Foot and Ankle Pain: Causes and Treatment

Whether your foot or ankle pain is the result of an injury, or your discomfort has developed over time, the board-certified podiatric surgeons at Beaufort Memorial can help. They specialize in the intricate structures of the foot and can help you relieve painful conditions, ranging from arthritis and bunions to nerve damage and sports injuries.
You don’t have to live with pain in your heels, feet and ankles. Find a board-certified podiatrist near you.

What Causes Foot and Ankle Pain?

Foot Pain

A number of conditions can lead to pain in your arches, heels, toes and the balls of your feet. Some of the more common causes include:

• Bunions: bumps that appear, typically at the base of the big toe, as a result of a misaligned bone or wearing shoes that are too tight
• Callouses and corns: spots of thick skin on the balls of the feet (calluses) or tops of the toes (corns) due to pressure or rubbing
• Diabetic peripheral neuropathy: nerve damage caused by diabetes that leads to a loss of sensation and, in some cases, the development of bunions, hammertoes and sores on the feet
• Gout: inflammation of a joint — often the big toe — caused by a buildup of uric acid
• Hammertoe: a toe that bends inward as a result of muscle or tendon imbalances triggered by changes to the foot, trauma, improper footwear and/or genetics
• Ingrown toenail: a nail that grows into the skin of the toe and can lead to infection
• Neuroma: nerve tissue that grows or thickens, most often between the third and fourth toes, and can lead to discomfort between the toes and in the ball of the foot
• Osteoarthritis: the type of arthritis most likely to affect the feet and ankles
• Plantar fasciitis: a common cause of heel pain and stiffness that results from irritation or inflammation of the plantar fascia, a ligament that connects the heel to the front of the foot
• Sports injuries: stress fractures, plantar fasciitis and tendinitis, among other overuse injuries, often caused by muscle weakness and instability, as well as certain anatomic characteristics, such as high arches or flat feet

Ankle Pain

Many of the same conditions that cause foot pain also cause ankle pain, including osteoarthritis, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, gout and sports injuries. Aside from those conditions, the most common ankle injuries are ankle sprains — a tear in the ankle’s ligaments that occurs when the ankle twists or turns unexpectedly — and bone fractures. Having a previous ankle sprain that didn’t heal correctly can lead to ankle instability and increase the chances of reinjuring the joint later in life.

Achilles tendonitis, inflammation of the Achilles tendon, which connects the calf muscle to the heel bone, is another common ankle problem. It can cause pain along the back of the heel and often results from increasing activity too quickly or intensely, tight calf muscles, or bone spurs, which are growths on the heel bone that can irritate the Achilles tendon.

Treatments for Foot and Ankle Pain

A board-certified podiatrist, a specialist in foot and ankle care, can work with you to find the right treatment for your condition.

Nonsurgical Pain Relief

In many cases, foot and ankle problems can be corrected nonsurgically, with rest, ice, compression and elevation and medications. Podiatrists may also recommend:

• Assistive devices, such as heel inserts, orthotics and toe pads, that can alleviate pain caused by arthritis, bunions, hammertoe, sports injuries and tendonitis, among other conditions
• Bracing for tendinitis and other overuse injuries
• Diabetic foot care to prevent painful conditions and chronic wounds that result from diabetic peripheral neuropathy
• Physical therapy to strengthen muscles after injury or prevent overuse injuries

Foot and Ankle Surgeries

Should you need surgery, the podiatric surgeons at Beaufort Memorial offer minimally invasive and traditional procedures, such as:

• Bone or heel spur removal
• Bunion removal
• Hammertoe correction
• Tendon repair