pain on outside of left foot when I flex my foot

by jennifer
(santa cruz)

I am a runner and one day I stopped to strech my calves using a curb. Since then I have been having foot pain that I cannot find an explaination for. The symptoms are burning sensation on the outer back edge of my foot ankle region, not the bottom of my foot, but right along the side by the bottom of my foot. This burning sensation occurs if I put my leg straight out and attempt to flex my foot at a 90 degree angle from the leg or if I would do a downward dog type movement. if my foot is pointed I do not feel any pain. It only occurs if I am flexing my foot and my leg is straigt if that makes any sense.

Hi Jennifer,
Sounds as if you may have strained your achilles tendon when you intially stretched. Action such as extending your leg, locking your knee, then bending the foot up will cause pain in the back part of the foot.
You can follow some of my suggestions on achilles tendonitis but if you do not see any relief, a visit to a podiatrist would be in order.
Marc Mitnick DPM

sudden onset of pain on side of foot

by Rhonda
(Maryland)

Hi. A few days ago I suddenly began experiencing severe pain on the right side of my right foot about midway between my toes and my heel. I think there may be a bone there. I don't feel any pain when I am sitting or standing but when I walk, the pain becomes progressively worse and worse. It radiates from the side to the sole of my foot. I didn't injure my foot and can't figure out where the pain came from. Do you have any ideas or suggestions?

Hi Rhonda,
Even though there was no trauma there is the possibility of a stress fracture.
There is also the possibility of irritation to your peroneus longus tendon which is a very common condition (but would not feel like bone).
If this bone you feel is directly on the outside of the foot, it may be the normal flare of the fifth metatarsal base.
My suggestion would be to have it x-rayed.
Marc Mitnick DPM

inner middle of left foot is sore when I run.

by Roman S
(houston, tx)

I was practicing soccer, using shoes I never play in, when I made a slide tackle. When I started running again, the inner left part of my left foot began to hurt. I tried to walk it off but had to quit. I can finally walk well but I still feel a slight pain when I try to jog or run after 9 days. I am having to shift my weight to the outside of the foot to not feel the bite. I am hoping this goes away since I could barely walk after the incident itself. Is this a matter of stretching also as I have been told or was it the wrong shoes. I have never in my life of 33 years felt this.

Thank you.

Roman

Hi Roman,
Your best bet would be to see a doctor and make sure you either did not fracture a bone, or tore a ligament or tendon. Even though the area is feeling better, once you resume soccer you run the risk of re-injurying the area and that could put you out of commission for a long time.
Marc Mitnick DPM

pain on outside of feet

by Erin
(Emmaus, PA USA)

I am a 34 year old woman who is about 50 pounds overweight. I have a history of plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendon problems. I've noticed when changing the sheets on my bed that there is a spot worn through the sheet where the outside of my foot rubs the sheet. I am unaware that I am rubbing the sides of my feet while I sleep but the wear on the sheet is proof that I must be doing this. The only meds I take are Zoloft.

Hi Erin,
If, it is actually the side of your foot that is rubbing into the sheets, I do not see how that would aggravate achilles tendonitis or plantarfasciitis.
If you sleep on your back and your heel rubs into the sheets perhaps that would aggravate the achilles tendon.
Certainly your excess weight plays into this particularly the plantarfasciitis. Have you tried an orthotic? You would probably find it very helpful.
Good luck.
Marc Mitnick DPM

outer foot pain after playing soccer

My son recently started soccer practice, and has severe foot pain. He was somewhat active prior to soccer (going to the gym, eliptical for cardio) but not much direct running.

The pain is generally on the outside edge of his feet. They are especially sore when he gets up from sitting, and seems to loosen up a litte - although still very sore and tender.

I purchased some gel inserts with some arch support. He's only worn them one time, so I can't say if they have really helped.

He plays in AZ, which I know has very hard fields. His cleats are round (versus the long, thin type). His shoes are Adidas.

