FOOT PAIN CAN LEAD TO OTHER PAIN YOU MAY NOT KNOW IS LINKED TO YOUR FEET

Are your feet bothering you? Do you cram your feet into shoes that are a tad too small? Don’t worry, you are not alone. Around 77% of people have experienced significant foot pain but less than 1/3 seek help for it. We tend to neglect our feet but they determine whether we can get knee pain, ankle pain or back pain. We have bones, ligaments, and tendons in our feet and foot pain can range from injury to inflammation. Pay attention to your body and if something does not feel normal, see a podiatrist.

One cause of foot pain is plantar fasciitis, which causes heel pain. The plantar fascia is a thick ligament that runs from your heel to your toes on the bottom of your foot. Plantar fasciitis occurs when the ligament gets inflamed. If you feel a sharp stabbing pain in your heels, switch to a more comfortable supportive shoe for a day or two. If the pain does not improve, then go to your doctor.

Many women wear high heels and they might develop Morton’s Neuroma. It is an enlargement of the tissue around the nerves between your toes causing your toes to sting or go numb. Try switching to a more comfortable and supportive shoe but if the pain persists, see your doctor.

People can develop bunions which are bumps at the joint of the big toe. Shoes can aggravate the bunion but they do not cause it. A variety of factors such as genetics, stress or certain conditions, can lead to bunions. You might need surgery if your bunion is bad enough.

A hammertoe occurs your muscle is constantly contracting causing your toe to pull up into a hammer-like position. It can lead to corns due to the friction of the bone rubbing on your shoe. See your doctor ASAP, if your toe starts to bleed. Your doctor may recommend surgery.

Your toes may become inflamed due to rheumatoid arthritis. Your bones may start to move and your toe joints will feel swollen and develop into rheumatoid nodules. If you have a family history of RA, see your doctor.

Gout can be hereditary and you cannot break down uric acids properly, which causes swelling of your big toe joint. Check to see if your big toe looks red, feels hot or is sensitive to the touch. Those are also signs of infection, so consult your doctor ASAP, if this occurs.

Tendinitis is an inflammation of a tendon. You can get it from a lack of support and doing exercise on hard surfaces. It feels like a dull ache and comes with mild swelling. To fix tendinitis, the remedy is the rest of physical therapy.

If you are physically active, you are at risk for getting strains or sprain, overstretching the ligaments or muscles and tendons. If this occurs, you need to rest to recover from them because it takes a long time for the ligaments to go back into place. Use the R.I.C.E. method: rest, ice, compression and elevation. Take your time and ease back into your routine. Listen to your body.  

Should you have any questions, please contact our team here to set up an appointment online, by email at info@riverpodiatry.com or by phone at  (845) 735-8440.  

River Podiatry, with locations in Pearl River NY, and Midland Park NJ, provides comprehensive, treatment of patients with podiatric issues. The practice specializes in foot surgery and the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. Expect the best possible care utilizing the most modern techniques. Make an appointment today with Rockland County and Bergen County podiatrist Dr. Han!