About 75 percent of people in the United States have foot pain at some time in their lives. Most foot pain is caused by shoes that do not fit properly, have heels that are too high or not enough arch support.
When buying shoes, have your feet measured. If you have foot problems such as bunions or hammer toes, buy shoes with wider toe boxes.
The elderly and overweight, especially women, are at very high risk for foot problems.
The foot is one of the most complex parts of the body, consisting of 26 bones connected by numerous joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
Foot functions include:
- Support weight
- Act as a shock absorber
- Serve as a lever to move the leg forward
- Maintain balance
Foot pain examples include:
- Bunions - a protrusion at the base of the big toe, which can become inflamed. Bunions often develop over time from wearing narrow-toed shoes.
- Hammer toes - toes that curl downward into a claw-like position.
- Calluses and corns - thickened skin from friction or pressure. Calluses are on the balls of the feet or heels. Corns appear on your toes.
- Plantar warts - from pressure on the soles of your feet.
- Fallen arches - also called flat feet.
Morton's neuroma symptoms include tingling and sharp, shooting, or burning pains in the ball of your foot and sometimes toes, especially when wearing shoes or pressing on the area. Pain gradually gets worse over time and affects women more than men.
Other common causes of foot pain include:
- Broken bones
- Stress fracture
- Arthritis
- Gout -- common in the big toe, which becomes red, swollen and very tender
- Plantar fasciitis
- Bone spur
- Sprains
- Bursitis of the heel
- Tendinitis
For more information, contact the American Chiropractic Association.
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