Hi,
Since he apparently has foot pain in the same location on both feet what would be the common denominator? His cleats!
In most cases it is because his shoes are too narrow for his feet and he is creating too much pressure on the base of the fifth metatarsal bone (see my anatomy page).
Check to see if that is where his pain resides. If so, getting a wider shoe in that area should go a long way to improving his situation.
Marc Mitnick DPM

Left Foot pain on the side of the heel

by Laker
(Eugene, OR)

Last October, I was playing a pickup game of basketball and the next day I could barely walk. I didn't notice anything while I was playing and the pain didn't show up until the next day. After several weeks, the pain went away, but in January I started a Karate class and the pain came back. If I miss a day or so of Karate then my foot feels OK, but if I go back, then the pain returns and it makes it very sore, especially in the mornings. I've been to see my Podiatrist and he gave me orthotics to try to alleviate the pain, they haven't helped all that much. He also tried taping my foot to give me some support under the cuboid bone when doing Karate(thinking it might have been cuboid syndrome) and that didn't do anything for me either. He is recommending either physical therapy or an MRI. I don't have a good insurance plan and would have to pay for an MRI out of pocket so I really don't want to go that route. Would physical therapy help me at this point or would I do that for a few weeks, realize that wasn't working and have to go get an MRI anyway?

Hi Laker,
It would be impossible for me to predict what effect physical therapy would ultimately have on your condition.
If you have had an x-ray and there is no break, and you have ruled out cuboid syndrome, then you can assume you have a "soft tissue" injury of some sort and physical therapy should be of benefit. If you go through four weeks of physical therapy and the foot feels somewhat better, only to start hurting once you resume your sports activity, then I think you might have to consider "biting the bullet" and have an MRI. Prior to that you might consider having an diagnostic ultrasound; they can be helpful in finding pathology and are a lot less expensive.
Marc Mitnick DPM

Pain on the "outside" of both feet

I am a 5'3" female and have always had the most perfect beautiful and strong feet -- size 7.5 -- ballerina, they always said I should be - very high arches and large heel bones with great strong ankles. I used to run, dance, water ski, ice skate, roller blade and be athletic more than most people. I've run around bare-footed as much as I've been in high heels. If I walk on the balls of my feet, I am fine, but of course I can't always do that. I'm always "on the run" so to speak in physical tasks... running up and down stairs, gardening, etc. I'm pushing 50 and now I can barely walk after being on my feet for more than about 3 hours a day. The pain comes from the MIDDLE outer elongated (I guess you call it) bones on the outer side of my feet (the pinky toe side). This problem has been going on and has gradually increased over the past 15 years. My wonderful husband relieved my pain by squeezing my feet really hard there and it has helped in the past. Now even after his wonderful massages and constantly soaking them it doesn't help. I haven't seen anything on the other websites that identified this as a common pain area. I'm a very active person, so it has greatly affected my everyday activity and I am at a loss as to what to do about it. I have no calluses or bunions and have always kept my feet and toes perfectly pedicured. IF it helps, I have an Aunt that has the same problem and her feet are just like mine, so could it be a genetic malformity? She doesn't have the same activity level I do, but I thought I'd mention it anyway. Any ideas?

Hi,
The base of the fifth metatarsal bone is the area your are describing. See the fourth drawing on my foot anatomy page. You will see that the peroneus longus tendon and peroneus brevis tendon both run into that area.
You may have a tendonitis of one of those tendons, which is very common.
Possibly the most common cause of pain in this area if from wearing shoes that are too narrow; not so much in the ball of the foot, but where the fifth metatarsal base flares outward.
If you are predisposed to having a large flare in that area than what happens is that area gets irritated from any shoe that presses into the flare thus usually irritating the tendons.
In most cases it is one pair of shoes that is the culprit but once you have the condition, it will hurt in all shoes, even barefoot if it is the peroneus longus tendon.
If you are in significant pain then your best bet is to see a podiatrist for an accurate diagnosis and treatment.
Good luck.
Marc Mitnick DPM

pain on outside of right foot

by kim
(bloomington, in)

I have had plantar fasciitis surgery on both feet. the left took the right apparently did not. i have had persistent pain midway up the outside of my foot, it is constant. it feels like it is near the joint on the side of my foot. after a long walk or working in the yard it is much worse. my right leg, achilles tendon feels tight as well. i do stretch. i have orthotics, have had shots, have done PT, exercise, do ice and it still returns. any other ideas...is it the ligament? what do i need to do to make it go away for good?

