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Top 10 Causes of Foot Pain

By Dr. Jason Gold, DPM, FACFAS | Dr. Jodi Schoenhaus DPM, RPhs, FACFAS

There are a few things that just about everyone has in common. Whether you work at a desk all day or are standing from dawn to dusk, you rely on your feet for a lot. You need your feet to walk, run and even drive. When your feet hurt, just about every movement you make will cause you to feel the effects of that pain.

Foot pain affects 75 percent of the population in the United States. There are countless reasons for foot pain—everything from a broken bone to a twisted ankle can cause lingering pain to develop in the foot.

Understanding what is causing your foot pain is the first step towards reducing the discomfort. To help you with this, here is a simple breakdown of the 10 most common causes of foot pain.

  1. Corns or calluses: Described as dead, hardened and yellowish skin on the toes or heels. Often caused by ill-fitting shoes, you can reduce the pain by wearing spacious, highly cushioned footwear.
  2. Ingrown toenails: Occurs when the toenail curls into the skin, often causing pain and swelling. This is often caused by tight shoes but can be helped by wearing sandals, which are especially popular in Boca Raton.
  3. Bunions: Defined as a bump on the outside of the big toe, causing the big toe to point inward. A bunion on the pinky toe is often called a bunionette. This is also caused by ill-fitting shoes, especially high heels.
  4. Hammertoe: This may be genetic, the result of an injury, or a gradual reaction to improper footwear. Also known as claw toe, a hammertoe causes at least one toe to curl down. This most commonly affects the second toe.
  5. Stress fracture: Unlike a traditional fracture that is generally the result of an accident or trauma of some sort, a stress fracture develops over time due to pressure on the foot. Highly cushioned shoes often help ease the pain of stress fractures.
  6. Plantar fasciitis: The most common cause of heel pain, plantar fasciitis is most severe in the morning and can be relieved by wearing cushioned shoes that take pressure off the heels.
  7. Flat feet: This common source of foot pain is caused by a lack of arch in the foot. You may need to wear custom orthotics to prevent flat feet from causing severe back pain.
  8. Gout: This is a type of arthritis that is caused by the buildup of uric acid. It most commonly begins in the big toe and may temporarily impair your ability to walk.
  9. Toenail fungus: When fungal infections develop the toenail may become discolored or distorted. Laser fungus removal therapy is the most effective means of treating nail fungus.
  10. Fat pad atrophy: Years of walking and standing can wear down the natural cushioning that prevents your bones from striking the ground. This can be addressed through custom footwear and dermal fillers for fat pad restoration.

These are just 10 of the most common causes of foot pain. With more than 26 bones and 33 joints in each foot, there are many other potential reasons you could be struggling with chronic pain in your feet or ankles. Before taking any action to reduce foot pain on your own, get a proper diagnosis from your foot doctor.

Dr. Jason Gold, DPM, FACFAS

Dr. Jason Gold, DPM, FACFAS, is a podiatrist at the Foot, Ankle & Leg Vein Center in Boca Raton, FL, and Boynton Beach, FL. He has over 20 years of experience and specializes in foot and ankle conditions like bunions, fat pad atrophy, and sports medicine. Dr. Jason holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland, College Park, and he earned his Doctor of Podiatric Medicine from Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine in Philadelphia. He's one of only 10 board-certified Reconstructive Foot & Ankle Surgeons in Palm Beach County. Dr. Gold has been featured in highly authoritative publications like HuffPost, PureWow, and Yahoo!

Dr. Jodi Schoenhaus , DPM - Podiatrist in Boca Raton, FL

Dr. Jodi Schoenhaus DPM, RPhs, FACFAS

Dr. Jodi Schoenhaus, DPM, RPhs, FACFAS, is a podiatrist at the Foot, Ankle & Leg Vein Center in Boca Raton, FL, and Boynton Beach, FL. She has over 20 years of experience and specializes in foot, ankle, and leg vein conditions like spider and varicose veins and sclerotherapy. Dr. Jodi holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Michigan, and she earned his Doctor of Podiatric Medicine from Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine in Philadelphia. Dr. Schoenhaus has performed FDA-approved research and has been published in the National Library of Medicine and PubMed. Dr. Jodi has been featured in highly authoritative publications like Cosmopolitan, Lifehacker, Parade, New York Post, and Yahoo!, among others.