At a glance
What it is / ما هو
Pain arising from bones, ligaments, tendons, muscles, or nerves anywhere in the foot. The foot is a complex structure that bears the full body weight, making it vulnerable to injury and pain.
Symptoms / العلامات
Localised pain, burning, numbness, or tingling. Pain may follow injury or overuse, or develop gradually from arthritis, nerve damage, or poorly fitting footwear.
Approach / النهج
Clinical examination to identify the cause. Mild cases respond to home measures; severe or persistent pain needs medical evaluation to rule out fracture, infection, or nerve involvement.
What foot pain is
Your foot is an intricate network of bones, ligaments, tendons and muscles. Strong enough to bear your body weight, your foot can be prone to injury and pain.
Foot pain can affect any part of your foot, from your toes to your Achilles tendon at the back of your heel.
Although mild foot pain often responds well to home treatments, it can take time to resolve. Your doctor should evaluate severe foot pain, especially if it follows an injury.
Common causes
Injury, overuse or conditions causing inflammation involving any of the bones, ligaments or tendons in the foot can cause foot pain. Arthritis is a common cause of foot pain. Injury to the nerves of the feet may result in intense burning pain, numbness or tingling (peripheral neuropathy).
Some common causes of foot pain include:
- Achilles tendinitis - Achilles tendon rupture - Avulsion fracture - Bone spurs - Broken foot - Broken toe - Bunions - Bursitis (joint inflammation) - Corns and calluses - Diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage caused by diabetes) - Flat feet - Gout (arthritis related to excess uric acid) - Haglund's deformity - Hammertoe and mallet toe - High heels or poorly fitting shoes - Ingrown toenails - Metatarsalgia - Morton's neuroma - Osteoarthritis (disease causing the breakdown of joints) - Osteomyelitis (a bone infection) - Paget's disease of bone - Peripheral neuropathy - Plantar fasciitis - Plantar warts - Psoriatic arthritis - Raynaud's disease - Reactive arthritis - Retrocalcaneal bursitis - Rheumatoid arthritis (inflammatory joint disease) - Septic arthritis - Stress fractures - Tarsal tunnel syndrome - Tendinitis - Tumors
Book a consultation
The secretary schedules first appointments during clinic hours; please have prior imaging, operative notes and a current medication list available at the time of the call.
This page provides general information about foot pain and is not a substitute for individual medical assessment. If your symptoms are severe or worsening, contact a clinician promptly.