Foot PainOverview, Toe Pain |
Physician developed and monitored. Original source: www.podiatrychannel.com
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Important Facts
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Overview
Foot pain is very common—most people experience some type of foot pain during their lifetime. Pain can occur anywhere in the foot, including the toes, the ball of the foot, the arch, the instep, the sole, the heel, and the ankle. The incidence of foot pain increases with age.
The three main parts of the foot are the forefoot, the midfoot, and the hindfoot. The forefoot consists of the toes and the connecting long bones (the metatarsals). The midfoot, or arch, consists of five irregularly shaped tarsal bones, which are connected to the forefoot and hindfoot by muscles and the plantar fascia (arch ligament). The hindfoot, which is comprised of three joints, links the midfoot to the ankle (talus) and includes the heel bone (calcaneus). The heel is the largest bone in the foot and it joins the talus to form the subtalar joint. The bottom of the heel bone is cushioned by a layer of fat.
The components of the feet work together to provide support, balance, and mobility. A structural abnormality or malfunction in any part of the foot can cause pain and also can result in problems elsewhere in the body (e.g., back, hips, knees).
Toe pain is one of the most common types of foot pain. Wearing ill-fitting or narrow shoes regularly is a frequent cause for toe pain. Shoes with narrow toe boxes can cause blisters, calluses, corns, and ingrown toenails, and can worsen other conditions, including bunions, hammertoes/claw toes, and Morton's neuroma.
The five toes (phalanges) and their connecting long bones (metatarsals) comprise the forefoot. Each toe (phalanx) is made up of several small bones. The big toe (hallux) has two phalanges, two joints (interphalangeal joints), and two tiny, round sesamoid bones. The other four toes each have three bones and two joints. The phalanges are connected to the metatarsals by five metatarsal phalangeal joints at the ball of the foot.
In addition to ill-fitting and narrow shoes, other common causes for toe pain include skin conditions, such as dry, cracked skin, eczema, and psoriasis; fungal infections, such as athlete's foot; bacterial infections; frostbite (i.e., damage to the skin and sometimes the underlying tissue caused by extreme cold); and fractures and bruises.
Gout is a disease caused by the buildup of uric acid in the joints that can cause severe toe pain. Gout usually affects the first metatarsal phalangeal joint of the big toe (hallux), the ankle joint, or the heel.
In addition to severe pain, gout may cause swelling, inflammation, redness (erythema), warmth, and stiffness. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), gout affects approximately 2.1 million people in the United States.
Foot Pain (continued...)
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