Our feet are critical in everyday life, carrying us from point A to B. So, when pain begins to emanate from our feet, it doesn’t take long for us to notice. It can not only make walking difficult but also interfere with our daily activities.
This pain can arise from various causes, including infections, deformities, and medical conditions. So, what’s causing your foot pain? Below, we explore various causes, helping you narrow down your pain.
Root Causes of Foot Pain
Pain in your feet can stem from various causes. Below, we take a look at some of the most common ones.
Diabetes
Diabetic individuals may experience foot pain that stems directly from their condition. High blood sugar levels often associated with diabetes can lead to nerve damage throughout the body, often in the feet and legs. On top of that, elevated levels can cause foot ulcers, further aggravating foot pain associated with the condition.
Trauma
Injuries are one of the most common culprits of foot pain. These incidents can be acute, arising out of nowhere after spraining your ankle or fracturing your foot. After your foot heals, the pain might dissipate.
However, the pain is chronic in some cases, stemming from an old injury. For example, you might injure your ankle or foot, and although it heals, continuous use and normal wear and tear may cause chronic conditions like tendonitis.
Deformities
Various deformities can contribute to foot pain, affecting how we walk and what shoes we wear. For example, if you have bunions, you may experience pain and stiffness in the big toe joint. It might be uncomfortable to wear closed-toe shoes, as you may struggle to find shoes wide enough to accommodate your feet.
Other common deformities contributing to foot pain include hammertoes, claw toes, and bone spurs.
Shoe Choice
Your choice of footwear can be a significant factor contributing to the pain emanating from your foot. Tight or ill-fitting shoes can drastically impact the comfort of movement, causing pain at each step. They can affect how you distribute your weight, incorrectly shifting it and causing pain throughout your feet.
While switching to better-fitting shoes can fix the problem, the pain may take a while to dissipate entirely. In most cases, you’ll feel the pain of ill-fitting shoes in the ball of your foot.
Infections
Infectious diseases are often a contributing factor when foot pain arises. The most common culprits under this umbrella include warts, athlete’s foot, and fungal nail infections. The pain usually dissipates entirely after the infection is addressed using various treatments, including antifungal creams or pills.
Arthritis
The feet and ankles feature numerous joints that allow them to function smoothly, bending and flexing to keep us moving. There are 33 joints in the foot and ankle system, each serving a unique role in functionality.
Unfortunately, the abundance of joints makes them a prime target of arthritis, which may cause chronic pain or pile onto pain from older injuries, wear and tear, or bone spurs.
This type of foot pain often emanates from primary joints in the foot, including the knuckles of the toes, the connection point between the toes and the foot, or up into the ankle.
Enlist the Help of a Skilled Chiropractor to Address Your Foot Pain!
A skilled chiropractor is well-versed in the body’s inner workings and how each part connects to the rest. They can help you find long-lasting relief by pinpointing the cause of your foot pain and addressing it based on its root cause.
If you’re suffering from foot pain, let our experienced chiropractors at Bradford House Chiropractic & Wellness Centre help. Book an appointment online today! Together, we can help you take the right steps forward toward a pain-free life.
