Foot and heel pain

Louise at her Marple Podiatry clinic will carry out the assessment, and initiate treatment.

Foot pain can occur suddenly or slowly depending on the cause, it usually occurs immediately after an injury although sometimes the onset of symptoms can be delayed.

Symptoms may include ankle pain, heel pain, metatarsalgia ( ball of the foot pain ) Also stiffness in the feet which also may be weak and you may be unable to point the foot down or bring it up. Sometimes the pain may radiate up to the leg and they may be associated tingling numbness pins and needles. Severity can be rated on a scale from one to 10 if there is an infection in the foot the area will be red swollen and warm and you would feel very unwell. 

The foot is a complex mechanical structure and foot pain occurs where there is disruption in the way the parts of the foot fit together and work when you are walking. These include the bones the surrounding muscles tendons and ligaments. The foot has many nerves too, so it may be that some of the causes of your foot pain is related  to nerves and nerve problems. With it being a quite a complex structure if one part is faulty the whole system can be affected and it will not function properly.

The precise location of the foot pain and associated symptoms can provide valuable clues about the underlying cause e.g. arch pain may signify a planter fasciitis or a tendinitis. Back of the heel pain could mean a haglunds  bump. Forefoot  pain might mean a Morton’s neuroma or metatarsalgia. Big toe pain may signify arthritis or even back problems. Pain in both feet in a soft like area with associated tingling numbness may significant up by a neurological problems such as diabetic neuropathy or spinal stenosis.

An expert foot pain assessment takes all these things into consideration , because  the pain could be caused by a number of problems.

Anyone can develop Foot pain, heel pain, metatarsalgia ( ball of the foot pain ) but there are some people who are likely to get it.

• Older age people
• being overweight
• Poor fitting footwear
• standing, running or jumping on hard surfaces
• lack of exercise and low fitness level
•  abnormal gait patterns can cause mechanical foot pain
•  starting a new activity or increased activity levels
• chronic painful condition like Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis and fibromyalgia

Louise at her Marple practice will carry out the assessment of foot pain, heel pain, metatarsalgia ( ball of the foot pain) and treatment will depend on the cause.  If it is acute it usually settles down quickly, but if chronic meaning it has been present for more than 2 to 3 months it may take a little bit longer and we usually have a combination of treatments advised.

Podiatry treatment will include provision of orthotics/insoles, taping and strapping , rehabilitation exercise programme including stretching and strengthening, appropriate footwear advice, and topical pain management .