Foot Pain
Q: I recently started running as a way to stay in shape, but I've noticed a lot of foot pain. What's going on?
Affinity's medical expert is Dr. David Miller, a podiatrist for Affinity Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine.
A: Running is a great cardiovascular workout, but its excessive pounding can irritate or even damage feet, ankles and knees. There are a number of different variables working together when a person runs, such as running technique and surface, foot structure and footwear.
Proper footwear is vital to foot health. Runners need to wear shoes that have a wide toe box with more room for toes and the ball of the foot. Runners should be able to wiggle their toes in their shoes, and high-top laced shoes may give more foot and ankle support. Our feet swell when we work out. Foot size may vary half a size from the morning to the evening or after a day at work, so purchase shoes at the end of the day when feet are most swollen.
If pain develops, people should first locate where and when they have pain. Injuries are classified as either sudden acute injuries, like a sprain or break, or overuse injuries, such as tendonitis or stress fractures.
A common overuse injury is an irritation in the heel of the foot called retrocalcaneal bursitis, or swelling of the bursa. Pain usually worsens while wearing shoes and during activity and improves during rest. Overuse of the heel tendon, Achilles tendonitis, is another culprit of heel pain.
Poor foot structure such as a fallen arch or a narrow high arch can cause pain in the arch and the ball of the foot. Arch issues are usually treated with proper footwear, orthotic devices and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications.
Other structural problems such as hammer toe, where the toe is bent like a claw, or bunions, where the big toe bends towards the second toe causing a bump in the joint, can cause foot pain. Women are more prone to bunions, hammer toes and calluses because women’s shoes are usually designed for fashion rather than function.
For sudden injuries, runners should follow RICE (rest, ice, compress and elevate) to reduce pain and swelling. If mobility is extremely limited or there is a lack of movement in the foot, see your doctor.
Runners may need to have their running stride evaluated by their doctor or a running specialist. Improper techniques such as “running on your toes” or rolling into the arch can result in injury.
