Foot Pain
Foot pain can affect 1 in 4 people limiting daily function.
Our feet are highly complex structures that contain 33 joints, 26 bones, 20 intrinsic muscles and 13 extrinsic muscles. We also have a complex network of fascia, ligaments, arteries and veins all susceptible to pain or injury.
Injury to the feet can be caused by a single episode e.g. trauma, or occur slowly over time due to overuse. Systemic diseases can also cause inflammation that can present in our feet.
Podiatrists are highly trained to manage all types of foot and ankle pain. When assessing the foot we divided it into three sections: the forefoot or ball of the foot, the midfoot or arch area and the rearfoot or heel.
Forefoot pain
Forefoot pain is an umbrella term that covers pain in the front half or ball of the foot. Forefoot pain can be difficult to manage due to pressure from restrictive footwear. Pain can originate from the long bones of the feet (the metatarsals), between the metatarsals( e.g. nerves and bursae), the joints of the forefoot and the toes.
If you’re experiencing foot pain below are some possible causes:
