5 Reasons the Front of Your Foot is Hurting
The front of the foot, also known as ‘the forefoot’, is a surprisingly complex structure that withstands a lot of pressure through it daily. This pressure is increased by several ways, and commonly leads to an injury that impacts every step of your day. Below are five common contributing factors to forefoot pain and a few tips to help you out.
As with all foot pain, a visit to the Podiatrist to get a diagnosis and treatment plan is the best way to prevent these niggles and keep you doing what you love, pain free.
1. Your shoes are too narrow
Tight footwear will squish the foot together and leads to higher pressures over a smaller surface area. You can easily assess if your shoes are wide enough by putting most of the weight onto one leg and feeling if your feet are pushing into the side of the shoe or hanging over the base of the shoe. It is also a clear sign of ill-fitting footwear if the first thing you want to do is throw your shoes off after a long day of work. Getting shoes that have plenty of width is a great way to reduce these pressures and decreases the chances of getting things like bunions and neuromas.
2. Your shoe’s heel is too high
High heels are great for keeping Podiatrists in a job, but the truth is, we would much rather see you out of them, or only in them for special events. With a high heel, the front of the foot takes on more of the body’s weight every step we take and can easily lead to injury. If heels are a necessary part of your wardrobe, it is encouraged to look for some with a platform or extra padding to cushion the foot and keep the angle of the heel lower.
3. Your runners are worn out
As our walking and running shoes are used, their materials break down and more pressure is found in certain areas. This is particularly true for runners who hit the pavement with the front and middle of the foot. Having a few different walking/running shoes in rotation is a great way to increase the lifespan of your shoes and regularly checking your footwear for aggressive wear patterns will tell you when it is time to get down to the shops for some fresh kicks.
4. Your ankle joint range is restricted
Tight calves, or anything restricting the ankle’s range of motion will usually add more pressure through the front of the foot as we walk as more time is spent on this part of the foot through the walking cycle. This can always be worked on through things like stretches, soft tissue release, range of motion exercises and keeping clear of shoes with high heels.
5. You are doing a bit too much
Like most areas of the body, repeatedly exceeding the capacity of a tissue will lead to injury. If you have began a job that has a much higher step count or restrictive footwear requirements, have increased your running distances and/or pace or have just pushed yourself a little too hard lately, you are highly likely to increase your risk of injury.
The complexity of the front of the foot makes it especially important to get an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan for foot pain, and as you may have noticed, incorrect footwear plays a considerable role.
Getting an assessment of your footwear and your feet by a Podiatrist will get you back on track to doing what you love, pain free. So, take the first step to pain free steps and book in today!
Daniel Cavanagh
Podiatrist
Book an appointment with Daniel today
Featured in the Top 50 Physical Therapy Blog
