Arch pain can limit your mobility if you fail to address its root cause and get treatment. Read on to learn about some common causes of arch pain. Each of your feet is made up of 26 bones that form two arches. These bones are held together by their shapes like a jigsaw puzzle. A tough tissue, known as the plantar fascia, and muscles that run along each foot also provide stability.
Arch pain is typically the result of something going wrong with the many components that make up your feet. Countless things can damage the many structures in the foot, leading to pain. Three common causes of arch pain include:
Accidents like dropping something heavy on a foot, getting stepped on during contact sports, or stepping on an unexpected obstruction on the ground — like a stone — can lead to some of the structures in the foot becoming damaged.
The severity of the damage dictates whether treatment is needed to resolve the problem. Mild injuries might go away on their own after a couple of weeks, but severe damage to the bone or muscle structures in a foot typically requires medical attention.
This refers to inflammation of the plantar fascia, the thick connective tissue at the bottom of your feet that provides additional stability. Such injuries are often caused by putting too much stress on the foot. The pain typically originates in the heel, and it might also be felt in the foot’s arch.
Home remedies like keeping weight off the foot and applying a cold compress can help to manage mild inflammation. More severe inflammation might require the use of custom shoes or treatments like extracorporeal shock wave therapy.
Stress fractures are more likely to affect those who live active lifestyles, and they are caused by putting too much stress on the foot. The most likely parts of the foot to be affected by stress fractures are the metatarsal bones. These bones make up the front portion of the foot’s arch.
Stress fractures typically do not cause any symptoms at first, leading to more stress being placed on the foot, exacerbating the problem.
It typically starts as a mild pain felt around the front part of the foot, but the pain worsens if the foot is not treated. Resting the foot, cold compresses, and anti-inflammatory painkillers are the standard approach to addressing stress fractures. It can take up to eight weeks for the foot to heal.
Foot pain often goes away on its own, but podiatrists typically recommend coming in for treatment if the pain is starting to affect your daily activities. Other signs that it might be time to seek professional help for arch pain include tenderness, poor mobility, and if the foot becomes deformed.
Ready to put foot pain behind you? Call or visit our Pocatello clinic to set up an appointment with our podiatrist.
Get more information here: https://www.pocatellopodiatry.com or call Ambulatory Foot & Ankle Clinic at (208) 803-0010
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