If you have an active lifestyle, foot pain can bring you down. It is a very common problem that is usually caused by either one thing or a combination of factors.
A lack of information on the causes and risk factors of foot pain can lead to it becoming a chronic issue. If your foot keeps hurting in the same place, you need to identify what could be causing it.
Here, we will discuss the causes, symptoms, and risk factors of chronic foot pain.
Causes of Chronic Foot Pain
Improper foot function is a common cause of foot pain, and there are numerous types of conditions that can negatively affect foot function.
Some of the most common conditions that cause foot pain are:
Chronic foot pain can have various causes, it could be an overuse injury from daily activities, exercise, or sports, a traumatic injury, or an abnormal foot structure, such as flat feet.
Chronic diseases such as arthritis and diabetes can also cause pain in the foot.
Symptoms of Chronic Foot Pain
Individuals with chronic foot pain may experience the following:
- Persistent Pain: Chronic foot pain typically involves ongoing discomfort that lasts for weeks or months. The pain may be dull, aching, throbbing, or sharp and may occur along the heel, which is the underside of the foot.
- Swelling: Many individuals with chronic foot pain experience swelling somewhere on the foot, which is a result of inflammation.
- Reduced Range of Motion: Chronic foot pain can lead to stiffness, making it difficult to move the foot through its normal range of motion.
- Tenderness: The foot may become tender to the touch in certain areas when pressure is applied.
- Numbness and Tingling: Some individuals may experience numbness or tingling sensations in the foot. This can be caused by nerve damage, which commonly affects patients with diabetes.
- Difficulty Bearing Weight: Foot pain can make it difficult to walk, stand, or bear weight on the affected foot.
- Body Pain: Chronic foot pain can also lead to compensatory pain in other parts of the body, such as the knees, hips, and lower back, which occurs when they must compensate for weakness in the feet and ankles.
Risk Factors for Chronic Foot Pain
Several risk factors that increase the likelihood of chronic foot pain are the following:
1. Overuse Injuries
The foot can develop an overuse injury from repetitive motions, overexertion, or a sudden increase in frequency or intensity of activity. If you are just starting to be active or do exercise, a gradual progression is one of the key factors to avoiding injury.
2. Poor Choice of Footwear
Wearing shoes that do not fit properly or provide adequate support can contribute to chronic foot pain. Ill-fitting shoes can cause irritation, pressure points, and discomfort. However, even the wrong choice of footwear also matters greatly in preventing pain.
3. Diabetes
Some chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes, are behind chronic foot pain. This specific medical condition damages the nerves in the feet, which not only causes pain but also numbness and tingling.
4. Obesity
Excess weight puts additional stress on the feet, which are weight-bearing structures, increasing the risk of chronic foot pain. The added pressure can strain the joints, ligaments, and tendons of the feet, leading to pain and discomfort.
5. Aging
Seniors have a higher risk of developing chronic foot pain, as wear and tear develops on the inner structures of the feet, and age-related fat loss also occurs on the pads of the feet.
6. Gender
Women are also more prone to foot pain due to factors such as pregnancy and wearing narrow, high-heeled shoes, which can throw feet out of alignment and put pressure on the toes or certain parts of the feet.
7. Structural Issues
Arches that are too high or too flat are risk factors for chronic foot pain. These structural abnormalities can affect the distribution of the weight on the foot, causing a concentration of weight on certain areas of the foot, leading to pain.
If you are experiencing chronic foot pain, it is in your best interest to seek treatment from a qualified medical professional who can guide you through the proper treatment protocol.
Chronic Foot Pain Treatment in San Antonio, Boerne, Floresville, Hondo, Kenedy, and Live Oak, TX
Our feet deserve the highest quality care, especially since we rely on them so much. Suffering from foot pain? The highly skilled podiatrists at The Podiatry Group of South Texas can take it from here. We have years of experience diagnosing and treating podiatric conditions that cause chronic foot pain and can determine what is causing your problem and offer effective solutions.
To schedule an appointment with one of our top foot and ankle doctors, call our office located nearest you or use our online request form.
