Why Do My Feet Hurt So Much?

Foot Pain in the MorningWalking is acclaimed as one of the simplest and most effective forms of exercise, which is true, as long as you are not dealing with foot pain Newnan that makes you dread each step. Like many other Americans, you have experienced foot pain at some point in life, either due to certain lifestyle choices or a medical condition. Foot pain causes are numerous, but the first step in treating the problem is establishing its cause. Below are some common issues that may keep you from pounding the pavement.

Flat feet

Flatfeet or flatfoot is a common condition where the entire soles of your feet touch the floor when you put pressure on them. You can develop flatfeet during childhood when your arches don’t develop or later in life due to an injury or age-related wear and tear. Flatfeet are usually painless, but they can sometimes cause pain and limit productivity. Such cases require evaluation from a specialist.

Corns and calluses

Corn and calluses are a buildup of thick hardened skin layers, often on the feet and toes or hands and fingers. They form when the skin tries to protect itself against friction and pressure from repeated actions. Friction and pressure in your foot may be caused by wearing ill-fitting shoes, wearing shoes without socks, using hand tools, or playing instruments.

A corn or callus can become painful or inflamed, necessitating medical attention.

Note that corns and calluses are different. Corns have a hard center that is surrounded by swollen skin and can feel painful when pressed. They are also smaller and deeper than calluses and can form on the top of your toes, the outer edge of the small toe, or between the toes. On the other hand, calluses tend to develop on pressure points, like the heels, palms, balls of the feet, and knees. They rarely cause pain and are often larger than corns.

Plantar fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is an overuse syndrome and one of the most common causes of heel pain. It causes painful inflammation of the plantar fascia – a thick band of tissue running across each foot’s bottom. The classic symptom of plantar fasciitis is stabbing pain in the bottom of your foot near your heel. The pain is usually worse when you take your first steps in the morning, and it is also triggered by long periods of standing or when you get up from sitting.

Bunions

A bunion is a deformity that occurs when the base joint of your big toe develops sideways, causing the toes to veer diagonally towards the small toes. The skin over the bony bump might be red, sore, and worsen if you wear tight shoes. Usually, bunions require no medical treatment, but sometimes you may need to see a podiatrist or orthopedic foot specialist; this is especially true if you have ongoing pain in your big toe or foot, decreased movement, or difficulty finding shoes due to a bunion.

If you have foot pain, visit your specialist at Crossroads Podiatry for a diagnosis to establish the cause of your pain.