Why Do My Feet Hurt?
Feet. They carry you from here to there every day. But you may not think much about them until they hurt. And when they do, you want relief. To get the right treatment, you need to know the problem. The first thing to consider is where your foot pain is located.
Heel Pain
Plantar fasciitis
If your pain is in your heel, you may have plantar fasciitis. That’s an irritation or inflammation of the band of tough tissue connecting the heel bone to the toes. Usually, it hurts the worst in the morning when you’re getting out of bed. You can feel it in your heel or your arch.
To treat it:
- Rest your foot.
- Do heel and foot muscle stretches.
- Take over-the-counter pain relievers.
- Wear shoes with good arch support and a cushioned sole.
Heel spurs
Another source of foot pain, heel spurs are abnormal growths of bone on the bottom of your heel. You can get them from wearing the wrong shoes, an abnormal walk or posture, or even running. The spurs may hurt while you’re walking or standing. Lots of people have them, but most don’t have pain. People with flat feet or high arches are more likely to have painful heel spurs.
To treat it:
- Rest your foot.
- Do heel and foot muscle stretches.
- Take over-the-counter pain relievers.
- Use cold packs or ice on your heel and the bottom of your foot.
- Wear shoes with good arch support and a cushioned sole.
- Wear a cutout heel pad.
- Use a custom-made insert (called an orthotic) worn in the shoe.
- Try physical therapy.
If you still have pain, ask your doctor about medical procedures.
Achilles tendonitis
Achilles tendonitisis an overuse injury that causes inflammation of the tough band of tissue that attaches your calf muscles to your heel bone.
To treat it:
- Rest your foot.
- Use ice or cold packs on the bottom of your foot and your heel for about 15 minutes as you feel pain.
- Compress your ankle with a snug elastic bandage or wrap.
- Keep your foot raised above the level of your heart as much as possible, including when you sleep.
- Take over-the-counter pain relievers.
Stone bruise
A stone bruise is a deep bruise of the fat pad of the heel or ball of the foot. It’s often from an impact injury but can also happen after stepping on a hard object. The pain feels like you’re walking on a pebble. It will gradually go away on its own.
In the meantime:
- Rest your foot.
- Ice the area.
- Take over-the-counter pain relievers.
Heel fracture
A heel fracture usually results from a high-impact injury such as a fall or car accident. Your heel bone may not just break, it could also shatter. Heel pain, bruising, swelling, or trouble walking are the main symptoms.
To treat it:
- Don’t put pressure on the heel. You can use crutches.
- Protect the heel with pads.
- Wear a splint or cast to protect the heel bone.
- Ask your doctor about over-the-counter or prescription pain relievers.
- Try physical therapy.
- If you’re still in pain, ask your doctor about surgery.
Psoriatic arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis(PsA) is a mix of a skin disorder (psoriasis) and joint inflammation (arthritis). It’s a long-term condition that can run in families. PsA may cause stiffness and throbbing pain in the tendons over your fingers, toes, and other joints.
To treat it:
- For mild cases of PsA, your doctor may recommend a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) to block the chemicals that cause swelling in your joints. You can get this medication at the pharmacy (aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen) or with a prescription.
- Try hot and cold therapy. Heat helps blood circulation to lessen stiffness, while cold lowers swelling.
- Manage your stress, which can make your PsA flare.
- For severe cases, you may need more powerful medications. Options include disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), such as biologics, and corticosteroids.
Ball of Foot Pain
Metatarsalgia
Metatarsalgia is pain and inflammation in the ball of your foot. Ill-fitting shoes are the usual cause. But you might get it from strenuous activities, such as running or jumping. It’s sometimes called a stone bruise as well.
To treat it:
- Take pain relievers.
- Ice and rest your foot.
- Wear comfortable footwear.
- Try shoe inserts to ease pressure on the ball of your foot.
Morton's neuroma
Morton's neuroma causes a thickening of the tissue around the nerves between the bases of the toes (usually between the third and fourth toes). You typically feel pain, odd sensations, or numbness over the ball of your foot. Women have it more often. It can be a result of wearing high heels or tight shoes.
To treat it:
- Wear shoe inserts to reduce pressure on the nerve.
- Get a steroid or other injection into the foot.
- Take pain relievers.
- Don’t wear high-heeled shoes or ones with a narrow toe box.
- Avoid activities that put pressure on the neuroma.
- Ask your doctor about surgery.
Sesamoiditis is a form of tendinitis, common with runners and ballet dancers. Near your big toe are two bones that are connected only by tendons. They’re called sesamoids. You get sesamoiditis when the tendons surrounding them become injured and inflamed.
To treat it:
- Rest your feet.
- Ice where it hurts.
- Wear a foot pad under the toe in a comfortable shoe.
- Tape the big toe to immobilize the joint and allow for healing.
- Wear low-heeled shoes.
- Ask your doctor about steroid injections.
Arch Foot Pain
Plantar fasciitis
This is the most common cause of foot pain in or around the arch. Tight calves are linked to plantar fasciitis foot pain, Achilles tendonitis, and the toe ailments hammertoe and hallux rigidus. Plantar fasciitis can affect the heel, arch, or both. Treatment is the same regardless of the location. For persistent plantar fasciitis, an injection with a mixture of a steroid and local anesthetic can be helpful.
Fallen arches, or flat feet, happen when the arches of the feet flatten out (often when standing or walking), causing foot pain and other problems. Flat feet can be treated with shoe inserts, shoe adjustments, rest, ice, using a walking cane or brace, or physical therapy. Sometimes, surgery is necessary.
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