Foot Pain Specialist

What causes foot pain?

Foot pain can come from any of the numerous bones, ligaments, tendons, and muscles in your foot. Foot pain is most commonly caused by:

• Fractures
• Disease (e.g., osteoarthritis)
• Deformities (e.g., bunions)
• Stress injuries
• Inappropriate footwear
• Poor alignment

You should visit Western Orthopaedics, P.C., if you’re experiencing any numbness in your foot, pain in the heel, ball, or arch of your foot, swelling or tenderness, a change in the way your foot feels, or discoloration of the skin or toenails.

If your foot looks different, isn’t working as it should, or you find it hard to carry out everyday activities, you need to have the foot checked and treated.

What problems can cause foot pain?

Some of the foot conditions seen most often at Western Orthopaedics, P.C., include:

Flat Feet

Many people have flat feet or fallen arches and don’t have pain, while others might develop pain in their arches or ankles. The most common cause of flat feet pain is tendonitis of the posterior tibial tendon.

Bunions

A bunion, or hallux valgus, is a common cause of foot pain. Bunions are bony lumps that stick out sideways from the base of your big toe. Having a bunion can often make it impossible to find comfortable shoes.

Stress fractures

The foot is made up of 28 different bones. If these small bones come under too much pressure on a regular basis, they can form micro-fractures that build up into a painful chronic condition.  

Calcaneus fractures

The calcaneus (heel bone) is most likely to fracture if you fall from a height, for example, off a ladder or roof.

Hallux rigidus

Hallux rigidus is arthritis of the big toe, a common cause of pain, and bone spurs around the big toe.

You can also experience foot pain as a result of ankle problems.

What ankle problems can cause foot pain?

Most ankle problems can cause foot pain if they’re severe enough, as the two are so closely linked. Ankle pain can be a result of trauma or sports-related injuries, such as a fracture or a sprain. It can also be due to overuse injuries, for example, Achilles tendonitis. Common ankle problems include:

Achilles tendon ruptures

The Achilles tendon is a large piece of connective tissue that joins your calf muscle onto your heel bone. You use the Achilles tendon to push off of your foot when walking, running, and jumping. Rupturing the Achilles tendon can cause severe disability.

Ankle fractures

Your ankle operates like a hinge between your leg and your foot. There are two crucial bones in your ankle. If one breaks, you might need bracing. If both break, your ankle could become unstable, so surgery is normally required.

Ankle arthritis

Ankle arthritis isn’t as commonplace as hip or knee arthritis but can be a very disabling condition. Common symptoms are chronic pain, stiffness, and swelling around the ankle. If conservative approaches aren’t working, the Western Orthopaedics, P.C., team can carry out joint replacement or distraction arthroplasty surgery.

Ankle sprains

Ankle sprains are the most frequently occurring type of athletic injury. Ankle sprains most often affect the ligaments on the outside of your ankle. 

To find out more about treatments for foot pain, call Western Orthopaedics, P.C., today or request an appointment online.