Pain in the sole of the foot | Pain with thrombosis

Pain in the sole of the foot

The formation of thrombi in the sole of the foot is quite rare. Nevertheless, deep vein thrombosis of the leg typically leads to pain in the sole of the foot. These can typically be aggravated by pressure on the sole of the foot, especially on the inside.This is known in clinical practice as the “Payr sign” and is an uncertain sign of the presence of venous thrombosis.

The Homans and Meyer signs are also not conclusive, but are nevertheless considered to be characteristic of thrombosis. A positive Meyer’s sign can cause pressure pain when the calf is squeezed. A positive Homans sign, on the other hand, is seen when pain in the calf occurs when the tip of the foot is passively pulled towards the head. It should be noted that these signs only occur in about half of all leg vein thromboses.

Pain while lying down

Leg vein thrombosis occurs particularly in the absence of exercise. In some cases, a flight lasting several hours or a long car journey is sufficient. A particular risk for the development of a thrombosis is lying down for long periods, as can be the case, for example, if you are confined to bed due to illness.

The reason for this is that the blood flow of the venous leg vessels is slowed down when lying down, so that thrombi can form more frequently. In combination with other risk factors, such as a lack of fluid or blood vessels damaged by smoking, the risk of thrombosis increases significantly. Deep leg vein thromboses often present a characteristic clinical picture.

These include swelling of the calf associated with pain and overheating of the leg due to blood congestion. These complaints can be alleviated by elevating the leg, as this promotes the drainage of blood from the leg. Lying down can therefore also provide relief in cases of existing thrombosis.