Hi Kim,

You do not mention how long ago you had surgery, nor the type of surgery but in any event it sounds like you have what is known as lateral column instability.
The plantar fascial ligament is made up of three parts, it is generally the middle part (middle slip) that has to be partially detached in order to alleviate pain.
Sometimes if too much of a cut is made it creates what is known as lateral column instability, meaning that the outside of the foot (in the area you are complaining of) is not as stable when you walk and therefore it becomes painful.
Talk to your surgeon but I think for the time being your orthotics may need to be adjusted to give your foot more stability and will have to be worn in very conservative shoes. Adding a slight heel lift to the right orthotic may counter the tightness in the achilles tendon which is forcing the foot to pronate and thus aggravating the outside of the foot.
In most cases the symptoms will begin to subside over time.
good luck.
Marc Mitnick DPM

lump on the left side of my left foot

by debbie
(south lake tahoe, ca)

lump is on the left side of my foot it is pain full the pain goes on to the top of my foot it hurts if i bend my toes down it also hurts if i bend my foot to the left and the area is a little red

Hi Debbie,
The most common lump I see in the area you describe is a ganglion cyst. Of course, without actually seeing your foot, I do not know if that is what you actually have.
If the lump has been there longer than 10-14 days, chances are it is not going away on its own and since it hurts, I think a trip to a podiatrist would be a good idea.
Marc Mitnick DPM

Lateral metatarsal foot pain

I am a P.E. teacher. My left foot has been hurting since January. Xrays,bone scan and mri only show small bone spur on cuboid bone. Boot for 3 weeks and tons of rest. No help. Had a cortisone shot in the joint where the spur is 3 weeks ago with no help. The pain seems to be along the lateral outside running along the 5th Metatarsal with more pain on that metatarsal being closer to the cuboid but not where the spur is. The spur is on the distal side of the cuboid. Deep achy pain. No sharp pain. I ice and take advil several times a day. I am scheduled for custom orthotics (from a dr.) but don't know what else to ty. Cuboid sublux or syndrome?

Hi,
As I was reading your description and the fact that you have had so many tests that all came back negative, I started to think of a cuboid subluxation. Reading your last line, I guess you did too.
It would be a logical assumption because as a phys. ed. teacher I would assume you are fairly active and because of the area of your pain it may very well be a subluxed cuboid.
When you go back to your doctor, mention that possibility and if it seems plausible to your doctor make sure your new orthotics contain a cuboid pad built into to them to sustain the cuboid.
Marc Mitnick DPM

sharp pain on outside of foot

i just ran a half marathon for the 1st time. i'm now having a sharp pain in the outside of my feet. the pain started in right foot.....then went away almost completely. now my left foot pain is almost unbearable. i ran the 1/2 marathon last weekend, and bought new shoes for it about a month before hand. they were nikes.
could this be a stress fracture or hopefully just tendonitis? i have never had any foot pain other than occasional soreness.

Hello,
You would certainly want to rule out the possibility of a stress fracture particularly in the left foot. Assuming you have your feet x-rayed and there is no fracture, tendonitis or perhaps even a ligament strain would be my next guess.
I am not clear from your statement but I am guessing the pain is in the same area of each foot. That being the case, I would look at your running shoes; they might not be the right kind for your foot structure.
Make sure you have your foot looked at, you would not want to end up with a lingering injury that prevents you from running.
Good Luck.
Marc Mitnick DPM

Burning and stinging sensation on left inside of right foot and some swelling if on feet for a while.

by JoAnn Tindall
(Savannah, GA, USA)

I began a walking program April 13, 2008. I started one mile per day for one week. Then I began two miles per day for one week until I was doing four miles per day, this was my fourth week at four miles a day that my problem started. I was wearing proper walking shoes walking a level excercise path . I had some initial tingling on the bottom of my right foot. Then to the inside of my right foot near the arch. I have some swelling at times and burning at this location.. I have taken ibuprophen, 200 mg two at a time twice a day. I do get some relief. Having stated my symptoms I am hoping I could get feedback on what could be wrong and what should I do about this.

