Lateral foot pain

Foot pain can be present at several locations on either the inside or outside of the foot and/or ankle. In most cases these pain symptoms are related to some mechanical stress or misalignment of one or more of the 26 foot bones. People who run or are active on their feet often complain of pain on the side of their foot. Lateral foot pain can cause a variety of symptoms, most of which depend on which part of the foot is affected. Here is few of the most popular causes:

• ankle joint inflammation and scar tissue
• arthritis
• the presence of very fine cracks in the foot bones and in the ankle
• tendon inflammation
• stretched, torn, or pinched nerves (especially those passing through the ankle)

Back of Heel Pain

The most common condition that affects the back of the foot is known as Achilles tendonitis. This condition occurs when there has been a great amount of stress and strain on the Achilles tendon due to various activities and abnormal movements of the foot, ankle and leg. A misalignment or mechanical dysfunction of the hind foot will generally be present when a person is suffering from this condition. This painful condition may have developed due to repetitive movements of the foot and/or ankle over an extended period of time.

Ball of Foot Pain

The medical term for “pain in the ball of the foot” is metatarsalgia. It’s an umbrella term for a symptom that can have many possible causes, as opposed to a diagnosis in and of itself. People with metatarsalgia experience pain and inflammation in the padding directly below the toes, which is where we place the most pressure when standing and moving.

The pain is usually present in the metatarsal heads — the joint that is just under your toes — or the big toe. You may also experience shooting pain, numbness, and pain with flexing the toes. The pain may ease when you are off your feet and return when you resume your normal activities. Some of the causes:

• intense physical activity
• having a high arch or a second toe longer than the big toe
• stress fractures
• wearing high heels or shoes that are too small
• hammer toe and bunions
• being overweight
• metatarsal joint pain or arthritis

Top of Foot Pain

Top of foot pain is not as common but it can be equally as debilitating. People with flat feet may tend to experience an irritation to the joints between the foot bones on the top surface of those joints. As a result they may complain of pain and discomfort on the top of their foot. High arched feet also known as Cavus Foot. What Is Cavus Foot? Cavus foot is a condition in which the foot has a very high arch. Because of this high arch, an excessive amount of weight is placed on the ball and heel of the foot when walking or standing. Cavus foot can lead to a variety of signs and symptoms, such as pain and instability. It can develop at any age and can occur in one or both feet. Causes: Cavus foot is often caused by a neurologic disorder or other medical condition, such as cerebral palsy, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, spina bifida, polio, muscular dystrophy or stroke. In other cases of cavus foot, the high arch may represent an inherited structural abnormality. An accurate diagnosis is important because the underlying cause of cavus foot largely determines its future course. If the high arch is due to a neurologic disorder or other medical condition, it is likely to progressively worsen. On the other hand, cases of cavus foot that do not result from neurologic disorders usually do not change in appearance. Symptoms: The arch of a cavus foot will appear high even when standing. In addition, one or more of the following symptoms may be present:

• Hammertoes (bent toes) or claw toes (toes clenched like a fist)
• Calluses on the ball, side or heel of the foot
• Pain when standing or walking
• An unstable foot due to the heel tilting inward, which can lead to ankle sprains

Some people with cavus foot may also experience foot drop, a weakness of the muscles in the foot and ankle that results in dragging the foot when taking a step. Foot drop is usually a sign of an underlying neurologic condition.

Common Foot & Leg Conditions Treated by FOOTSTEPSPODIATRYCLINIC:

• Planter Fasciitis
• Heel Pain
• Heel Spur Syndrome
• Achilles Tendonitis
• Ankle Sprains
• Ankle Pain
• Metatarsalgia
• Ball of Foot Pain
• Hammertoe
• Morton’s Neuroma
• Flat Feet
• Over Pronation
• High Arches
• Shin Splints
• Compartment Syndrome
• Knee Pain

Are you experiencing chronic foot pain? Let us know what type and what you’ve been doing about it and remember: Pain is not a life style.