Foot pain can have many different causes. Since the foot consists of many small tarsal bones, several joints, muscles and tendons, there are many possibilities for foot pain. Most often, accidents or incorrect weight bearing are the reason for the pain.
But skin diseases, bad footwear or inflammations can also cause pain. Depending on the cause, these pains can have different characteristics and thus contribute to the diagnosis. Foot injuries often occur as a result of accidents.
Torn ligaments as a result of a twisting trauma, for example during sports, are particularly common. This can result in a torn outer or inner ligament. Tendon injuries (e.g. Achilles tendon rupture), bone fractures in the area of the foot or joint injuries can also occur as a result of an accident. However, muscle tension or muscle injuries caused by overloading the foot also lead to pain.
Pain in the foot as a result of inflammation
Inflammations in the foot area do not usually occur suddenly, but develop somewhat more slowly. However, they are no less painful. An inflammation of the joints (arthritis) develops due to long-lasting incorrect strain and usually lasts for a long time.
In some patients the inflammation remains permanently, so that one speaks of a chronic arthritis. Tendovaginitis (tendovaginitis) usually occurs in the context of sustained permanent stress. If the tendons rub strongly against the bones, they can become inflamed and then cause severe pain when they are subjected to renewed strain.
Tendons in the metatarsus can also become painfully inflamed. In contrast to the inflammations mentioned above, inflammation of the bone (osteomyelitis) is very rare. This is a bacterial inflammation of the bone.
The bacteria enter the bone through an external entry portal (for example, a small injury) and can damage the bone. It is a severe disease with massive general symptoms, so that the affected patients have to be treated as inpatients. Simple inflammations, such as superficial inflammation of the skin or a toenail, also lead to pain.
However, they can usually be treated locally with antibiotics or antiseptics and usually do not require inpatient treatment. Numerous types of foot malpositions can lead to pain due to the resulting incorrect loading or pressure points. The malpositions can be congenital or acquired and only develop in the course of life.
Congenital malpositions are the flat foot and clubfoot. Flat feet, hollow feet and pointed feet can be present at birth or only develop in the course of life. All these malpositions are based on changes in the bones or tendons.
The bones and tendons are often not correctly positioned, or their anatomy changes due to incorrect weight bearing or incorrect footwear. Diseases such as hallux valgus (big toe) and hammer and claw toes are also caused by incorrect weight-bearing or incorrect footwear. However, they are never congenital but develop over the course of life.
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