Hi JoAnn,
The initial tingling you had on the bottom of the foot may have been the beginnings of a neuroma.
I see by your picture that you have a reasonably high arched foot. My guess as to the burning and swelling on the inside of your arch would be due to a mild tendonitis of the tibialis posterior tendon.
In spite of your good walking shoes, they may not be giving you enough support in the arch and therefore you are putting a strain on the tendon. The simplest solution would be to try an orthotic. This will better support your arch when you walk and will take the strain off the posterior tibial tendon. Along with some Aleve, or Advil (assuming you can tolerate them) the pain should resolve in a week to ten days. I would also recommend you reduce your walking program to every other day for a couple of weeks until the foot feels better.
Do not ignore these symptoms, as they will only worsen without some type of treatment.
Marc Mitnick DPM

Pain on side of right foot and ankle

by Barrie
(Mount Laurel, NJ)

My 11-y-o daughter is complaining of pain on the side of her right foot and around the ankle area. Her right ankle looks slightly larger than the right. There is no real apparent swelling or discoloration. She also complained that her foot felt cold, and then there was slight burning. She is able to walk, but says it hurts more when she does. She does play soccer. She says it has happened before but went away. What do you think?

Hi Barrie,
The "cold and burning" complaint is suggestive of nerve involvement. It may be related to soccer but since it is an abnormal finding, I think a visit to a podiatrist would be indicated.
Marc Mitnick DPM

Swollen knot on the side of the right foot

by Sandy
(Quincy, MA)

Hi,
My name is Sandy and I am a 44 year old female. My question has to do with the top of the foot. I don't know what its called but as far as I know everyone has them on each foot. Little round bumps on the top right of the foot in front of the ankle bone. One on the right foot and one on the left foot. So far nobody can tell me exactly what it is. It began swelling about a year ago. Nothing too painful, sore to the touch. Until now it has been bearable. It has swelled up and is very painful. I have RA and thought it was caused by that. I went to the doctor and she said it was a bursa. I wanted to know what those bumps on the foot are called and if it is bursitis what is the worst case scenario. I work full time and although it is a desk job it is still very painful. I take 800 milligrams motrin and that doesnt do much for it. Keeping it elevated seems to help the most. Any information you could give me would be greatly appreciated.
Thank You,
Sandy

Hi Sandy,
With RA, I would have thought possibly a rheumatoid nodule, but of course that is not a lump that "everyone has". Your doctor diagnosed it as a bursitis, I would be more inclined to call it a ganglion cyst because a bursitis is generally not as well circumscribed and as superficial as the lump in your picture.
If it is a ganglion, they are readily treatable, but can be a nuisance because they have a high recurrence rate.
Marc Mitnick DPM

pain on side of foot

by Karen

I have pain on the inside of my right foot at my heel. It is warm and tender to the touch on the outside bottom and up the side of my foot. It is uncomfortable when walking - a burning sensation and sometimes throbbing. I did not injure it but did walk a lot in flip flops yesterday.

Hi Karen,
Doing a lot of walking in flip flops and other poor supporting shoes brings a lot of people into my office.
Apparently you did some damage to your heel yesterday. Even though there is a "cause and effect" (flip flops), you would probably be wise to have it treated because heel pain can be a real problem if allowed to worsen.
Marc Mitnick DPM

Injury to side of the foot and fifth toe

by Eric Chang
(Singapore)

This problem began when I landed awkwardly after jumping up to head the ball in a football game. My left foot landed on the outer side resulting in swelling in the outside of the foot arch. Thinking it was a sprain I rubbed some ointment and after two weeks the swelling has gone down but I still walked with a slight pain to the side of my foot near the fifth toe. I went to see a Chinese physician who applied acupuncture on me but there was still a slight pain whenever I applied pressure on my fifth toe. I touched the base of my fifth toe and could feel a slight pain if I moved the tendon. There was also pain if my tried to wriggle my fifth toe and when i bend it backwards. I then saw a doctor who put me through the X-ray which showed nothing, and he told me it was probably a strain on the ligaments to the foot/toe and should recover in three weeks. I went to the Web and learned that icing and buddy taping would be helpful so I did those but still the injury hasn't healed. It has been 3 weeks since I seen the doctor and almost 2 months since the problem began but I still feel slight pain when I exert pressure on my fifth toe. Also I realised that the area on the outside of the arch of the foot feels different from my right foot. Its not soft as usual but hard and when compressed a very slight pain can be felt. Is it a serious problem? Is there anything i can do so as to recover completely? Should I see the doctor again or will this problem ease out soon?

