Pain in the sole of the foot

The most common complaint in the orthopedist's office is pain in the sole. The painful sensations are general, diffuse, and affect the entire foot or a specific part of it. Diffuse pain is associated with severe overloads or prolonged stress, but it also occurs at rest.

The sole (foot) is the lowest part of the leg that touches the surface during walking, has 26 bones and plays the most important role - spring. The foot reduces the load force falling on the lower limbs, pelvic bones, spine.

The health of the whole organism can be determined by the foot. The first symptoms of serious internal disorders (arthritis, spinal problems, diabetes, etc.) manifest themselves primarily on the foot. Therefore, painful sensations in the foot should not be left without due attention.

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Causes of Sole Pain

Pain caused by stress often indicates the first signs of diseases such as rickets, osteoporosis in the elderly, osteomalacia. Any pressure with a finger causes pain in all bones of the foot.

Long-term immobility due to a serious illness can lead to diffuse pain related to the insufficiency of the muscles of the ligamentous apparatus. Increased load, weight gain are a common cause of discomfort.

Severe pain in a motionless state, loss of support ability with inflammatory-trophic changes occur with osteoporosis of the joints, developing against the background of bone disease, injuries. Paroxysmal or prolonged diffuse pain appears as a result of functional and organic damage to blood vessels.

Local pain is caused by various factors:

• plantar fasciitis is an inflammatory process of a wide band of tissue (fascia) connecting the heel bone with the metatarsal bones of the forefoot. Pain occurs due to stretching of the fascia under load. Discomfort is concentrated in the heel area, in the arch of the foot. Most often it appears after waking up in the morning. Long-term overload of the fascia in the area of its connection with the heel leads to the appearance of a bone neoplasm - a heel spur;
• developing arthritis, circulatory disorders, deformation of the metatarsal bones, compression of the interdigital nerve endings are common causes of pain in the sole;
• metatarsalgia – age-related changes characterized by a decrease in the protective fat layer of the sole, which leads to excessive pressure on the metatarsal bone area, as well as an inflammatory reaction (bursitis);
• neuroma is a benign process of nerve tissue proliferation. The pain spreads to the sole of one foot and can be concentrated at the base of the toe. The disease is more common in women. At an early stage, the disease manifests itself as periodic discomfort of the third or fourth toe, often described as a burning or tingling sensation. Tight shoes, especially narrow-toed ones, intensify the described symptoms. As the disease progresses, the sensations become permanent.

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Pain in the sole of the foot

Metatarsalgia causes pain in the sole of the foot, namely in the area where the toes attach to the foot. Pain is observed in all toes, except the first and fifth. The causes of the disease are excessive loads, wearing tight shoes, and thinning of the fatty tissue of the foot.

Arthritis of the joints is accompanied by pain, swelling and stiffness of movement. Redness of the skin is observed. Inflammation can be a consequence of genetic predisposition, hypothermia, injury, taking medications, etc.

Pain can occur due to calluses, hardening of areas of the foot, during pregnancy. Calluses and various compactions of the sole appear due to increased friction, excessive pressure on the support zones. Rough growths of dead cells cause a lot of discomfort. Uncomfortable, tight, high-heeled shoes increase the risk of calluses and calluses. The period of pregnancy is often accompanied by pain in the sole due to increasing body weight, shifting the center of gravity, overloading the foot.

Pain in the sole of the foot

Warts often cause pain on the sole of the foot. They occur due to excessive sweating of the feet, diseases of internal organs, and wearing tight shoes.

Erythromelalgia is a common disease in middle-aged men. It manifests itself as a burning pain in the sole, which often turns red. Cooling the limb brings relief. This disease occurs independently or along with thrombocytosis, polycythemia, hypertension, and a reaction to the medication used.

The formation of a heel spur causes pain on the sole of the foot, localized in the heel area. The disease develops against the background of physical overload, due to plantar fasciitis. The process of stretching the fascia affects the deposition of calcium salts in the area of increased pressure, which leads to the appearance of a hard formation on the heel tubercle.

Tendinitis of the posterior tibial muscle is an inflammatory disease of the muscle that holds the arch of the foot. The disease develops when the ligaments and muscles of the foot are stretched, and often occurs together with flat feet.

Neuroma and Morton's syndrome are diseases of the nerves of the foot due to their compression by surrounding ligaments and bones. They manifest themselves as burning, shooting pains, numbness of the fingers.

Pain in the sole when walking

Flat feet cause pain in the sole when walking, running, standing. The disease is often acquired rather than congenital. Factors influencing the development of flat feet:

• chronic fatigue;
• increased load;
• standing body position due to work specifics (salespeople, teachers);
• overweight;
• prolonged carrying of heavy objects;
• a sedentary lifestyle leading to muscle atrophy;
• uncomfortable, narrow shoes that deform the foot;
• pregnancy;
• diabetes mellitus, rickets, poliomyelitis;
• injuries, fractures of the lower limbs.

