WHAT’S THE CAUSE OF PAIN ON THE TOP OF MY FOOT?
Your foot is a very complex structure with more than two dozen bones (in each foot) and even more joints, along with numerous tendons, muscles and ligaments (in addition, of course, to blood vessels and nerves.) Add to this complex anatomical structure is the fact that your feet have to bear your body weight, which can, depending on whether you are walking, running or jumping, for example, lead to very high forces on your feet. As a result, pain on the top of your foot when you sit or stand still, or work out, can occur. What might this indicate?
Any of a variety of different conditions could be the cause of pain on the top of your foot. Here are just a few:
Stress fracture of the bones in the foot (metatarsals). A stress fracture is a small crack on the external surface of a bone. It’s called a “stress fracture” because it’s considered to be a result of the bone being repeatedly put under some sort of stress, such as during weight-bearing activities, such as running or basketball. Stress fractures are considered overuse injuries, which means they occur over time.
Extensor Tendonitis. The word “tendonitis” refers to an inflammation of a tendon, which is tissue that connects bones to muscles. In this case, it refers to tendons that connect the lower leg muscles with the toes. You can develop this type of tendonitis for any number of reasons, including tying your shoelaces too tightly, or it could be due to an overuse injury from jogging/hiking/brisk walking uphill or downhill, activities which all put high stress on these muscles and tendons.
Other conditions that can lead to pain on the top of your foot include peripheral neuropathy which is a dysfunction in nerves -- often a result of a complication of diabetes -- resulting in pain or numbness; or gout, a condition where a waste product builds up in the blood, something that can cause intense pain in the base of the big toe.
If you have pain on the top of your foot and you’ve tried icing it for a few days to no avail, see your doctor who will ask you to describe the pain -- is it burning, tingling, dull -- and what you were doing that may have brought on the pain. A podiatrist will ask you to walk barefoot in the office and also to move your foot in all sorts of directions while seated to determine if there is a restriction in your ability to move. A podiatrist will also feel your foot to see if there is any swelling and to determine exactly where the pain is located. It’s possible that an X-ray may be ordered if your doctor suspects you may have a fracture. Imaging (such as an MRI) and blood tests may also be ordered to determine if your foot pain is a result of gout, for example.
The treatment for your pain depends on the cause. Among the treatments that may be recommended: taking NSAIDS or another anti-inflammatory medication to reduce pain, inflammation, and swelling; using a walking boot or cast if you have a stress fracture or another type of fracture; and recommending you see a physical therapist who will provide stretching and exercise suggestions as well as use other modalities, such as electro stim, which can reduce pain and swelling. At home, using ice on the top of your foot several times a day (for 15-20 minutes at a time) is a good way to reduce pain and swelling as well as forgoing any activity that makes the pain worse.
At River Podiatry we provide individualized, comprehensive, evaluation and treatment of patients with podiatric issues. The practice specializes in foot surgery and the treatment of foot pain. Expect the best possible care utilizing the most modern techniques.