Hi Eric,
Since you mention only slight pain in the affected area I am assuming the problem is getting better. I also assume you are reasonably young and can also assume there is no fracture since you had it x-rayed.
The bottom line: sounds like it is getting better to me. Remember the problem with foot injuries is that every time you walk on the foot, you re-injure an injured area, so foot problems take longer to heal.
Marc Mitnick DPM

pain on side/top

by Ryan
(Louisville)

I work as a server and I am always on my feet. A few days ago I slipped and caught myself with my right foot. I hit my knee so I didn't immediately register pain in the foot. When I woke up it was very sore to walk on or even stand on. I can stand the pain but I really can't afford the doctor and I have no iinsurance. From the diagram and descriptions I read I would narrow it down to tendonitis or fracture. If it helps any it especially hurts when I try to flex my foot as I would close my hand. Any insight you can provide is appreciated!

Hi Ryan,
I appreciate your predicament about lack of insurance, but the only way to determine if you fractured your foot would be to have an x-ray.
Since this happened at work, it would fall under workers compensation and your employers insurance should pay for your medical care.
Discuss this with your boss.
Marc Mitnick DPM

Severe pain in left side of left foot

by Shelly
(San Diego)

I'm 52(f) and have been walking 2 mi, 3 x week for about 2 years. About a month ago I would be sitting down for awhile and when I get up I can barely walk on my left foot. If I squeeze a little on the sides (below my little toe), I feel severe pain. I don't always feel it when I walk but it seems to be the worst after I've rested for awhile. It's getting worse every day now. I've changed shoes etc.

Hi Shelly,
Two things come to mind, an inflamed bursitis on the side of head of the metatarsal (just behind the little toe) or perhaps even a stress fracture.
I would suggest you see a podiatrist who can better help you with your foot pain.
Marc Mitnick DPM

Extreme pain on the top left side of my left foot

by David
(Austin, TX)

I played racquetball Tuesday night with my 12 year old son. Not an overly strenuous game and don't really remember any extreme shock to the foot but woke up Wednesday morning with pain in the left foot. The pain is approximately 2" below the outside ankle and about an inch up from the bottom of my foot. It has progressively become more painful in the last two days and the foot appears to be more swollen than yesterday. I did go to the gym yesterday and worked out with weights and did do some walking yesterday, however with difficulty. Today, I can't put any weight on the foot at all.

I have had the same problem two other times in the last two years and usually went away within several days but the pain is much more severe this time.

Any ideas?

Kind Regards,

David

Hi David,
You might want to consider an x-ray to make sure you did not suffer a stress fracture (since the pain has not subsided, unlike other times). If that is normal the other area you might want to look into would a subluxed cuboid or tendonitis.
Good luck.
Marc Mitnick DPM

side of foot pain

by Kathy
(Baltimore, Maryland)

I don't remember hurting my foot, but one day it just hurt so bad I could hardly walk. The pain was diverse so I couldn't tell for sure where the pain was radiating from, and it seemed my foot was slightly swollen. This continued for a couple of weeks so I went to a podiatrist. He took xrays and said nothing was broken. He gave me an ankle brace which I wore pretty much for a couple of more weeks. It seemed to help the pain some. After a couple of weeks I stopped wearing the brace, but my foot still hurts much of the time and some times worse than others. I can now pinpoint the pain to primarily the 5th metatarsal. I am scheduled to have a knee replacement of the knee on that side in June and want to try to get my foot back into good shape so I can get back to walking better. Frankly, I am not sure what kind of doctor I should see. Also, I wonder if it might just get better on its own, although I am not sure I want to take the chance with the knee surgery coming up soon. Thank you for your input.

