“Foot pain can be debilitating, affecting every aspect of life,” says Albert Nejat, DPM, a podiatrist and foot surgeon in Culver City, CA. “Fortunately, most foot pain can be addressed with simple measures, like changing habits, doing stretches, wearing different shoes, and altering your training practices.”
Again, while some simple end-of-day TLC can help soothe overworked feet, you’ll want to see a podiatrist for lingering pains. Considering foot pain is so prevalent, we asked experts to address the most common nagging feet woes—from potential causes of foot pain to helpful remedies.
When Dr. Andersen says immobilization, she really means it: Stress fractures can take anywhere from four to eight weeks to heal, during which time, you’ll need to be disciplined about letting it recuperate (e.g., stop running and potentially limit walking to only what’s absolutely necessary).
Pain on the top of the foot may also indicate a bone spur. “A bony prominence can get irritated by ill-fitting shoes putting pressure on that area,” Dr. Nejat says. “You can simply change the way your shoelaces are threaded so it avoids the bump, and doesn’t put additional strain on it.” Cortisone injections and anti-inflammatories can help reduce pain in the meantime.
Another common foot pain cause is tendinitis, often the result of an increase in uphill walking or running. Again, experts suggest altering your workouts to alleviate the stress on those tendons (resting and icing the area can help, too), but if it becomes more persistent, you may need a firm orthotic, topical anti-inflammatory, and possibly occasional cortisone injections.
If you’re a dancer, you may suffer from sesamoiditis, an inflammation in the two bean-shaped bones under the big toe joint. “A simple “dancer’s pad” can help reduce the weight-bearing pressure on the area,” says Dr. Nejat. He also points out that pain in the ball of the foot may be an indicator of rheumatoid arthritis, which often affects the joint at the base of the toes.
Other possible causes of ball-of-the-foot pain, all of which should be seen to by a doctor include:
Neuromas: These are a benign growth of nerve tissues that can become painfully inflamed from pressure on the nerve bundle in the underside of the foot, usually between two adjacent metatarsal bones. It can feel like a shooting pain in the ball of the foot, often between the third, fourth, and pinky toes. Wearing narrow shoes or shoes with high heels typically exacerbates it.
Bursitis: This an irritation in the bursa sac—a fluid-filled, cushion-like barrier between tissues and bone. “It can occur when you have a genetically enlarged heel bone,” says Marlene Reid, a podiatric surgeon in Naperville, Ill. “It’s often called “pump bump” because the bone can become irritated from wearing a shoe like a pump with a stiff back.” When the unforgiving shoe rubs against the bone, you can inflame the bursa, the protective sac of fluid in the tissue.
Plantar plate tears: This is a tear in the thick, protective ligament that runs along the ball of the foot, connecting to the joints.
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“It tends to be due to overuse and hyper-pronation or, simply put, flat-footed walking,” Dr. Nejat says. “Calf stretching and orthotic arch supports are very effective in alleviating this.” If you struggle with plantar fasciitis, you may also want to avoid walking around barefoot—get a pair of supportive slippers to wear the house.
Another condition known as posterior tibial tendinitis starts at the foot arch, but can quickly lead to pain in the ankle as well. “If it persists, it can go on to rupture that tendon and lead to adult onset flat foot, which is very disabling,” warns Dr. Nejat. Again, you’ll likely need to be fitted with orthotics to nip this problem in the bud.
If there’s no bunion but you still have big toe problems, it could be an ingrown toenail. This occurs when the nail edge grows sideways into the skin of the toe. Pressure on the nail jabs into the surrounding skin, causing discomfort. Wearing shoes that are too tight or too narrow can exacerbate this problem, as can cutting your toenails incorrectly, which you can typically soothe with a foot bath. However, if the pain persists, you’ll want to see a podiatrist to rule out infection.
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Regardless of where you’re feeling the pain, don’t let the malady persist; a quick trip to the podiatrist can identify the cause and help you get back on your feet before anything more serious develops.
