According to the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC), about 75 percent of Americans will experience foot pain at some point. UMMC notes that foot pain primarily is caused by shoes that don't fit properly or that force the foot to conform to an unnatural shape, which is particularly common in women. Foot pain begins in one of three locations: the toes, the forefoot or the hindfoot.
Conventional Footwear
According to Dr. Ray McClanahan, a sports podiatrist based in Portland, Oregon, and a leader in conservative foot care, conventional footwear is responsible for the majority of foot- and ankle-related problems seen and treated in podiatrists' offices. McClanahan notes four specific design features built into conventional footwear that are problematic and contribute to foot and ankle problems, including heel elevation, toe spring, tapering toe boxes and rigid, inflexible soles. This quartet of design features places the foot in an unnatural position and immobilizes the foot's tissues and structures. Over time, people wearing shoes with these design features may experience foot deformations such as hallux valgus, bunions, hammertoes and claw toes, along with painful conditions such as plantar fasciosis and Morton's neuroma. McClanahan believes that the feet should be widest at the ends of the toes, not at the ball of the foot---which is the case with most shoe-wearing people. Compared to shod populations, the toes of Infants and people living in unshod cultures are straight and splayed.
Trauma
Traumatic injuries to the feet and ankles can cause significant pain. According to the Foot Health Facts website, one of the most common types of traumatic foot and ankle injury is a fracture. Traumatic fractures, also known as acute fractures, typically are caused by a direct blow, such as stubbing the toe or dropping a heavy object on the foot. Traumatic fractures can be displaced or non-displaced. Displaced fractures mean that the bone has been broken in such a way that it is dislocated or has changed position.
Another common type of traumatic foot and ankle injury is an inversion sprain. According to the Sports Injury Clinic website, a sprain involves the stretching or tearing of ligaments, and the most common ankle sprain is an inversion sprain, which occurs when the unguarded ankle forcefully rolls inward, damaging the ligaments on the outside of the ankle. The anterior talofibular ligament is the ligament most often damaged during this type of traumatic ankle injury.
Obesity
Obesity is a common cause of foot and ankle pain. According to the Foot & Ankle Center of Washington, foot and ankle problems are associated with a person's weight and body mass index (BMI). Individuals with an elevated BMI are more likely to experience foot and ankle problems. Even carrying 10 pounds of excess weight can lead to foot problems. While foot and ankle problems among people with obesity vary, pain often occurs in the ligaments and tendons in the foot and ankle's weight-bearing areas. Common foot problems associated with obesity include posterior tibial tendonitis, plantar fasciosis and arthritis. Because of the excess weight, the pressure exerted on foot structures are significantly higher in obese individuals, which can damage their foot and ankle joints. Foot and ankle pain can impair an obese individual's ability to exercise, which only leads to further weight gain and foot pain or discomfort.
