Foot Pain

Ankle Pain Overview

Foot pain can be a difficult problem to deal with. Because there are many foot bones, tendons, ligaments, and nerves, there are many different foot injuries and conditions. An appointment with a Board-certified and Fellowship-Trained Carolina Orthopaedic and Neurosurgical Associates’ (CONA) is the best way to find the cause of foot pain and properly treat it.

Symptoms & Causes

Foot pain typically is worse when bearing weight. Other symptoms that may accompany foot pain include:

• Bruising
• Soreness
• Swelling
• Tingling
• Weakness

Common causes of foot pain include but are not limited to:

• Arthritis
• Bone spurs
• Broken bone(s)
• Diabetic neuropathy
• Gout
• Metatarsalgia
• Plantar fasciitis
• Stress fractures
• Tarsal tunnel syndrome
• Tendonitis

Common Treatments:

A variety of nonsurgical treatment options are available. After a thorough evaluation, a CONA hip specialist may recommend:

• Activity modification
• Immobilization (a cast, splint, boot or hard sole shoe)
• Medications
• Orthotics
• Shoe changes
• Rest, ice, compression, elevation

Surgery may be recommended to treat foot pain that does not respond to nonsurgical treatment. CONA foot and ankle specialists perform all minimally invasive and traditional surgical foot and ankle procedures.

Diagnosis:

Finding the foot pain cause is the first step towards symptom relief. A CONA foot and ankle specialist:

• Obtains a detailed medical history, including injuries and medical conditions
• Performs a thorough foot physical examination
• Orders and analyzes medical imaging studies (x-rays, MRIs, CT scans)

After the foot pain cause is found, an official diagnosis is made and an appropriate treatment plan is prescribed.