Foot pain can be caused by genetic factors and can lead to various other ailments including ankle, knee, back, and hip pain. People with flat feet and falling arches do not have proper spring or biomechanical performance in their feet which increases strain and pressure ligaments in the foot and other joints in the body. There are two arches in the foot: the longitudinal arch runs the length of the foot and the transverse arch runs the width. The plantar fascia is a tough fibrous sheath that extends the length of the bottom of the foot and lends support to the arch. A damaged or congenitally insufficient arch increases the potential for plantar fascia strain which causes arch pain and muscle spasms or cramping that can be extremely painful. It is important to see a podiatrist to diagnose conditions of the arch so corrective supports can be designed to prevent long term pain or injuries to the foot or other joints in the body that rely on the foot’s ability to absorb impact. Bacteria, viruses and diseases like Diabetes, Hansen's disease, and gout can affect the foot as well.

Painful Foot Conditions

Additional foot conditions and sources of pain include viruses, fungi, and bacteria which may be a result of poor hygiene. Ingrown toenails are very common and painful ailments that occur when the edges of the nail grow under the skin, resulting in irritation and sometimes leading to infection if not trimmed and cleaned properly. Plantar warts are inverted warts that are found on the bottom of the feet and they are caused by a virus and can become quite painful. A podiatrist might freeze the wart with liquid nitrogen, or they might employ pulse-dye laser surgery to remove the wart. There are over the counter remedies to treat planter’s warts as well. Clear Away Plantar Wart Remover for Feet is a self-treatment that uses Salicylic Acid 40% in a synthetic rubber-based disc as its active ingredient. Athlete's foot is a fungus that has also been known to develop complications from both bacterial and viral sources.

Athletic injuries to the feet

Some people suffer from bone spurs (exostosis) and bunions and corns, which are deformities in the bones in the foot and they can be genetic or cause by wearing improperly fitting shoes or running on surfaces that are too hard or soft. Additionally, athletes, especially runners, suffer from a variety of foot conditions that can cause a great deal of pain. Metarsalgia (turf toe) is a common athletic injury in which the tendon under the joint at the base of the big toe is strained. Marathon runners are known to have toenails fail off from the excessive pressure placed on the feet from such long periods of demand placed on their feet.

Acute injuries such as fractures and sprained ankles or muscle strains may be the result of a trauma or combination of stresses to the foot. A sprained foot or ankle occurs when ligaments that hold the bones together are overstretched and the fibers tear. The muscle's bursa and fascia of the foot can be strained by overuse, overloading, bruising, or being cut which often results in chronic foot pain.