Causes of Foot Pain

Causes of Foot Pain

Hurt Ankle
  1. Most foot pain is caused by the foot not working properly, which causes the painful part to slowly wear and break down, including tendons, ligaments, nerves, muscles, joints and bones. Your body is telling you it has done all it can do. It needs help. That is why you are here at Advanced Podiatry seeking a foot doctor!
    1. Most improper foot function is caused by the slightly abnormal foot structure we were born with. 80% of us have foot problems.
    2. It is like your car tires being out of alignment, which causes them to wear out early. How fast is related to the degree of misalignment.
    3. Unlike tires, our body can repair itself and reinforce the stressed areas, like skin and bone, but it has difficulty correcting alignment issues.
  2. The foot should line up under your leg, like the foundation of your house, where perfect balance, stability and support is maintained.
    1. Properly aligned, the foot also works very efficiently with much less effort and wear-and-tear, like a fine-tuned engine.
      1. The joints glide effortlessly in a rolling wave, and the fragile nerves travel in complex tunnels and under bridges to avoid pressure.
      2. The tendons on the top, bottom and sides of the foot work in harmony, like the reins on a horse in a tug-of-war where no side wins.
      3. When walking correctly, we strike the padded heel and then roll smoothly to the padded ball and then off the padded tips of the toes.
  3. The foot foundation collapsing out from under the leg causes a domino effect of collapsing of the arch, jamming of the joints, abnormal pressure on the nerves and bones, abnormal tendon and ligament pull, walking off the inside of the foot and toes and outward duck-like gait.
    1. The resulting imbalance causes early onset of fatigue, gradually progressing deformities and premature wear-and-tear. It causes:
      1. Jackknifing up of the nails resulting in deformed and even ingrown and/or fungal nails.
      2. Bone spurs from the abnormal tendon and ligament pull as the bone grows up onto them to lend a hand so they don’t rupture away.
      3. Enlarged bones at the jammed joints as they reinforce so they don’t break. The joint also eventually gets crushed, causing arthritis.
      4. Pressure on nerves which causes early numbness and tingling, then pain and finally severe pain, just like falling asleep on your arm.
      5. Bone collapse at the ball which crushes the ball nerves and can cause painful callouses and bursitis at abnormal pressure points.
      6. Painful side toe corns and foot calluses as walking on the unpadded side increases skin pressure that the skin must reinforce.
      7. Deformities of the foot and toes, including the toes contracting up and out, the foot widening, bunions and hammertoe deformities.
    2. The collapse also causes some muscles and tendons to work hard at trying to restore the alignment, like your car engine on only a few cylinders.
      1. Some muscles and tendons then get larger and stronger while others that aren’t doing their share become weak and wither over time.
      2. ii. As these stronger tendons begin to win the tug-of-war, the foot and toes gradually deform and contract and parts wear out prematurely.
    3. The collapse also causes twisting torque on your joints, like twisting your arm, resulting in pain, uneven wear and eventual painful arthritis.
      1. It also causes the above floors, including your knees, outside hips and lower back, to wear out unevenly and prematurely as well.
  4. In adults, the body slowly loses its elasticity over time and also takes longer to repair everyday wear-and-tear.
    1. This elasticity loss along with foot collapse results in tearing of the affected tendons, muscles and ligaments and their attachment sites.
      1. When a tear occurs, our bodies pull the sides of the tear together, like a pant seam, which begins the repair while we sleep.
      2. When our bodies cannot adapt and keep up with daily repair because of lack of time or nutrients, we wake up stiff and in pain.
        1. After a few minutes, our bodies sense we are on the go and release the repair ends which allows us to loosen up and function pain-free.
      3. But pain and stiffness returns whenever we sit and rest for a while as our body relentlessly resumes repairs. It will not rest until done!
  5. Shock hurts our bodies as well. Our joints are designed for gliding, not pounding. Gliding they will last a lifetime… Pounding they won’t!
    1. Pounding causes our knees, hips and even lower back to wear out prematurely (arthritis) from the constant abuse with every step.
    2. Our arch helps by acting like a giant spring that gives and comes back with every step, like a char shock absorbers.
      1. If we have a high arched foot, we are “heavy” walkers when barefoot as our foot has little give. It has little to do with our weight.
    3. If we have bad shocks, we must wear cushioned soled shoes/boots to compensate, even at home… including dress shoes.
  6. Rigid shoes/boots, not flexible, are essential to stabilize our foundation and eliminate the damaging, twisting torque.
    1. Rigid shoes/boots have a shank within the sole, like a metal footprint, which greatly reduces the damaging twisting torque on the foot.
      1. Flexible shoes/boots twist around and the foot moves with them, like a boat on waves. The stable foundation is lost and torque returns!
    2. Every shoe company makes a rigid and flexible line of shoes. You want the stable rigid! The Advanced Podiatry foot doctors will teach you to tell the difference. It is easy!
  7. Semi-flexible orthotics are essential to realign the foot in proper position, much like eyeglasses. It also has some give to help absorb shock.
    1. Orthotics allow the foot to fit and function comfortably within the normal footprint of the Rigid shoe/boot… aligned north to south.
      1. No longer does the heel move east and the rest of the foot moves west banging on the sides and top of the shoe as we walk or stand.
    2. If custom orthotics are worn all the time, the foot will begin to mold back around them overtime, like kids’ braces. How great is that!
      1. If you don’t wear the custom orthotics all the time, the body won’t try to adapt. It becomes confused as what to do and won’t try.
    3. Custom orthotics are good for 1 ½ years as your foot changes over time, like our eyes… One year in kids because they outgrow them.
      1. Like an old pair of glasses, the orthotics don’t go bad. The prescription changes over time and they no longer work as they should.
      2. An outdated prescription can cause deformities to progress faster, wear-and-tear to increase and painful problems to recur.
  8. The semi-flexible orthotics and cushioned soled rigid shoes/boots combination are extremely effective in reducing damaging torque and shock, beginning the healing process and slowing down the progression of any deformities.
    1. They work together, like a pair of glasses… the frame (rigid shoes) holding the lens (orthotics) in correct position for optimum results.
      1. Also, orthotics in flexible shoes/boots can cause you to walk on the inside edge of the orthotic as they both twist around. Ouch!
  9. Good shoes and boots only have a normal lifespan of about 6 months depending on the number of miles on them.
      1. The shock absorbers gradually go bad until it is like walking barefoot on concrete. Shock and damage returns. Not good!
      2. You will begin to experience achiness in your feet and legs when this occurs. That is your cue to get new cushioned rigid shoes/boots.
    1. Also, the outside heel strike area wears on an angle which changes your orthotics prescription as it wears over time. Again, Not good!
    2. We suggest putting the date six months after purchase on the inside tongue so you don’t forget, like when you get your car oil changed.
  10. Finally, when your feet hurt, your day is miserable and no one cares but you. You deserve comfort and more energy, no matter your age!
    1. Like your care, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! You can do this because you are worth it!
    2. Treat your magnificent feet with love, respect and routine maintenance and they will repay you in spades for yours to come.
If you suffer from constant foot pain, contact one of our podiatry clinics to meet with a foot doctor that will help get your feet back to 100%!
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