Introduction
Pain in the area of the back of the foot is often difficult to classify. Unless there has been an accident that explains the pain in the back of the foot, there are often a variety of causes for the complaints. Often, pain in the back of the foot is only temporary and disappears on its own.
Numerous causes such as overstrain, signs of wear, injuries, inflammation, circulatory problems and foot deformities can lead to sometimes severe pain in the back of the foot. Due to the complex structure of the foot, foot pain very often occurs. A doctor should be consulted if the pain on the back of the foot lasts longer than three days. A medical examination should also be performed if the pain increases under stress, is related to other diseases or if additional symptoms such as fever, swelling or redness of the affected area occur.
Causes
The most common causes of pain in the area of the back of the foot are incorrect footwear (e.g. high heels or ski boots), injuries to ligaments, muscles, tendons or bones and inappropriate strain. Poorly trained foot muscles, inflammatory diseases such as rheumatism or overweight can increase the pain. Overloading the front foot can lead to so-called fatigue fractures.
These are hairline cracks in the bone that can only be detected with the help of imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Various other diseases of the bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons and joint cartilage in the area of the back of the foot can also cause the complaints. Joint degeneration (arthrosis) can also cause pain in the back of the foot.
Furthermore, skin diseases such as athlete’s foot or neurodermatitis as well as blood clots, circulatory disorders or, in rare cases, tumors can also cause pain in the area of the back of the foot. A possible cause of sudden, burning or stabbing pain in the back of the foot is irritation of the nerves in this area. This is generally referred to as neuralgia and, in the case of nerve pain in the back of the foot, as anterior tarsal tunnel syndrome. In this case, the deep nerve of the fibula at the back of the foot is constricted, for example, by a tendon sheath constriction or an oversized leg. Anterior tarsal tunnel syndrome often occurs in conjunction with other diseases such as diabetes mellitus.