Corns, keratinized growths on the sole, and warts cause a lot of inconvenience or hinder freedom of movement. Keratosis is a difficult to treat problem in the form of hardening on the sole with a deep core that goes deep into the tissue and causes extreme pain during movement.

Diseases of the toes are accompanied by pain when walking and when in contact with shoes. The following deformations of the toes are known: crossed, claw-shaped (bend in several joints), hammer-shaped (bend in the first joint), hook-shaped (bend at the tip of the toe). Hallux valgus is characterized by a characteristic protrusion of the joint inward of the foot, and a similar disease of the little finger tilts it towards the other toes. Such modifications deprive the ability to move normally.

Ingrown nails cause pain not only during movement. As the nail grows, it causes swelling, redness of the finger, and pain at the slightest touch.

A long second toe is the cause of pain in the sole when walking. Most often, this is a congenital defect that leads to incorrect distribution of the load on the foot.

Symptoms of pain in the sole

Symptoms of pain in the sole are usually accompanied by pain syndrome, stiffness of movement, changes in gait, discomfort when putting on and wearing shoes. The pain can be constant and aching, sharp and shooting, occurring only at a certain interval. Symptoms are detected by visual inspection - redness, swelling, deformation, etc.

The main symptoms of pain in the sole:

• local pain;
• rapid fatigue;
• burning, tingling sensations;
• joint changes;
• pain during rest;
• severe pain when putting weight on the foot;
• the need to "disperse" after waking up in order to move normally;
• enlargement or appearance of new bones;
• inflammation of the skin, joints;
• feeling of numbness, occurrence of cramps.

If you find similar conditions, you should consult an orthopedist.

Diagnosis of pain in the sole

Experienced specialists diagnose pain in the sole based on the patient's descriptions or visual examination with palpation. Some cases require collecting information about the history of the disease, injuries, habitual lifestyle, past illnesses and medications taken.

X-ray examination, testing (flexion, load, etc.), ultrasound of adjacent tissues, MRI are necessary diagnostics to determine internal disorders (for example, blood circulation).

X-rays and MRIs are used to detect or confirm dislocations, fractures, cracks, etc. Detailed diagnostic methods are used to exclude serious diseases (arthritis, gout).

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Treatment for Sole Pain

Treatment of pain in the sole is carried out according to the established diagnosis under the supervision of an orthopedist or traumatologist. First, you need to get rid of the cause of the pain syndrome - lose weight, change shoes, etc.

It is possible to completely eliminate flat feet in children and at the first stage of the disease in adults by choosing the right shoes, as well as performing a set of therapeutic exercises. At the second stage of flat feet, it is important to use orthopedic insoles, at the third stage, surgical intervention is recommended.

Special shoes with rocker soles that help the foot roll easily, soften the impact load during movement, relieve arthritis pain. For the type of arthritis, the doctor prescribes medication.

Corns, various hardening of the sole, warts are also not advisable to treat on your own. Cutting, cauterization lead to deep, long-term non-healing wounds, cause suppuration, infection.

Providing complete rest, applying a tight bandage, and placing the affected limb on an elevation are applicable to treating soft tissue injuries of the foot. The doctor may prescribe medications to relieve inflammation.

A splint or plaster cast is applied to treat bruises, sprains, and fractures.

How can you prevent sole pain?

To avoid the occurrence of lower limb diseases, you need to follow the recommendations of specialists.

• any discomfort in the foot is a reason to consult a doctor who will help diagnose a developing disease and exclude serious consequences;
• People with diabetes should seek advice once a year, even without any complaints;
• race walking, slow running in orthopedic shoes;
• warm up your muscles, stretch your feet before starting your workout;
• You shouldn't overload children under 10 years old with physical exercises for one muscle group;
• if your feet feel tired, give them a good rest;
• walk barefoot on the ground, grass, pebbles - this is an excellent massage (you can buy a special mat with pebbles, needles);
• Always try on shoes before buying, choose them according to your foot;
• Avoid wearing tight, uncomfortable, traumatic shoes and high heels;
• avoid excessively worn shoes with crumpled backs and deformed insoles;
• choose orthopedic insoles for yourself;
• Trim your toenails carefully, avoiding rounding the corners. Do this after a bath and with sharp scissors.

Prevention is also provided by the use of applicators or Lyapko insoles, massage tools in the form of wooden wheels, bars. Such tools do not require much effort, time and money from you. You can use them while watching your favorite program or reading a book.

Do not neglect the disease, do not wait for the pain in the sole to go away on its own. Timely treatment to the hospital will help to get rid of possible complications and stop the developing disease in its mild stage.