Foot Pain Specialist

What causes foot pain?

There are many causes of foot pain. Some of the most common include:

Bunions

Bunions are a deformity in your big toe or little toe. They cause a large bony bump that can be quite painful.

Hammertoe

Hammertoe is a toe malformation in which a center joint gets stuck in a bent position. This pushes your toe into a hammer shape, which can be quite painful when you're wearing shoes. Hammertoe can cause issues like metatarsalgia, as well as painful corns and calluses. Bunions and hammertoe often occur together.

Heel spurs

Heel spurs are bony hooks on the underside of the heel. They often occur at the same time as plantar fasciitis. Heel spurs can cause severe heel pain.

Gout

Gout is inflammatory arthritis that usually occurs in your big toe. It can cause severe pain that can wake you up at night.

Plantar fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is a leading cause of heel pain. It occurs when the tissue that connects your heel and forefoot grows irritated. 

Metatarsalgia

Metatarsalgia is pain in the ball of your foot. It can occur along with foot deformities like a hammertoe, and you're more likely to develop it if you have gout or other forms of arthritis. 

Neuroma

A neuroma is an area of thickened nerve tissue. They typically cause pain in the ball of your foot, between your third and fourth small toes. 

Fractures

Fractures, or bone breaks, can happen in any bone. Toes are particularly vulnerable to fractures.  

These are just a few of the most common reasons for foot pain. Michigan Foot & Ankle Institute, PC, offers immediate diagnosis and care for every form of foot pain.

When should I get foot pain treatment?

If your foot pain is severe or prevents you from participating in your usual activities, it's important to seek help as soon as possible. Many types of foot pain can worsen dramatically, possibly leading to permanent deformity or mobility issues without treatment. 

How does foot pain treatment work?

Foot pain treatment depends on your diagnosis, so your treatment begins with a full foot exam and imaging. Many types of foot pain improve significantly with conservative treatment strategies, such as:

• Custom orthotics
• Anti-inflammatory medication
• Custom exercises
• Padding
• Taping
• Immobilization with a brace, splint, or boot
• Night splint
• Steroid injections 
• Extracorporeal shockwave therapy

If conservative strategies don't give you adequate pain relief, you could need surgery. The experienced podiatric surgeons at Michigan Foot & Ankle Institute, PC, regularly perform cutting-edge minimally invasive procedures to correct the underlying causes of foot pain. 

Michigan Foot & Ankle Institute, PC, offers all-encompassing foot pain care in their state-of-the-art offices, so call or use the online booking tool to arrange your consultation today.