Foot and ankle complaints result in more than 5.3 million visits to doctors each year. Foot pain can result from overuse, traumatic injury such as a fall, or from diseases such as diabetes. Click a link below to learn more about common foot and ankle problems:

Arthritis

Bunions

Contracture

Diabetes-related foot conditions

Foot and ankle instability

Fractures

Growth plate injuries

Hammer toes

Heel spurs

Neuromas

Osteoarthritis

Pediatric and congenital deformities of the feet

Plantar fasciitis

Shin splints

Soft tissue and bone tumors

Spasticity

Sprains/strains

Stress fractures

Tendonitis

Arthritis is the wearing away of the protective tissue layer that covers the bone ends inside joints. This layer acts as a shock absorber. As it wears, the joint becomes achy, swollen and eventually deformed. Arthritis can occur at any age after an injury to a joint.

Bunions are misaligned big toe joints. These joints become swollen and tender, causing the first joint of the big toes to slant outward and the second joint to slant inward at an sharp angle. Bunions affect more women than men. Although a tendency to have bunions can run in families, wearing poor-fitting shoes (that are pointy, too narrow or too tight) can cause bunions. Treatment varies according to the severity of the deformity and the pain it causes, and can range from anti-inflammatory medication and new shoes with orthotic inserts to surgery.

Contracture is painful deformity of a joint resulting from continued muscle shortening ( spasticity). When a muscle is not regularly put through its full range of motion, its tendons shorten. This makes stretching the muscle even more difficult, setting up a cycle of even more shortening and decreased stretch. The muscle may develop fibrous scar tissue, further preventing full range of motion.

Diabetes-related foot conditions include Charcot foot, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, poor circulation and ulcers. These conditions are complications of diabetes and, if left untreated, can lead to amputation. Charcot foot is a form of arthritis that causes rapid degeneration of foot bones, muscles and ligaments. It usually occurs in conjunction with neuropathy (damaged nerves). Diabetic neuropathy affects the nerves in your foot and may leave your feet unable to feel pain, heat and cold. Poor circulation is poor blood flow in the feet as a result of narrowed blood vessels. This condition reduces the amount of oxygen and nutrients that get to your feet, which can make injuries heal more slowly. Ulcers are sores caused by too much pressure on a part of your foot. These sores may go undetected because of neuropathy, and may not heal properly because of poor circulation. People with diabetes must take especially good care of their feet because their disease puts them at risk for these conditions. That means wearing proper footwear, bathing feet daily, protecting feet from injury, working to improve circulation and having feet checked regularly by a doctor. Einstein’s Diabetes Foot Care Program helps people with diabetes and peripheral vascular disease monitor their health of their feet.

Foot and ankle instability is a condition in which ligaments in the foot and ankle don’t provide consistent support to foot and ankle bones. That is, they have a tendency to give way. Instability often results when ligaments don’t heal well after a sprain or other injury. Your foot and ankle may feel sore, swollen and unstable. Treatment may include physical therapy, wearing a brace or special boot and in severe cases, surgical reconstruction.

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Fractures are breaks in bones. Broken bones can result from falls, accidents or traumatic injuries. Severe breaks may require surgery to repair. However, most fractures are treated by immobilizing broken bones in casts or splints until they have grown back together.

Growth plate injuries are essentially fractures that occur in children and teens. A growth plate is an area of growing tissue at the ends of long bones such as arms and legs. The plates determine the future length and shape of mature bones; they close during adolescence to form permanent bone. About half of all growth plate injuries affect the outer bone of the forearm at the wrist. Growth plate injuries are usually caused by a fall or blow to a limb, however, overuse (a young pitcher continually practicing his fastball) can cause chronic problems. These injuries are treated with a combination of methods that may include casting, surgery and exercise or physical therapy.

Hammer toes are a toe deformity in which the middle joint of a toe has a permanent sideways bend in it. Tight shoes can aggravate hammer toes and cause pain. Hammer toes are usually treated by wearing shoes that fit over the deformity, sometimes with orthotic inserts. Badly deformed toes may need to be straightened through surgery.

Heel spurs are abnormal growths on the heel bone. Heel spurs result from calcium deposits that form when tissue (plantar fascia) that runs from heel to forefoot pulls away from the heel area. This condition is often seen in people with flat feet, but can also be caused by obesity or poor shoe choices. Treatments can include wearing better-fitting shoes and using orthotic inserts, stretching exercises and losing weight.

