21 May What’s Causing Pain On The Inside Of My Foot?
Pain in the arch, heels and through the inside of the foot is by far one of the most common problems we see and treat. So today, our podiatrists have shared some of the common diagnoses we uncover when assessing pain on the inside of the foot.
If you’d like more information on any of these conditions or how we treat them, get in touch! We’re always here to help.
Plantar Fasciitis
Your plantar fascia is a thick connective tissue band that starts at your heel and then spreads across your foot like a fan to connect to all five toes. The plantar fascia helps support the function of the foot, while helping it maintain its shape, strength and flexibility. When the plantar fascia is overloaded, it can sustain micro-tears and become damaged, inflamed and painful. This is called plantar fasciitis and you can read more about it here.
Abductor Hallucis Tendinopathy
Your abductor hallucis is a muscle that runs along the inside border of the foot, from the heel to the big toe. It helps to move the big toe sideways (like when you splay your feet to grip onto the ground) and supports your arch with every step you take, among other technical functions related to your foot biomechanics. When the abductor hallucis is overloaded, it can become damaged, like any other muscle. This is known as abductor hallucis tendinopathy. Interestingly, this condition is often overlooked and misdiagnosed because its symptoms closely resemble that of plantar fasciitis.
Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD)
Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD) describes the damage to a tendon called the posterior tibial tendon, which travels down the side of our lower leg, crosses the inside of our ankle, and attaches to the underside of the foot. The posterior tibial tendon plays a very important role in the structure of our foot and arch, as well as helping support healthy and pain-free movement every time we take a step. When the tendon is repetitively overloaded and strained, damage and inflammation occur, and the tendon can become unable to carry out its role.
Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome
Tarsal tunnel syndrome produces pain, numbness, tingling or burning sensations on the bottom of the foot, often around the heel. It occurs when a prominent nerve (the posterior tibial nerve) is compressed when it passes through a dedicated space near the inside of the ankle called the tarsal tunnel, named after the tarsal bones of the foot where the tunnel is located. Learn more about what causes tarsal tunnel syndrome, its symptoms, and how to treat it here.
Accessory Navicular
Your navicular bone is located on the inside border of your foot, just a little further up from the ankle joint.
An accessory navicular is a small but solid ‘extra’ bone that appears next to the navicular, usually occurring as the bones grow and develop, without a distinct cause. An accessory navicular is often embedded in the posterior tibial tendon, which plays a major role in walking, turning the foot inwards, and enabling you to stand on your tip-toes. Studies have shown that accessory naviculars are more common in women, and often develop in both feet. When symptomatic, pain develops in the arch and is exacerbated by weight-bearing activities like walking and running.
Fractures
Stress fractures occur from excess pressure and stress to a bone over time, forming micro-cracks that grow bigger if the pressure isn’t managed and offloaded. This pain tends to be gradual at first, feeling more like a niggle or dull ache, and progressing to a sharper and more intense pain as the injury worsens.
In avulsion fractures, a small piece of bone is pulled off and separated due to the strain from an attaching tendon or ligament. The most common site for this to happen in the foot is at the fifth metatarsal, which is the bony bump you feel when you move your fingers along the outer border of your foot. These often occur alongside sprains and other traumatic injuries.
Experiencing burning, pins and needles, or numbness? Consider diabetes
Diabetes can also cause painful symptoms on the inside of the foot, alongside neural symptoms including numbness and tingling, pins and needles, burning pains, shooting pains and more. If you have diabetes and are experiencing any of these symptoms anywhere in your feet, come in and see our team.
So, which of these is the cause of your foot or arch pain?
The specific diagnosis – and the reason behind it – can vary significantly from person to person, and the number of causes of the pain is far more than we’ve listed here today. While it’s a great idea to start getting an understanding of what the problem could be, it’s more important to get a professional diagnosis so you can start implementing the right treatment.
Too often we see people trying to (unsuccessfully) treat the wrong problem, resulting in wasted time and money – and at times leading to the original problem worsening as it was never properly addressed and treated.
To book your appointment with our experienced podiatry team here in the Wairarapa, call us on 06 370 4057 or book your appointment online here.