Anatomy of the foot

The foot is one of the most complex parts of the body. It is made up of 26 bones connected by many joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. The foot is susceptible to many stresses. Foot problems can cause pain, inflammation, or injury. These problems can result in limited movement and mobility.

What are the different types of foot problems?

Foot pain is often caused by improper foot function. Poorly fitting shoes can worsen and, in some cases, cause foot problems. Shoes that fit properly and give good support can prevent irritation to the foot joints and skin. There are many types of foot problems that affect the heels, toes, nerves, tendons, ligaments, and joints of the foot.

The symptoms of foot problems may look like other medical conditions and problems. Always see your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.

In an ideal runner's world, every step of every mile would be 100 percent pain-free. No aches, no twinges, no lingering soreness from yesterday's workout. The reality is that many runners constantly deal with a slight (or not so slight) disturbance—a tender foot, a tight hamstring, a whiny knee. While these nagging issues often aren't serious enough to require a time-out, they are annoying, especially when they don't let you fully enjoy your time on the roads.

Pronation neutral and supination placements of the right ankle. The ankle and foot naturally pronate and supinate by about 5 degrees while walking or running. The red arrows indicate excessive pronation.

In general, overuse injuries are the result of repetitive impact between the foot and the ground. With improper running form, the force of the impact can be distributed abnormally throughout the feet and legs. 

Foot and ankle injuries are common. They can be caused by a serious accident, sports, work, or something that occurs in daily life. If not diagnosed in a timely fashion or thoroughly treated, they can be debilitating, inconvenient and costly. Serious injuries can result in time off of work and the need for significant rehabilitation. 

If you've experienced one or more foot or ankle injuries, learning the causes, most common types, and how to effectively treat these injuries can help you get back to work, sports, and everyday activities.

 Physical activity is becoming an increasingly popular lifestyle choice as people are encouraged to make healthier choices. Extreme sports, such as running marathons, have become mainstream, resulting in a higher incidence of training injuries that stem from individuals with previously low levels of activity prepping for high-intensity workouts. Primary health care providers must diagnose and manage many common lower extremity injuries and refer severe injuries to specialists. This article will focus on the evaluation, diagnosis, and management of 4 common foot and ankle injuries.

Some Basics...

• There are many ways that people can injure their foot or ankle.
• There are also many types of foot and ankle injuries. There are bones, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and muscles in the foot and ankle. These can all be injured.
• Treatment depends on the type of injury a person has. A doctor will know the right way to treat a foot or ankle injury.

By Prevention

Jun 22, 2014

The American Podiatric Medical Association reports that an overwhelming majority of Americans—75%—experience problems with their feet at some point during their lifetimes. It’s no wonder, considering the complexity of the foot. Each foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments, 19 muscles, and many tendons that hold the foot together and help it move in various directions. The average person takes 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day, at times putting so much pressure on the feet that it exceeds his or her body weight. Amazingly, it’s not really the workout that batters feet, it’s most often a combination of ill-fitting shoes and neglect. Fortunately, much can be done to ease foot pain. Here’s what our experts recommend to treat foot pain.

Whether it’s back pain, neck pain, or knee pain, most of us have dealt with bodily discomfort from day-to-day life or a workout gone wrong. But often, we overlook our feet and underestimate just how much they endure—from standing all day to running marathons or doing an intense HIIT workout, we put them through a lot. And whether that results in ankle sprains or blisters, foot injuries can sideline you from your workouts in a flash. Let’s look at the most common foot injuries and how to treat them so you can get back on your feet—and back to your workouts ...