Hi Kathy,

The possibility of a stress fracture certainly exists; the problem is sometimes a small fracture will not initially show up on x-ray. So if the pain continues the x-ray should be repeated. If the second x-ray is negative for fracture then an MRI is certainly indicated.
Because it appears that you have had this foot pain for at least a couple of months, there is a very slim possibility that it will suddenly remedy itself. As I tell my patients, every time you walk you are reinjurying an already injured area so it is very difficult for foot problems to heal themselves.
You are right in your thought about eliminating your foot pain before your knee surgery as it will only make it more difficult to ambulate if both your foot and knee are hurting.
I would stick with a well qualified podiatrist because we are more aware of all the different causes of foot pain than are other medical specialists.
I hope this helps.
Good luck.
Marc Mitnick DPM

side foot pain

by michele
(red hill, pa)

About a week ago I took a three mile walk, in shoes that probably were not the best for walking, but never had a problem before wearing these shoes on walks. After returning my feet felt tired, as if walking all day on them. The next day, the left foot hurt so bad I could barely walk on it. This pain originated on the outermost side of foot and the pain radiates slightly up the top of my foot and back towards my ankle, however my ankle does not have any pain. There is no pain at rest, no pain when I touch or press the area, no swelling, and no bruising or discoloration. In addition, some days the pain is worse than other days, and on one occasion it did not hurt at all on one particular day. My husband has gout and experiences pain like this in the same area, and insists I now also have gout, but I do not think so. He has swelling and redness with his gout, and I have neither. The problem is starting to effect my daily activities. Do you have any suggestions about a cause or cure?

Hi Michele,
My first guess would be tendonitis of the peroneus longus tendon which is the tendon that runs down the outside of the ankle and then makes a sharp turn under the foot.
All too often is a shoe is not wide enough in the midsection of the foot, the tendon becomes inflamed.
There is also the possibility of a stress fracture, but I would think that would hurt every day and you state you have times where the foot does not hurt.
You might try a round of moist heat to the area 2-3 times per day and some anti-inflammatory medication (if you can tolerate it) for about a week. If there is not substantial improvement make an appointment to see a doctor.
BTW, I agree with you; it does not sound like gout.
Marc Mitnick DPM

Side and bottom of foot pain

by Erin Kolacek
(PA)

I am a 150 lb 30 y/o F. I have been having mild but tolerable arch and heel pain for a few months after runs. I never had foot pain at all until coming back to being physically active after having my 2nd child. I had to stop a run last week due to a pain on the side of my foot that I had never experienced before. The pain felt like it started at the peroneal tendon and radiated down the 5th MT. After resting, I noticed the pain also at the base of my 1st MT and on the calcaneous. I have not changed running shoes but they dont have too many miles on them. I am 8 lbs more than when I ran a 1/2 marathon with no problems at 1 mo pregnant. My arches are slightly higher than normal and I have a narrow foot. The pain is almost unnoticeable when I am barefoot. In fact, I feel like I could run barefoot with no problems but have not tried it. Sneakers (have tried a few different ones and they all feel the same) cause the pain to increase but it is bearable. Running increases the pain to a level where I have to stop and dress shoe wear is also unbearable. The only thing I can do to my foot to reproduce the pain at rest is passive hyper flexion of the 5th toe which send pain down my 5th MT. I do not have the typical first thing in the am arch pain associated w/ plantar fasciitis. There is no visible deformities or signs of swelling. What are your thoughts on a dx?

Hi Erin,

Since your pain is not site specific but rather is occurring in at least two locations, the first thing I would think of is a tendon strain, possibly the peroneus longus tendon. Since running seems to be aggravating it, I would lay off the running for 7-10 days and do some nonweightbearing aerobic exericise like an exercise bike. Additionally, I would take anti-inflammatory medication (assuming you can tolerate them) on a regular daily basis for around 10 days.
I would also take a look at the running shoes you were wearing when this first occurred. Either they may be worn out and need to be replaced, or perhaps they are new and too stiff or maybe not the best shoe for your foot structure.
Additionally, the terrain you have been running on may also be a factor. For example, if you have been running up hill or running in the street where the angle of the road may force your foot into more supination or pronation, any of these factors may aggravate your foot.
If none of this alleviates your problem then you should certainly seek medical attention.
Hope this helps.
Marc Mitnick DPM

right side of foot hurts

by jennifer

About a week ago I walked about 5 miles in flip flops. The next day the right side of my foot (not the bottom of my foot or my ankle) started to ache really bad. I would also start to get stabbing pains in the side of my foot when I did anything athletic like walk fast or run. I have no pain when I am not bearing weight on it and there is no bruising or swelling. It still hurts bad enough that I limp when I walk on it longer than a couple minutes and I am on my feet all day long at work. when I went to the walk in clinic they just told me it was sore from walking too much and to ice it and take advil. I think it is more serious. any ideas?

