Foot Pains - Some Basics By Jason Nicholls

There are many different causes - they can arise from repetitive sports or training related injuries, as well as disease or other form of trauma.

Quite often the cause is a mix of all of these and also includes wearing incorrect fitting shoes, and poor stance putting strain on the feet, causing pain in side of foot, foot pain bottom of foot, pain in arch of foot, diabetes foot pain and so on.

Let's take a look at a few of the more common types:

SIDE OF FOOT

I think many of us take our feet for granted - we do not usually notice or think about them, until they complain! When you have this sort of problem, it can be caused in many ways. Such as:

1. Blisters - from wearing shoes that do not fit properly; keep clean and covered for speedy healing
2. Bursitis - the body creates a sac of fluid to protect and lubricate areas between muscle, tendon and bone when that area suffers injury; it can become inflamed, however, causing pain in the side of your foot
3. Fissures - sometimes the skin by the heel gets dry, forming cracks in the skin and pain; they can bleed also
4. Fractures - can be due to a fracture of the 5th metatarsal, if no other injury or cause is found
5. Ganglions - sacs of fluid from a leak in the joint capsule can cause foot pain side of foot
6. Sinus Tarsi Syndrome - a common cause of pain when you roll over on your ankle and you stretch or tear ligaments
7. Tailors Bunion - noticeable as a bony lump just behind your little toe and often an hereditary defect that causes the 5th metatarsal to become enlarged causing foot pains on the side of the foot
8. Tendonitis - from wearing shoes that are too narrow; it irritates the tendon on the outside of the foot causing pain on side of foot and just by the front of the heel
9. Corns - often from tight fitting shoes that put pressure on the toes

BOTTOM OF FOOT

1. Plantar fasciitis - heel spurs - heel pain: these are all types of foot pains you may experience on the bottom of the foot. Sometimes, it is difficult to keep up normal activities such as walking, because of these causes; sometimes the pain is aggravated by wearing thin sole shoes or weight bearing for a long period of time
2. Flat Feet - foot pains vary depending on how severe this condition is
3. Morton's neuroma - this is a swelling of the nerve between the 3rd and 4th toes
4. Metatarsalgia - pain in the bones located around the ball of your foot
5. Plantar warts/verucas - like a wart on the bottom of the foot

Treatment Options - simplest to find are gel insoles - these provide protection for the ball and heel of the foot - the two high impact zones on the feet.

PAIN IN ARCH OF FOOT

Of the many possible causes, plantar fasciitis is the most common cause and the search term most widely used when searching for feet pain online. The plantar fascia runs along the bottom of the foot to the heel. If you overstretch this tissue (stretching away from the heel), you get pain in arch of foot - plantar fasciitis. It is important to treat this quickly, or risk the development of a bony protrusion - a heel spur.

Basically, you want to avoid wearing high heeled shoes and find insoles or orthotic supports to support the arch of your foot. You can also use ice treatments for up to 10 minutes, 3 times a day; strapping of the foot. But best advice is to be sure you get the correct footwear. The last thing you want is to have surgical plantar fasciotomy to relieve the stress in your plantar fascia.

If you want a more detailed analysis of the many causes, then there is an excellent article at: http://www.medicinenet.com/foot_pain/article.htm

DIABETES FOOT PAIN

If you suffer from diabetes and have any sort of pain in the feet, consult your doctor and get it treated immediately!!

Diabetes related pain in the feet means that there is some nerve damage happening to cause these pains. It is an extremely serious warning that veins in the foot are closing up - the circulation of blood in foot is being closed off. If you suffer with diabetes and feel any tingling sensations at all in your feet, report it immediately. Did you know that 15% of all people with diabetes will suffer foot ulcers - the foot is being poisoned to the extent it can tear a hole open in the foot. 3% of these sufferers will lose their legs - FACT!

DO NOT DELAY - DIABETES FOOT PAIN MUST BE REPORTED IMMEDIATELY