Introduction1,2,3
Your feet provide you with mobility, balance, stability and support.
Foot pain is common and can occur on the top, bottom or sides of your feet. The NHS says that pain in your foot should usually get better on its own in a few weeks, but sometimes it can be something more serious, like a broken foot.
Causes and Symptoms of foot pain
Pain in your foot can be caused by a number of things including exercise, shoes that are too tight or gout2. Do not self-diagnose, if you are worried see a GP.
| TOP OF FOOT PAIN | |
|---|---|
| Symptoms | Possible Cause |
| Severe pain, swelling, bruising, limited ability to move the affected foot | A fracture or break in one of your foot bones |
| Pain, swelling, bruising, started after intense or repetitive exercise | Sprain or strain |
| Pain, swelling and stiffness that lasts a long time, a grating or crackling sensation when you move the foot, a lump along a tendon | Tendonitis or osteoarthritis |
| Red, hot, swollen skin, sudden or severe pain when anything touches your foot, pain usually starts near the bottom of the big toe | Gout |
| Tingling, numbness or pain in your upper foot that may also stretch up the back of your leg to your bottom | Sciatica |
| BOTTOM OF FOOT PAIN | |
| Pain, swelling, bruising, started after intense or repetitive exercise | Sprained foot |
| Hard lumps or patches of rough, thick skin which can be painful to the touch or when you walk | Corns or calluses |
| Hard skin with a black dot under it that is painful when pressed on | Verruca |
| Sharp pain between your arch and heel, feels worse when you start walking and better when resting, difficulty raising toes off floor | Plantar fasciitis |
Treatments for foot pain
There are things you can do at home to ease pain in the top or bottom of your foot, these include:
- Rest
- Using an ice pack on the painful area for 20 minutes every 2-3 hours
- Wear shoes with plenty of room, with a low heel and a soft sole
- Use soft insoles
- Try to lose weight if you need to
- Try regular gentle stretching exercises for your foot and ankle]
- Use painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen
Exercises for foot pain
These exercises may help if you have a new foot problem. If you have been diagnosed with a foot condition you should speak to your healthcare professional.
Standing calf stretch
- You should do this exercise standing up
- Place a chair in front of your body and use this to lean on. Bring one leg out behind you until you feel a stretch. The other leg should be slightly bent out in front.
- Hold for a few seconds and then return to the starting position.
Big toe lift
- You should do this exercise sitting down
- With your feet flat on the floor, slowly begin to point the toes towards the ceiling
- Hold for a few seconds and then slowly lower your toes to the ground again
Toe curl
- You should do this exercise while sitting or lying down
- Place your heel on the floor with your toes pointing towards the ceiling. Curl your toes in tightly
- Release your toes once again
Seated heel raise
- You should do this exercise while sitting down
- Place your feet flat on the floor and then gradually lift up your heel as far as is comfortable
- Slowly lower your heels back to the floor
Ways to stay active as you age
“Flarin really helped with the stiffness in my joints”
Flarin Customer
References
- https://www.arthritis.org/health-wellness/about-arthritis/where-it-hurts/anatomy-of-the-foot
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/foot-pain
- https://www.nhs.uk/symptoms/foot-pain/pain-in-the-top-of-the-foot/
- https://www.nhs.uk/symptoms/foot-pain/pain-in-the-bottom-of-the-foot/
- https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/muscle-bone-and-joints/leg-and-foot-problems-and-conditions/exercises-for-foot-problems/