Arch pain is a common foot concern. It affects many, including runners and other athletes, but it can also occur in people who spend a lot of time on their feet. Flight attendants, healthcare professionals, retail and hospitality workers to name a few.

The human foot is one of the most commonly injured parts of the body. So it’s no surprise that the heel bone or Calcaneus Bone – the largest bone in the foot – is so frequently injured.

Ball of foot pain is oftentimes termed “Metatarsalgia”, because the long and graceful metatarsal bones contact the ground at the ball of the foot. The 5 metatarsal bones work together to help absorb impact and provide a “metatarsal arch”; however, excess impact, chronic misalignment of one or more of the metatarsals, and hereditary malformation of the metatarsals can create a condition in which the ball of your foot becomes painful and inflamed.

The foot is one of the most complex parts of the body. It’s made up of 26 bones connected by many joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. The foot is susceptible to many stresses. As such, foot problems can cause pain, inflammation, or injury.  The “normal” foot likely doesn’t exist, but we can strive for what is projected to be the most efficient and graceful alignment of the foot structure.

Hollow or Cavus Foot is a foot condition in which the foot has a very high arch. Because of this high arch and misalignment of the heel and ankle, an excessive amount of weight is placed on the ball of the foot, creating crooked toes, and usually callouses along the outer border of the foot and toes. Hollow foot can lead to a variety of symptoms including pain and instability.

This common foot condition occurs when the medial (inner) arch of the foot begins to collapse and can make near-complete contact with the ground during full weight bearing. Instead of a spring-loaded arch, the shock absorption of that arch is lost – and pain, arthritis, and deformity can result.

Bunions are enlargements of the joints in the outer toes. As the ball of the foot spreads and breaks down, the little toe and the big toe turn towards each other.  The big toe joint protrudes, and a hallux valgus (big toe turning and bending) bunion deformity occurs. Tailors’ bunions are an enlargement of the outer (5th) metatarsal joint at the base of the baby toe. Women are more likely to develop (and treat) bunions; this may be because of narrow shoes and a more proactive approach to foot health. 

When the muscles around the base of the toe joints get out of balance and misaligned, the toes can abnormally contract and bend in such a way they can become painful, red, and corns can form on high pressure joints of the affected toes. Hammertoes generally create a bend downward at the middle joints; over time the joint becomes frozen in place and crooked.

The foot is one of the most complex parts of the body. It’s made up of 26 bones connected by many joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. The foot is susceptible to many stresses. As such, foot problems can cause pain, inflammation, or injury.

Supination of the foot occurs when the body’s weight rolls onto the outer edges of the feet. In a normal gait, the foot should roll inward a bit (pronate) so that the weight is on the ball of the foot and you can push off the big toe.

Overpronation is used to describe the way your foot moves when you walk. In people who overpronate, the outer edge of the heel hits the ground first, and then the foot rolls inward onto the arch. This overly flattens the foot.

Plantar Fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel and foot pain. It involves the tough band of connective tissue (“Fascia”) that inserts into a relatively small area of the heel bone, and then fans out to connect around each of the five metatarsals. This normally creates a springy arch mechanism called a “windlass effect” whereby off weightbearing, the fascia has little tension in it – but then is tasked with maintaining the longitudinal arch from front to back when standing or walking. Stand Strong’s plantar fasciitis insoles are designed to help with this foot condition.

Many foot conditions like bunions, for example, are usually progressive in nature.  The misalignment of the toe joint gradually worsens as the muscular imbalance around the joint continues to pull the deformity into increasing misalignment (termed a subluxation, or a partial dislocation.)

High heels put more pressure on the balls of your feet, areas not designed to withstand high focal pressures.  Callous can form, as the skin tries to protect itself from the pressure. Inflammation and foot pain can aggravate the situation, creating a gait that resembles someone who is injured.

Morton’s neuroma is initially a reversible swelling of the nerve between two metatarsals in the ball of the foot.  It is generally thought that the space between the metatarsals has narrowed, pinching the nerve.  Over time, a chronic nerve “bulb” develops which usually requires treatment, like injections, acupuncture, or surgery. Early on, metatarsal pads, arch supports, and orthotics can all help.