Foot pain between heel and toe: causes and treatment

Unpleasant sensations on the plantar of the foot periodically happen to everyone. They rarely bother some people, for example, after a long walk in uncomfortable shoes. In others, pain in the foot between the heel and the toe is observed frequently or continuously. In any case, you should know that unpleasant sensations appear not just like that, but for some reason. To find out why there is pain in the foot between the heel and the toe when walking or at rest, you must consult a doctor and undergo diagnostic procedures. In some cases, to eliminate discomfort, it is enough to just change shoes, in others, surgical intervention is required. Therefore, it is very important to find out the cause of the appearance of unpleasant sensations.

What to do if foot pain occurs?

The foot is the part of the leg that comes in contact with the surface when walking. It consists of many bones, joints and ligaments. Also, to ensure motor function and to maintain the arches, there is plantar fascia and muscles. In addition, adipose tissue is present in this part of the body. It is needed in order to help the bones and ligaments maintain the weight of the body. If there is pain in the foot between the heel and the toe, then the cause of its appearance may be any of the anatomical formations. Unpleasant sensations appear when damage to bones, ligaments, muscles or fascia. Also, pain occurs under the influence of external factors affecting the foot (incorrect position of the leg, squeezing shoes). To stop the discomfort, enough to get rid of such irritants. If the pain in the foot does not go away after this, it is necessary to look for other reasons for its appearance. In this case, seek medical attention.

Foot pain between heel and toe: causes

There are many etiological factors that can lead to pain in the foot area. Among them: injuries of the skeletal system, stretching of muscle tissue, inflammatory lesions, pinching of nerves, etc. Also, pain in the foot between the heel and toe can cause joint pathologies. In addition, discomfort is often associated with circulatory disorders. It can be both temporary (with compression of the foot) and permanent. The following causes of the development of unpleasant sensations are considered the most common:

1. Plantar fasciitis. This disease develops due to improper walking - excessive turning of the foot inward (pronation). Fascia of the sole consists of connective tissue, it starts from the heel and ends in the metatarsal bones. An irregular gait (pronation) is formed if the plantar ligaments are stretched. People prone to fasciitis often are overweight or have great physical exertion (running, long distance walking). Also, the disease can be inflammatory in nature.
2. The appearance of the heel spur. The pain in the foot between the heel and the toe with this pathology has a strong intensity. This disease is a consequence of plantar fasciitis.
3. Metatarsalgia is pain caused by age-related changes in the foot.
4. Inflammation of the joints of the sole - arthritis.
5. Flat feet. This disorder usually occurs in early childhood. The cause of improper foot formation is often rickets - a lack of calcium in the child's body.
6. Injuries. These include fractures and fissures of bones, dislocation of joints.
7. Obesity. Overweight often leads to the development of irregular gait, flat feet.
8. Excessive stress on the foot.
9. Wearing tight and tight shoes. Also, unpleasant sensations can provoke a long stay in high heels.
10. Pathology of blood vessels and nerves.

Heel pain with heel spur

Heel spur is a solid formation that appears on the tendons of the foot. It consists of bone tissue. Having appeared, the spur begins to grow gradually. This disease is one of the most common causes of foot pain. The heel spur develops due to the strong stretching of the plantar fascia. In addition, the cause of its appearance is considered overweight. With a small education, the patient is disturbed by pain in the foot between the heel and the toe in the morning - after the person gets out of bed. Also, discomfort occurs after a long sitting. In the case when the heel spur has reached a large size, the pain is constantly disturbing. It is present not only when standing up and resting on the foot, but also when walking.

Flat feet and pain in the foot

Another cause of pain is a flat foot. This pathology is often asymptomatic, but sometimes accompanied by unpleasant sensations. The mechanism of development of this disease consists in lowering the arch of the foot down - towards the sole. Most often, this pathology occurs in childhood, when the leg is just forming. Nevertheless, pain in the foot between the heel and the toe with flat feet can appear in an adult. Provoking factors are obesity and physical activity. Calcium deficiency in osteoporosis also contributes to the development of pathology.

