Feet are the body’s foundation. We often take them for granted until they start hurting. But even when your feet are painful, it’s hard to give them a break. Let’s look at some of the main causes of foot pain, along with solutions that can provide relief. 

Types of foot pain range from plantar fasciitis and metatarsalgia to Achilles tendonitis or Morton’s neuroma. Some painful feet are arthritic, while others might hurt due to a chronic ankle sprain. These are all different problems, but they all share one common trait which—an inability to handle the normal forces we subject our feet to each day. This might occur as a result of the wrong shoes, prior injuries, or hereditary problems such as flat feet and high arches.   

Many of us are aware that the wrong type of shoe can cause foot problems. High heels often lead to bunions, hammer toes, and fallen arches. On the other hand, slip-on shoes frequently cause toe clenching to keep them from slipping off, which can contribute to plantar fasciitis. However, what many do not realize is that simply wearing shoes of any kind for a whole lifetime can lead to foot problems.    

Three Causes of Foot Pain 

Three research studies in different parts of the world compared barefoot-living villagers with their shoe-wearing relatives in cities. This research showed that folks who live barefoot have almost no structural foot problems such as those listed above.  

It turns out that walking barefoot uses more muscular strength in the lower leg. This helps to maintain more structural support from tendons that attach from those muscles to the foot. It follows also that those who are inactive or sedentary can be more prone to foot problems due to not maintaining sufficient strength in their lower leg muscles.   

Another significant problem for many is past trauma to either the leg or foot. Physical injuries can leave residual stiffening and distortion in the connective tissue called fascia. This can cause muscular imbalance and weakness that leads to pain—whether it is in the plantar fascia on the bottom of the foot, the pad at the ball of the foot, or the tendon attachment at the back of the heel. In the specific case of chronic ankle sprain, the original injury can cause the ankle to remain weak, causing a person to repeatedly turn their ankle and reinjure it.   

For others, however, the cause of their foot pain is inherited flat feet or abnormally high arches, either of which can lead to extra stress on the foot. With flat feet, the foot never develops a full arch, so the spring action that an arch normally provides is insufficient.  With less spring, the foot has less protection from the stress of walking, running, jumping, and standing.  

You might think that folks with high arches would have opposite issues from those with flat feet, but actually a high arch tends to be more rigid (and less springy) than a normally shaped arch. This exerts more stress on the feet whenever they must bear weight. In the end, both problems tend to create arch pain.  

Answers to Foot Pain 

When we look at solutions to foot pain, we should start again with shoes (or the alternative of not wearing shoes at all). While barefoot living has its benefits, it might not necessarily help someone who has worn shoes all their life. First, it takes time to build the leg strength to tolerate consistent barefoot walking. A second issue is the hard surfaces that most of us live on. Feet are not built for wood or tile floors, cement sidewalks, and asphalt streets. 

For someone who has foot pain, walking on hard surfaces will likely aggravate the discomfort even more. While barefoot walking is helpful in some instances––such as on sand or soft earth––many folks need shoes for support and protection. The real key is to wear the right type of shoe that will most benefit your feet. 

While choosing the correct shoe can involve many considerations, certain basic features are important. The arch should roughly match the shape of your foot. Most of us require at least moderate arch support. However, those with flat feet should use too much arch support. On the other hand, those with high arches usually benefit from a fuller arch support. In many high arch cases, a shoe that is otherwise well-constructed might need either supplemental support or replacement of the built-in support with a more robust arch insert. 

Shoes with a sole that is too rigid do not encourage as much leg muscle activity. The optimal shoe should allow flexibility, so the toes bend up. It also should have some back and forth twist at the arch. The heel cup should align vertically and not tilt inward, otherwise the shoe will encourage pronation of the foot and cause pain in the long run.    

Fascia and Feet 

Past physical trauma can also cause restrictions in the fascia (connective tissue) of the leg and foot, leading to pain. Manual therapy treatments that release fascia restrictions can help restore muscular balance and joint stability in order to relieve that foot pain. Fascia release is a focus of my practice, and I have helped many folks experience relief from foot pain with this type of treatment. In addition to releasing restrictions of the foot tissues, it is also important to release restrictions in the lower legs, thighs, and hips to restore foot function.   

It is vital to emphasize how much fascia can influence foot pain.  Even when there are physical changes to the foot, such as bunions or arthritis, much of the pain is often caused by fascia distortion. Stiffening of this connective tissue can alter muscle tension and joint stability, which contributes to structural changes. Treating these restrictions can alleviate the pain, even though it usually cannot reverse the structural distortion. 

Those with naturally high or low arches can develop restrictions in fascia more easily, due to increased stress on their feet. It’s crucial to wear adequate shoes with the right arch supports. When necessary, custom orthotic inserts can also be relieving, and fascia release therapy is almost always helpful. 

Each case of foot pain is unique, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. In many cases, expert help with fascia release therapy and specific exercise programs make all the difference in getting pain relief. For those afflicted with pain in the feet, I recommend seeking out a healthcare practitioner experienced in all of the above issues.  

Dr. Eric Winder has been practicing chiropractic for 27 years. His practice emphasizes relieving pain and restoring alignment and motion with gentle fascia release therapies. For more information, call 941-957-8390 or visit https://gentlebay.com/