Hi Jennifer,
Insist on an x-ray to rule out a stress fracture; lets face it, flip flops are not very protective. If there is no fracture then I would recommend moist heat applications to the area, good shoes like sneakers on a daily basis, and anti-inflammatory medication (assuming you can tolerate it) for about 2 weeks. If this does not make it better, see a podiatrist.
Marc Mitnick DPM

lateral foot pain

(wilmington nc)

i have been having pain in the soft tissue behind the big toe knuckle (or 1st metatarsal). It hurts on the side of my foot, especially, when i raise my toes upwards. From my research it sounds most like Sesamoiditis but it is on the side of my foot, instead of the bottom.
i play rollerderby so i skate in a counter-clokwise direction alot. I seem to put a fair amount of pressure on the inside ball of my foot for, no less than 4 hours a week.

i can find little information that seems to fit exactly with my symptoms. Any ideas & what should i do to remedy this situation?
thanx!
Jennifer


Hi Jennifer,
It sounds like you damaged the big toe joint from all that skating, due to pressure of the foot against the boot. You do not mention which foot hurts but if I had to guess, it would be the left.
I think you should consult a podiatrist in your area, he or she should be able to help the pain and also to put some protective padding in the boot to keep this problem from recurring.
Marc Mitnick DPM

Lateral foot pain

by Rhea
(Lou, KY)

I am having pain along the lateral aspect of my left foot. However, there is no pain when I walk unless I have to go onto my tip-toe's, then my foot feels as if it is going to give out. I am unable to complete the attempt to stand on the toes of my left foot (as if I am reaching up for something that is high on a shelf) Once this happens then my foot THROBS for hours and finally will go away once I go to sleep and wake up in the morning. The other thing that causes pain in my foot is if I sit on the floor with my legs crossed and pressure is placed agaianst the medial aspect of my foot. Then it feels like a CRUSHING pain. I went to my Doc at the VA and was told to "take motrin". I cant imagine that anything is broken because normal walking does not cause pain. The above two actions are the only things that cause pain - and once it is hurting - It will hurt pretty badly for the rest of the day and into the next day. It almost feels like a very deep bruise and there is swelling along the lateral edge of my foot from that little knotch of a bone that sticks out back to under where my ankle is. OH and one more thing if pressure is placed in a downward motion on the top of my foot - same crushing feeling (guess that is almost the same as standing tip toe) Motrin works a bit. I am trying to get an appointment with another Doc but in the mean time I am kind of worried. Any thoughts?

Hi Rhea,

A strange set of symptoms. I agree the probability of a stress fracture is remote because the foot does not hurt when you walk but nevertheless the foot should be x-rayed.
The fact that you get severe pain when on your toes tells me it is probably a tendon or ligament problem.
A podiatrist would be better able to make a diagnosis as he or she will be able to palpate the part of the foot that hurts and identify the structure.
You may also require an MRI in an effort to better visualize the pain area of the foot.
Marc Mitnick DPM

Pain on Outside of left foot only

by Robert
(Sheffield Village, Ohio)

I have a Pain about 2/3 back from Toes at the base of the foot that seems to be aggrivated when I wear shoes, The only shoes that seem to be comfortable is a pair of wide tennis shoes my Doctor has had an Xray taken and there is no bone spur. any sugestions, I also get a feeling on both balls of my feet a kind of tightness.
This has been going on for about 3 months.

Hi Robert,
Read my sections on Mortons neuroma and capsulitis.
If I had to guess, I would lean more towards capsulitis.
Marc Mitnick DPM

Inner side foot pain

by Lindsay
(Tampa, FL)

I have been starting to train for a 5K. Last week my left foot in the middle on the inner side started to hurt when I ran/walked on it. I have been told it could be my shoes, but I am not sure what is causing it. It is not swollen and it also feels like a bruise when i touch it. It is tender feeling. Please let me know what could be wrong. Thank you!

