Having Foot Pain While Walking? 8 Potential Causes

The human foot has 26 bones and 33 joints supported by over a hundred muscles, tendons, and ligaments. In a 130-pound person, the feet withstand 1.5 million pounds of weight each day. So it’s not surprising that the feet are prone to injuries and foot problems. Foot pain is one of the most common symptoms of foot problems for which people consult podiatrists or foot and ankle surgeons. If your feet hurt while walking, please keep reading to discover 8 common causes of foot pain and treatment options.

What are the causes of foot pain while walking?

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is a common cause of foot pain. It occurs when the plantar fascia, a thick band of tissue that supports the foot joints and the foot’s natural arch, is put under stress for long periods, causing it to become inflamed and irritated.

Symptoms: Heel pain at the bottom of the foot, foot pain after a period of rest such as when you first get up in the morning or after a long car ride, with the pain subsiding after a few minutes of walking, more pain after exercise.

Treatments: Rest, ice, stretching exercises, low-impact activities, physical therapy, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen, cushioned shoes and orthotics to reduce stress on the feet, night splints, corticosteroid injections, casting, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) are treatment options for plantar fasciitis. Surgical procedures like partial plantar fascia release and gastrocnemius recession are sometimes done to relieve tension in the foot tissue.

Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome

This condition occurs when the tibial nerve is compressed as it passes through a narrow passage called the tarsal tunnel at the back of the ankle. It is similar to the nerve damage caused by carpal tunnel syndrome in the wrist. Tarsal tunnel syndrome can happen due to injuries such as severe sprains of the ankle, abnormal growths like bone spurs, heel spurs, or ganglion cysts, poorly fitting shoes, or medical conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, or hypothyroidism.

Symptoms: Stabbing pain at the bottom of the toes; burning, numbness, and tingling with symptoms worsening at night and after standing or walking and better with rest; weakness of foot muscles.

Treatments: Rest, ice, avoiding activities that cause foot pain, wearing shoes that fit well, over-the-counter pain relievers, orthotics, physical therapy, steroid injections, and in severe cases, surgery to widen the tarsal tunnel and relieve pressure on the nerve.

Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction

Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction is a common foot problem in which the posterior tibial tendon, which attaches the calf muscles to the foot bones, becomes torn or inflamed. This leads to a loss of good arch support and flat feet. It can occur from an injury like a fall or due to overuse injury in people who do high-impact sports.

Symptoms: Pain and swelling on the inside of the foot and ankle; foot pain that is worse with activities like standing, walking, and running; pain on the outside of the ankle if the foot collapses and the heel bone shifts in position.

Treatments: Rest, ice, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve pain, immobilization with a short leg cast or walking boot for 6-8 weeks, orthotics, braces, steroid injections, or surgical treatments like lengthening of the Achilles tendon, tenosynovectomy to remove inflamed tissue, tendon transfer (replacement with another tendon), osteotomy to recreate a normal foot arch, or fusion to realign the foot.

Bunions

A bunion is a bony protrusion that forms at the base of the big toe due to a misalignment of the bones. It pulls the big toe towards the other toes and makes the base of the toe joint stick out to the side. Possible causes for bunions include wearing ill-fitting shoes or tight shoes, foot deformities present from birth, a natural inherited shape of your foot, stress, injuries, and arthritis.

Symptoms: Bulging at the base of the big toe, swelling and redness of the big toe joint, corns and calluses due to rubbing of the toes, ongoing foot pain, and limited movement of the big toe.

Treatments: Ice, pain medications, wearing roomy and comfortable shoes, using bunion pads or cushions, shoe inserts, surgery to remove swollen tissue and realign the bones.

Hammertoe

This condition affects the second, third, and fourth toes, causing them to bend at the middle joint to resemble a hammer. The misaligned joints in the affected toe push the tissues in the ball of the foot under the toe to resemble a claw toe. Wearing ill-fitting shoes is a common cause of hammertoe.

Symptoms: Foot pain when you wear shoes or walk, swelling, redness, difficulty walking, corns and calluses, and an inability to straighten the toe.

Treatments: Wear shoes with a wide toe box, avoid wearing shoes that are tight or narrow, avoid high heels, do physical therapy and stretching exercises to strengthen the toes. In severe cases, you may need tendon lengthening, tendon transfer, or joint fusion surgery.

Metatarsalgia

Metatarsalgia is a condition of the metatarsal bones in the ball of your foot. It can occur due to joints wear and tear of the metatarsal bone from high-impact sports, obesity, arthritis, or wearing non-supportive shoes.

Symptoms: Burning, aching, or shooting foot pain, numbness, tingling, difficulty walking due to a sensation of a small stone under your foot.

Treatments: Rest, ice, pain medications, change in footwear, shock-absorbing foot pads, and shoe inserts.

Achilles Tendonitis

Achilles tendonitis is an inflammation of the Achilles tendon, a band of tissue that connects the calf muscle to the heel bone. Inflammation of the Achilles tendon can be the result of repetitive or intense strain during walking, running, jumping, or pushing up on your toes.

Symptoms: Pain at the back of the leg and above the heel after walking, severe pain after running, jumping, or climbing stairs, stiffness, and tenderness in the morning.

Treatments: Pain relievers, physical therapy, orthotic devices, or surgical repair of the Achilles tendon.

Turf Toe

Turf Toe is a sprain of the main joint in the big toe. It occurs due to forcible hyperextension during sporting activities where the forefoot is fixed on the ground and the heel is raised off the ground.

Symptoms: Tenderness, swelling, bruising, and limited movement of the big toe.

Treatments: RICE protocol (rest, ice, compression, elevation), immobilization with a walking boot, physical therapy, and surgery for severe injuries.

What to do if your foot hurts when you walk?

Home treatments for foot pain include pain relievers, rest, icing, stretching, and changing footwear. Remember that many other conditions can cause foot pain, such as an ankle sprain, stress fracture, foot fracture (broken bone), joint inflammation, heel spur, and Morton’s neuroma. A medical professional can properly diagnose and treat your foot condition before it progresses and causes more foot problems or permanent deformities.

How do I know if my foot pain is serious?

You should schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider if your foot pain is persistent and does not improve after 1-2 weeks of home treatments. Also, see a healthcare professional if you experience swelling, burning, numbness, or tingling in your feet. Your doctor may recommend physical therapy and other conservative treatments, or you may need more definitive treatments for severe pain.

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