Aching feet

Shanthini hates the mornings. Every day, for the past few months, she has severe pain when she gets out of bed and her feet touch the ground. The pain is particularly bad over the heels. She has to hobble around for a few minutes before the pain becomes bearable. Shanthini is not alone. Many women develop aching feet as they grow older. In fact, more women seek medical help for aching feet than men. Women’s unforgiving footwear fashions may contribute quite a bit to painful feet.

The foundation for the body

Your feet are the foundation for your entire body. With 28 bones and 35 joints, the foot is a marvelous piece of anatomy. It is designed to support the tremendous impact and absorb the shock of every footstep we take. For years, we walk and run on it and constantly put pressure on it. Your feet deserve all the care and attention that you can lavish on them, to enjoy a lifetime of painless locomotion. As women grow older or become overweight, they tend to develop pain in their feet.

Many muscles, ligaments and tendons surround the bones of the foot. Ligaments are strong connective tissues that join bones. Muscles help the foot move and provide padding, especially along the sole of the foot. Many of the foot muscles are in four layers along the sole of the foot. Tendons are similar to ligaments but connect muscles to bones.

Causes of foot pain

Pain can affect any part of the foot, including the ankle, heel, sole, arch and toes. The cause of foot pain can be a local one or a result of another disease. For example, diabetes can result in damaged, painful feet. Gout can present as swelling and inflammation of the big toe.

Ill-fitting shoes are the prime causes of painful feet. They can result in a callus which is an area of hard skin that forms on the foot from excess pressure. Similarly, a corn is an area of hard skin that forms on the toes. A bunion occurs when compression forces the big toe joint to enlarge and turns the big toe toward the other toes. A painful, reddened area forms near the joint. Bunions can be caused by tight or high-heeled shoes that compress the toes.  Flat feet may contribute to bunions. Hammertoe occurs when compression forces the lesser toes to bend over in a claw shape, shortening their tendons. They are usually caused by shoes that compress the toes. Conditions that affect the muscles and nerves, such as diabetes and arthritis, may contribute to the development of hammertoe. Metatarsalgia is pain in the ball of the foot, which may be caused by bunions, hammertoes, poorly fitting shoes or high-impact athletics such as running.