The human foot is a complex structure containing 26 bones, 33 joints and more than a hundred muscles, tendons and ligaments. With so many potential areas for injury, foot pain is a prevalent problem among athletes as well as the general population. A patient may experience pain in the heel, arch, ball, top, side or even between the toes and should pay attention to not only the location but the severity of the pain. Sometimes the cause of the pain is easy to identify because you remember the incident that started it. At other times, the pain may come on suddenly with no apparent cause. In either case, it is important to have your pain properly diagnosed and treated.
Causes of Foot Pain
Bottom of Foot Pain
Bottom of foot pain can be related to several different factors depending on the exact location of the pain. Other factors include type of footwear, activities and hobbies, age, weight, and overall health. Some of the more common bottom of foot pain conditions include plantar fasciitis, heel spur syndrome. Most of these conditions can be alleviated with chiropractic manipulation.
Side of Foot Pain
Foot pain can be present at several locations on either the inside or outside of the foot and/or ankle. In most cases these pain symptoms are related to some mechanical stress or misalignment of one or more of the 26 foot bones. People who run or are active on their feet often complain of pain on the side of their foot. Another common cause of pain on the side of the foot is from improperly fitted shoes. Some common conditions that are related to side of foot pain are: bunions, tailor’s bunion, ankle stress or ankle sprains, flat feet, or tendonitis.
Back of the Foot Pain / Back of Heel Pain
The most common condition that affects the back of the foot is known as Achilles tendonitis. This condition occurs when there has been a great amount of stress and strain on the Achilles tendon due to various activities and abnormal movements of the foot, ankle and leg. A misalignment or mechanical dysfunction of the hind foot will generally be present when a person is suffering from this condition. This painful condition may have developed due to repetitive movements of the foot and/or ankle over an extended period of time.
Ball of Foot Pain
The ball of the foot is that area on the under surface of the foot where the toes join to the metatarsals. If one or more of the metatarsal bones become misaligned this can alter your gait. People suffering from this type of pain will many times report that it feels like there’s a lump or pressure under that portion of their foot when they stand or walk. Ball of foot pain is commonly referred to as Metatarsalgia. There are other reasons for this type of pain such as stress fracture, improperly sized shoes or from wearing high-heel shoes.
Top of Foot Pain
Top of foot pain is not as common but it can be equally as debilitating. People with flat feet may tend to experience an irritation to the joints between the foot bones on the top surface of those joints. As a result they may complain of pain and discomfort on the top of their foot. High arched feet can also develop stress and result in pain on the top of the foot, however this is usually do to tensed or strained tendons that pass over that area. In both cases the underlying cause of the top of foot pain is related to a mechanical dysfunction or misalignment of the bones in the foot.
Plantar fasciitis, bunions, chronic ankle pain after a sprain and even osteoarthritis may all be the end symptoms of abnormal biomechanics of your feet. Because we all spend time on our feet (some more than others) any abnormal posture and movement of our feet can manifest upwards into our knees, pelvis and spine. Chiropractor who wants to ensure the long term optimal function of your nervous system, spinal joints and extremity joints will need to address your feet.
Chiropractic Treatment for Foot Pain
Electrode therapy – To stimulates the muscles and soft tissues of the foot to reduce inflammation, facilitate blood flow and speed up the healing process.
Ultrasound therapy – This technique uses ultrasonic waves to massage painful foot muscles and joints. It is effective in relieving pain, reducing stiffness and improving the mobility of the foot.
Rehabilitation exercise – exercises meant to improve strength, endurance and stability of the foot. Work on improving your balance and proprioception so you can quickly return to your regular activities.
Foot Orthotic – custom prescribed orthotic (custom made shoe sole) can help flat feet and pronated feet.