As a Canadian Certified Pedorthist who sees many different foot conditions each day, I don’t believe any condition is greater than another. Foot pain is foot pain and nobody should have to live with it. I am trained to figure out the cause and solution to foot pain and seeing my patients feel and move better following treatment is one of my favourite parts of my job.
Each day, the average person stands for up to five hours and walks about 10,000 steps with their feet serving as a shock absorber.  As each foot has 26 bones, 33 joints, 20 ligaments and more than 100 muscles there are many different parts absorbing the shock from the daily pounding. If any of these parts are damaged through overuse, medical conditions, injuries or poor fitting footwear, pain and mobility issues will result.

The most common problems I see in my clinic are:

  • Plantar Fasciitis – heel pain
  • Heel Spurs – bony growths on the back or bottom of the heel
  • Achilles Tendonitis – dull pain near the heel or along the back of the leg
  • Metatarsalgia – forefoot/ball of foot pain
  • Neuromas – a painful bundle of nerve tissue that grows between the toes
  • Stress Fractures – a tiny crack in the bone
  • Sesamoiditis – inflammation under the big toe joint
  • Bunions – a hard red bump at the base of the big toe
  • Hammertoes– toes that have an irregular, permanent bend in the joint
  • Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome – pain along the inner leg behind the ankle bone
  • Haglands Deformity – a bony enlargement on the back of the heel
  • Corns and callusing – painful patches of thickened skin

In addition to these conditions, I also regularly see patients living with diabetes, arthritis, fibromyalgia and gout as these diseases affect the feet and lower limbs.
As you can see, there are many causes of foot pain so it’s important to seek professional advice to determine the cause of, and an appropriate treatment program for, your foot pain. Treatment options to reduce foot pain and increase mobility, include foot orthotics, footwear recommendations and modifications, stretching, icing and more.
If you think you have any of the above conditions, don’t self-treat. Book an appointment with a Canadian Certified Pedorthist in your community. Your Pedorthist will conduct a comprehensive assessment of your feet and lower limbs to determine the cause of your pain and will design a treatment program for you. Click here to find a Canadian Certified Pedorthist near you https://pedorthic.ca/find-a-pedorthist/
 By Mike Neugebauer C. Ped (C) Vancouver, BC