by Jenny Le-Tran , Jan 2020
We all know pain can be debilitating and foot pain can make it difficult for us to stay active and carry out our daily tasks. It is important to realise that pain is a warning sign that something is not right especially when it is prolonged and so we should not ignore it and seek help from a podiatrist as soon as possible.
Our feet act as ‘shock absorbers’ as they have to carry our weight during activities such as walking and running and most of the time they live up to the job pretty well, however, issues such as injuries, overuse, deformities, infection, inflammation can lead to foot pain. Most of the causes of pain in the foot can be traced back to one of these origin. One common example of a foot pain is plantar fasciitis, broadly known as heel pain, and this is caused by an inflammation of the plantar fascia. Deformities such as bunions, hammer toes and arthritis can also lead to foot pain. Muscle or tendon tightness or laxity can also lead to foot pain and it is important to see a podiatrist to have your foot pain assess, diagnose and treat properly. Infection can often lead to foot pain such as from an ingrowing toenail or a pressure sore. Poor foot posture can lead to uneven or abnormal pressure distribution in the feet which can then lead to a repetitive overuse injury and the podiatrist can help with this by assessing your gait and foot structure and help to realign your posture.
