The most common causes of heel pain are plantar fasciitis and bruised heel. Plantar fasciitis is very common and involves inflammation of the plantar fascia or arch of the foot. If you have pain on the top of the foot, then extensor tendinitis or metatarsal fracture are both common. Ball of foot pain can be sesamoiditis (pain at the base of the big toe) or metatarsalgia which is a general term for pain around the joints in the forefoot.
Common Symptoms:
- Pain developed gradually
- Pain increases with exercise
- Pain at the back of the heel
- Tender to touch the heel bone
- Swelling
- Red and warm to the touch
- Footwear rubs and aggravates the pain
- Pain eases with rest
- Pain after exercise
- Sudden onset of pain
- Bruising
- Tingling or numbness
- Deformity
- Pain on the outer midfoot
- Pain on the outer ankle
- Tender to touch on the outer midfoot
- Pain when running a curve
- Reduced ankle movement
- Pain on weight bearing
- Tender to touch on the outer ankle
- Tenderness when pressing the Achilles tendon
- Nodules or lumps felt in the Achilles tendon
- Pain worse in the morning
- Pain at the back of the ankle
- Stiffness in the mornings
- Clicking, catching, or locking
- Pain when the ankle is forced into plantar flexion (downward)
- Pain inside the ankle joint
- Inability to weight bear
- Pain in the shin
- Pain the morning after exercise
- Tender to press just inside the shin bone
- Pain on stretching the shin muscles
- Pain when starting exercise which fades throughout
- Pain when pressing a specific point on the bone
- Pain on the outer leg
- Weakness when lifting the foot upward
- Constant pain
- Pain at the front of the ankle
- Pain when lifting the foot up against resistance
- No pain
- Foot drop
- Pain in the Achilles tendon
- A popping/snapping sound or sensation
- A gap may be felt in the Achilles tendon
- Inability to stand on tip toes
- No foot movement when squeezing the calf muscles (Thompson’s test)
- Pain when rising onto tip toes
- Pain in the calf
- Tight calf muscles
- Tender to press into the calf muscles
- Pain when stretching the calf muscles
- Decreased sensitivity in the front/side of the leg or top of the foot
- Spasm of the muscles
- Pain in the back of the knee
- Pain when pressing the inner top of the calf muscles
- A hard area in the calf muscles
- Pain on the inner ankle
- Pain when pointing the foot down
- Pain on kicking a ball
- Tender when pressing in the front of the ankle
- A bony lump at the front of the ankle
- Pain when pushing the foot outward against resistance
- Pain when turning the sole of the foot in against resistance
- Tender to touch the inner ankle
- History of tibialis posterior injuries
- A fallen arch
- Pain when the ankle is forced into dorsiflexion (upward)
- Tender to touch the ankle bone
Plantar Faciitis
Heel Spur
Bruised Heel
Achilles Bursitis
Sever’s Disease
Achilles Tendinopathy
Broken Toe
Navicular Stress Fracture
Morton’s Neuroma
Metatarsalgia
Hallus Rigidus
Ingrown Toenail
Black Toenail
Metatarsal Fracture
Extensor Tendonitis
Getting a Diagnosis for your foot and heel pain
If you have tingling, numbness, or pain in your foot or heel, see a doctor. He or she will take your medical history, examine you, and possibly perform tests. These may include X-rays, imaging scans, or blood tests. After the examination, the pain management doctors and pain management professionals at Comprehensive Centers For Pain Management will clearly explain to you the condition, possible sources of your pain, and which pain treatment will help alleviate your pain along with possible course of action and next steps.
Our providers will help determine the best course of action to help you with your foot and heel pain.