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Everyone suffers from aching feet from time to time. Often, the pain is due to ill-fitting shoes, excessive use, blisters, or some other temporary condition. Obesity and structural abnormalities such as bunions also cause foot pain.

Acute foot pain that develops suddenly is often a consequence of an injury such as a strain, sprain, dislocation, or even a fracture. Some circulatory disorders also produce foot pain, particularly after walking or running. While most cases of foot pain are not serious and many can be self-treated, sometimes this symptom is a warning sign of a more significant health problem.

Causes of foot pain

Arthritis
Both degenerative and rheumatoid arthritis, the two most common rheumatic disorders, can cause severe pain in the toe joints as a result of inflammation. The affected joints are likely to feel tender and to be red, warm, and swollen. Gout, a less common form of arthritis, is most likely to attack the big toe, producing acute inflammation and excruciating pain that usually comes on suddenly.

Buerger's disease
This condition leads to the blockage of small and medium-sized arteries, usually in the legs and feet, as a result of inflammation of the blood vessels. It usually develops among people who smoke cigarettes, and is rare among nonsmokers. There may be intermittent pain in the instep, especially when exercising. Sometimes, painful ulcers appear on the toes.

Bunions
Bunions are deformities of the base or side of the big toe, resulting in inflammation, swelling, and protrusion. They are more common among women than men. Although their basic cause is believed to be genetic, they are exacerbated by wearing high-heeled or pointed shoes that force the toes into an abnormal position.

Corns and calluses
A corn is a thickening or bump of the outer layer of skin, usually appearing over bony areas such as toe joints. Calluses, which also result in skin thickening, are caused by repeated pressure or irritation, usually on the sole of the foot.

Corns are more likely to be tender and painful than calluses.

Heel spurs
A heel spur is a hard, bony growth in the tissue of the heel that causes pain and difficulty walking. The pain and tenderness are felt in the sole of the foot, beneath the heel bone. The usual cause is stress or injury to the heel tissues, which leads to inflammation and calcification of foot ligaments.

Infections
The foot is vulnerable to infection, especially if circulation is compromised. For example, people with diabetes have an increased risk of foot infections due to decreased circulation in the lower legs. Infections sometime develop beneath calluses and go unnoticed until they reach an advanced stage — a situation that is particularly serious for a person with diabetes. Athlete's foot and other fungal infections thrive in the foot's warm, moist environment. Meticulous foot hygiene is essential in both the prevention and treatment of foot infections.

Morton's neuroma
An ache or a tender area over the ball of the foot may indicate a benign tumor called Morton's neuroma, which develops on a nerve leading to the toes. Sometimes the pain is experienced as a tingling or burning sensation, or it may feel like a marble or pebble is inside the ball of the foot.

Sport-specific shoes can help minimize some foot pain.

Sever's disease
This disorder often develops during the adolescent growth spurt. The pain is centered in the heel and is a result of inflammation of the cartilage that eventually hardens to form the heel bone. The pain may persist for months, but it eventually disappears as the heel bone fuse into a single unit.

Warts
A plantar wart is caused by a virus in the outer layer of the skin on the sole of the foot. Plantar warts can make walking painful and usually require medical treatment. Dermatologists and podiatrists remove them using a number of techniques, including paring, laser surgery, electric cauterization, or application of a caustic medication.