The relationship of pain in the feet with physical activity

Often, unpleasant sensations in the sole can be caused by physical exertion. For example, after running or long walking there is a certain discomfort. The cause may be plantar fasciitis. That is, pain in the foot between the heel and the toe after running occurs due to sprain. Sometimes it goes by itself. But with constant physical exertion, the ligaments do not have time to bounce back. In this case, fasciitis of the sole develops. In addition, pain after exertion may be due to dislocation of the small joints of the foot. Another reason is inflammatory diseases of the ligaments and muscles. Also, discomfort often occurs with impaired circulation in the foot. Vascular lesions are often associated with varicose veins of the lower extremities and pathologies of the hematopoietic system.

The clinical picture in diseases of the feet

In addition to pain in the feet, each of the diseases mentioned above is accompanied by a number of symptoms. Inflammatory processes in the muscles are manifested by redness and swelling of the legs. If the pain is caused by pinching of the foot nerve, the patient may be disturbed by unpleasant sensations in the form of “shooting” of the arch of the foot or sole. Bone injuries are always accompanied by restriction of movements. With the appearance of a heel spur, pain accompanies every contact of the sole with the surface. You can also feel for a solid formation, if you press on the foot. With dislocation of the joints, a protrusion on the back appears. Arthritis of the large and small joints of the foot is characterized by signs of inflammation. Among them: swelling, hyperemia and fever at the site of the lesion.

Diagnosis of pain in the feet

Diagnosis of foot pathologies begins with a survey of the patient. The doctor asks how often the patient is disturbed by discomfort, after which they appear, with which he associates the onset of pain. If during the survey it turned out that there was a leg injury, fractures and dislocations should be excluded. To do this, an X-ray of the foot bones is performed. If the patient is overweight or indicates frequent physical activity, attention should be paid to the patient’s gait. In this case, plantar fasciitis is often diagnosed. Heel spur is determined on x-ray. Vascular diseases are diagnosed by ultrasound of arteries and veins of the lower extremities. Pathologies of the nerves are manifested by pressing on certain areas of the foot. Corns and peptic ulcers on the legs indicate wearing tight shoes.

Pain in the foot between the heel and the toe: how to treat pathology?

The choice of treatment depends on what caused the pain in the foot. In cases where unpleasant sensations bother only periodically or are associated with exercise, it is necessary to observe the correct regimen. First of all, it is important to pay attention to shoes. If it causes discomfort, then you need to change it. With flat feet, it is necessary to purchase special orthopedic insoles. It is equally important to organize rest for the legs. To do this, it is recommended to reduce physical activity, temporarily exclude running. If these measures do not lead to a positive result, you must seek the help of a specialist. In case of injuries and calcaneal spur, a surgeon should be visited. After examining and identifying the cause, he will prescribe medication, and in some cases he will recommend surgery. Sometimes the help of a neurologist is required. To relieve discomfort, prescribe painkillers: Ketonal, Nise. With joint inflammation, the medications “Artoxan” and “Diclofenac” are indicated. Treatment of neurological pathologies is carried out with the drugs "Melbek", "Neurobeks". Also, in some cases, massage treatments are needed.

Traditional medicine against foot pain

In addition, you should use folk methods to relieve pain in the foot between the heel and the toe. Treatment with infusions and decoctions will not eliminate the cause of the pathology, but it will help relieve unpleasant symptoms. In addition to taking medicines inside, it is recommended to make various lotions, as well as foot baths. They are made from leaves of linden blossom and mint (in equal proportions), nettle, plantain. After infusion, the broth is poured into a basin with water, where you should keep your feet for about 15 minutes. These procedures help relieve inflammation and relieve pain. Also used are compresses from honey and raw potatoes.

Prevention of foot pathologies

To prevent the appearance of pain in the foot, you must follow the following rules:

1. Wear comfortable and soft shoes.
2. Give the feet a "rest" after a long walk. To do this, take foot baths with water at room temperature, massage the soles.
3. Avoid excessive physical exertion.
4. To prevent obesity.
5. If a pathology of the foot is suspected, do not delay, but immediately seek medical help.