It’s Pain Awareness Month: Diagnosing Foot Pain

One of the easiest ways is to start diagnosing foot pain is by considering where exactly the pain is originating. From there you can concentrate on specific symptoms to identify the cause of your foot pain. And because September is Pain Awareness Month, today Dr. William Buffone of North Fork Podiatry/Three Village Podiatry is sharing information regarding the diagnosis of foot pain.

Pain on the Top of the Foot: Pain on the top of the foot or diagonally on the front of the ankle is a common problem. Pressure on the tendons, bones, and muscles from overuse can cause degeneration or inflammation resulting in tendonitis or even fractures.

Bottom of the foot/arch pain: Experiencing pain on the bottom of your foot is common if you spend a lot of time walking or standing. There may be tightness and weakness in the muscles, or the arches may not sit properly, leading to pain.

Pain on the Side of the Foot: This is typically caused by injury, wear and tear, bone deformity or overuse. An ankle sprain usually causes pain and swelling on the exterior side of the foot. If the pain is on the inner side of the foot, it’s often due to flat arches.

Heel Pain: Because our heels absorb most of the impact when we walk, heel pain is quite common. Pain at the back of the heel may be from bursitis, bone damage, or tendonitis. When the pain originates underneath the heel, it’s typically from bone spurs or plantar fasciitis.

Toe Pain: Problems can occur in any of the toes, but it’s most commonly the big toe that is affected. Bone deformity is a common problem that leads to bent toes or bunions. Toes are often damaged in sports or inflamed from conditions such as arthritis or gout.

Nerve Pain: Damage to the nerves can cause pins and needles, numbness, weakness, and burning in the feet. If the nerve is damaged anywhere between the toes and lower back, symptoms are often felt in both feet.

Calf Pain: Because the calf muscles are connected to the foot by the Achilles tendon, calf and foot problems are often related. Injury to the muscle can cause foot pain and flat feet.

If you are experiencing any type of foot pain, contact the office of Dr. William Buffone of North Fork Podiatry/Three Village Podiatry today at (631) 474-3338 to schedule a consultation.

You can reach Three Village Podiatry at (631) 474-3338, North Fork Podiatry (Southold) at (631) 765-6777 or North Fork Podiatry (Riverhead) at (631) 419-7107 or schedule your appointment online.