Why do I have pain in the arch of my foot?

When it comes to foot pain, it can sometimes be difficult to tell when it’s appropriate to visit your foot doctors in Calgary, and when you’ve just had a particularly hard workout.

At Dalhousie Station Foot Clinic, our foot doctors know that part of helping you take care of your feet involves educating our patients about how their feet work and what constitutes serious foot pain.

One part of the foot that is particularly useful to know about is the arch, as pain in your arch can often build slowly over time, and you may only notice it when something has been wrong for a while. As you might have guessed, your arches are the middle part of the foot that, for the majority of people, doesn’t touch the ground if you’re standing up. As your foot doctors in Calgary might put it, the arch refers to the tarsal and metatarsal bones that are between your toes and your ankles and the ligaments and tendons that support those bones. When everything is going well, your arches make a little room for the elastic parts of your foot to effectively do their job. Like the suspension on a car, impacts on your foot are less severe on your body if there’s a little bit of a cushion to absorb them.

What causes arch pain?

There are a lot of different causes of arch pain and, of course, if your arches are hurting severely or for more than a day or two, you should visit a Calgary foot clinic to be sure nothing is seriously wrong. A few common reasons for arch pain include:

• Flat Feet

Although most people are born with arches, some aren’t. For most people, it really doesn’t affect their lives significantly. For a small percentage, however, flat feet can be extremely painful.

• Bad Shoes

While a good pair of shoes can do a lot to support your feet, a bad pair (or a good one that’s simply worn out) can also do a lot to damage them. New shoes or orthotics from a professional Calgary podiatrist can help.

• Plantar Fasciitis

One of the most common causes of foot pain, plantar fasciitis occurs when one of the main parts of your arch, the plantar fascia, gets small cuts on it due to overuse and becomes inflamed. Shockwave treatment can often be helpful for this condition.

• Sprains and Strains

About 60% of all foot injuries, according to the Canadian Federation of Podiatric Medicine are sprains and strains in the foot. If they’re severe or the pain doesn’t go away within a day or so you should consult a doctor.

• Back and Hip Pain

Believe it or not, some hip and back pain is actually a foot problem. Because your feet are your point of contact with the ground, if they don’t distribute the impact of walking correctly, it can affect your knee and back too.

What can I do about my arch pain?

At Dalhousie Station Foot Clinic, we offer a variety of diagnostic and treatment options. From orthotics to shockwave treatment, our foot doctors in Calgary can help you take control of your health. Contact us at our foot clinic today to find out more about how you can be pain free.