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The response to the question below was authored by Marc Mitnick DPM

pain on dorsal surface of foot

by KD
(Maryland)

Have a high arch and think I caused damage to a nerve on top of my foot from tight shoes. Have been to 2 podiatrists who have tried injections and don't seem to agree on problem (small cyst?). Wore sneakers all winter and seemed to get better, but wore open flats this week and pain is back. Wasting money and still have pain and don't know where to turn.


Hi KD
People with high arched feet may develop a nerve entrapment of one of the superficial nerves that travels down the foot to give sensation to the toes.
Compounding this, in many instances people may also develop a small ganglion cyst which is what I assume you are referring to.
If there is a cyst present it can be felt, so either there is something there or there is not. If there is doubt then an MRI should be performed.
Treatment can be problematic since any shoe that is a bit too tight on the spot in question will continue to aggravate the area.
In a worst case scenario you may have to consider surgical intervention in an effort to remove some excess bone that may be aggravating the area, along with removal of the cyst (if present) and also freeing up the nerve if it entrapped in scar tissue which happens many times.
A simpler approach would be to only wear shoes that do not press on that part of the foot such as you did with your sneakers.
Now, to further complicate matters there is a chance that your pain is the result of a midtarsal fault which occurs when a high arched foot collapses somewhat. This could occur in flats that do not offer much support and feel better in sneakers which have better arch support.
You need to be properly evaluated by a podiatrist who might want to order weightbearing and nonweightbearing xrays for comparison, or at the very least watch you walk and see what your foot looks like weightbearing and nonweightbearing.
Perhaps a visit to another podiatrist might be in order.

Marc Mitnick DPM

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ADDITIONAL REFERENCES

Mayo Clinic

Johns Hopkins Medicine

MedlinePlus

Arthritis Foundation

University of Rochester Medical Center

Harvard Health

Drugs.com

American Academy of Pediatrics

Penn State Medical Center

National Institutes of Health

Columbia University Department of Rehabilitation

ScienceDirect

Stanford Health Care

Illinois Bone and Joint Institute

Mount Sinai Hospital

Institute for Chronic Pain

University of Florida Health

American Family Physician

Cedars-Sinai

University of Maryland Medical Center
If you happen to live in the New York - New Jersey area and would like to visit our office

Dr. Marc Mitnick

151 Summit Ave.
Summit, NJ 07901
908-522-0761


To make an appointment online or for directions to our office click Dr. Marc Mitnick.

DISCLAIMER: The purpose of this site is purely informational in nature. It is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any medical condition. This information is not a substitute for advice from a medical professional. Please consult your healthcare provider for accurate diagnosis and treatment. The information presented here may be subject to errors and omissions.


SITE LAST UPDATED: APRIL 2026




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Orthotics for heel and arch pain for those who must wear dress shoes
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Evansville, IA



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San Diego, CA



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Wonderful advice

by: Anonymous

This is the best site for foot problem info.

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by: Max

location unknown
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Canada
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location unknown
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location unknown
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North Carolina
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KG

location unknown

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Florida
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location unknown
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New Jersey


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a mom

location unknown


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Bellevue, WA


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location unknown

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