Neuromas are painful buildups of extra tissue in nerves. They usually result when a nerve between the third and fourth toes is pinched. This can happen when too-tight shoes press foot bones together. Treatment usually involves wearing wider shoes and taking anti-inflammatory medicines. Very painful neuromas may require cortisone injections to relieve inflammation and pain. If the condition doesn’t clear up, you may need surgery to remove the extra tissue.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis ( Osteo is Greek for bone; arthritis means joint inflammation.) Osteoarthritis (OA) is an inevitable part of aging and can affect any joint. It usualy develops after age 45; about half of men and women over age 65 have it to some degree. OA is caused in part by wear and tear on a joint over time. It develops as cartilage – smooth tissue that cushions bones and keeps them from rubbing against each other – breaks down. This leads to joints becoming painful, warm to the touch, reddened and swollen. When the cushioning system of the joint is lost, the bones may grind painfully against each other. The joint can begin to stiffen, and movment is impaired. OA typically strikes the weight-bearing joints (knees, hips, back, feet); hands; and spine. The knee is the most commonly affected joint.

Pediatric and congenital deformities of the feet refer to conditions in which the foot is twisted out of a normal position. Congenital means something you are born with. One example of a congenital foot deformity is clubfoot— a condition in which the sole of an infant’s foot is turned inward and the heel is turned upward. Deformities can also be acquired through illnesses. For instance, some children with cerebral palsy or another neuromuscular disorder may present with cavovarus foot— a condition in which the heel flexes, the arch is very high and the toes curl up. Foot deformities may be treated with casting, bracing or with surgery.

Plantar fasciitis is inflammation caused by excessive stretching of the tissue (plantar fascia) that runs along the bottom of the foot. This excessive stretching can result from flat feet, high-arched feet, obesity, a sudden increase in physical activity or improperly fitting shoes. Symptoms of plantar fasciitis include pain on the bottom of your foot, near the inside where your heel and arch meet. Treatments can include wearing properly fitting shoes and using orthotic inserts, doing stretching exercises and losing weight.

hin splints is an overuse injury that frequently affects athletes such as runners and figure skaters. It’s characterized by pain and tenderness in the front of the lower legs during or after exercise. Shin splints can occur as a result of wearing improper footwear during exercise or exercising on hard surfaces. Treatments can include ice, anti-inflammatory medicine, reducing intensity of exercise temporarily, stretching exercises, orthotic devices and physical therapy.

Soft tissue and bone tumors in the feet are not very common. Most are non-cancerous, and can include bone cysts, plantar fibromatosis (tumor on the fascia, a band of tissue that runs from the bottom of your heel to your toes), and fat-cell tumors. Malignant tumors may arise from a bone cancer or may occur as a result of cancer spreading from elsewhere in the body.

Spasticity is involuntary, jerky movement of muscles that remain abnormally contracted (shortened or flexed) for long periods of time. It is a common aftereffect of neurological disease and brain or spinal cord injury. Symptoms of spasticity can range from slight muscle stiffness to deformity and permanent muscle shortening ( contracture). Clonus (rapid, repetitive muscle spasm) is also possible. Spasticity can be painful, especially if it pulls joints into abnormal positions or prevents normal range of motion. Spasticity can interfere with your ability to dress, eat and do many of the activities of daily living. Treatments may include physical therapy, muscle-relaxing medications, splinting or surgery.

Sprains/strains are two different injuries, although both are the result of forcing a joint past its normal range of motion. Sprains occur when ligaments that connect bone to bone are overstretched, resulting in swelling, pain and even bruising. Jammed fingers, twisted knees, and twisted ankles are common examples of sprains. Strains, also called muscle pulls, refer to an overstretching of a muscle or tendon that causes the muscle to actually tear. Strains usually occur when a muscle is stretched too fast.

Stress fractures are an overuse injury. These occur when muscles are too tired to absorb any more shock, so the stress transfers to the bone and creates a tiny crack. Stress fractures can often result from increasing the amount or intensity of an activity too quickly. Most stress fractures occur in the lower legs and the foot.

Tendonitis is inflammation or irritation of a tendon. Tendons are the thick fibrous cords that attach muscles to bones. They transmit the power generated by a muscle contraction to move bones. Tendonitis is usually temporary and occurs mainly as result of overuse.

Reviewed for clinical accuracy by Gene W. Shaffer and Joseph N. Daniel, DO.