Foot Pain Has Many Causes and a Few Solutions

What is a common cause of foot pain?

Foot pain can be a sign of many different things. It can be due to external factors such as how you are walking or standing or the types of shoes that you wear. Or it could be something internal where your body is trying to tell you that something isn't right.

While shoes and our mobility can cause foot pain, the most common causes have to do with our bodies and what they are trying to tell us when a condition or an injury exists.

Causes of foot pain

Muscles: Muscles can become stretched or pulled easily, especially if an individual normally leads a sedentary lifestyle. Pulled muscles can cause the leg to overcompensate, placing an even greater amount of reliance on the foot in order to make up the difference.

Tendons and ligaments: These can be injured during times of over-exertion. Even a simple task can put too much of a strain on these components. This is often seen in sports when an individual over-extends themselves or fails to properly stretch and warm up these areas.

Fractures: Fractures are serious because a lot of the time we are unaware of just how serious the injury can be. Unless the fracture is significant, it can usually only be detected by an x ray. If an individual does not verify their injury by using an x ray, they can falsely believe that the extent of the injury is not as serious as it actually is. Then, they risk further injuring themselves because they have not properly pinpointed the source of pain.

Foot injuries are usually not visible

While a fracture or sprain may result in a swelling of the foot, most foot injuries are not accompanied by any visible signs. Discoloration can also be present in bruising, but cannot be totally relied on for determining the extent of the injury. If a bone has been fractured, even slightly, it can move and create a wide range of serious complications that must be immediately addressed to prevent further injury.