Lindsay

Hi Lindsay,

It sounds like you may have a tendonitis, possibly from your foot flattening out too much when you are running.
On the tendonitis page go down to the second diagram and read the information that relates to the "yellow" arrow.
Assuming you are not in terrible pain I would recommend the following: try an over the counter arch support to raise the arch and take tension off the tendon. Ice the area before and after your training. Take advil or motrin on a short term basis (7-10 days) in an effort to reduce the inflammation.
If this does not help, you will need to seek medical attention.
Good luck.
Marc Mitnick DPM

pain in outside of foot from baby toe to half way down outside of foot

by Greg
(burlington,NJ)

Pain from baby toe down the foot half way on the edge of her foot.(left foot)
This is my daughter who is trying to stay active in sports, She is 16 and very large boned. 5'9" 220lbs size 11 shoe very flat feet.
She has had foot pain and has even had a stress fracture on this foot. She has been very limited in being active in a gym. she has had more success with outdoor activities where her feet don't take as much punishment.
She is trying out for softball but due to the weather she is practicing inside the gym. This is very frustrating for her.
The pain comes after sharp twisting and turning on her feet (suicide sprints)
Then she has to stay off her foot for 2 days then she feels better ,but the pain comes back with the same type of exercise.
Any thoughts

Hi Greg,
Obviously, the gym floors are too hard for your daughter's feet. First thought, has she tried a cushioned arch support for her athletic shoe?
See my foot anatomy page and find the fifth metatarsal base and look at the peroneus longus muscle. Many times people have pain in this area simply because their shoes (athletic shoes in your daughter's case) are not wide enough in this area. Typically, the width of a shoe is determined at the level of the patients metatarsal heads, but some people, have a large "flare" at the level of the fifth metatarsal base and this will cause pain if the shoe is not wide enough in this area, especially in athletic shoes, which tend to run narrow. Since your daughter is "large boned", this may be the case.
I would start there and rule that out; next step would be a visit to a podiatrist as she may be having a problem with the tendon that runs into the baby toe and a changing of shoes may not be enough.
Good luck.
Marc Mitnick DPM

Bottom edge, on outer side of foot, sharp pain

by Charles
(Okinawa, Japan)

I consider myself a long distance walker, work out a lot, but a little overweight, practice Karate and Tai Ji Quan. On a plane trip to Okinawa last month my knees and hips started hurting on the plane ride over, after arriving on Okinawa i started trying to walk,,hoping my knee and hip pain would go away,, also was practicing karateand tai ji quan, ,, oh yes i forgot to mention im 65 years old. Anyway, after trying to walk off the knee and hip problems, i begin to have sharp pains on the bottom outside edge of my feet, although both feet hurt,,the right one exceptionally so. It gets to the point where I can hardly walk,, very disturbing for me as I enjoy walking very much. I have a slight bunion on my right foot which bothers me at times,,but its not very big. My wife is having the same feet problems, but she has bad bunions.

Hi Charles,
Your complaint may be the most commonly asked question in this forum. Read my section on tendonitis. Go down to the first diagram of a foot and read what is said about the yellow arrow.
Because you practice martial arts, another possibilty would be cuboid syndrome, however the possibility of this occurring in both feet at the same time is pretty slim.
Your best bet would be to see a foot specialist for treatment.
Marc Mitnick DPM

pain on outside of foot, top near toes, and in arch near ball of foot

by Rita
(Maryland, USA)

My foot began hurting 2 days after I wore high heels for a graduation. The next day I went barefoot for several hours on a concrete patio. When I awoke the following day my foot was aching on the outside edge and just below the toes and into the toes. I walked on it today as normal but with supportive tennis shoes. Tonight it is too sore to walk on and there seems to be some swelling in the arch just below the ball of the foot. I am trying to stay off it and taking Ibuprofen. What do you think it is and is there anything else I can do?

Hi Rita,
This is a hard one to diagnose without actually examining you since there are multiple sites of pain. My guess is the barefoot on the concrete patio thing set off the pain because if I understand the time line, the pain started 24 hours after walking barefoot.
If you find the pain is getting worse rather than decreasing by taking the ibuprofen then I think medical care is indicated, because you run the risk of the condtion worsening.
A visit to a podiatrist would be a good idea.
Marc Mitnick DPM