Foot pain results from stress, injury, or disease in the bones, joints, ligaments (connect the bones together), muscles, or tendons (connect the muscle to the bones). Common causes of foot pain include injury during sports or physical activity, obesity, and poor-fitting shoes. Injury in the ankles and legs can also cause foot pain.

Pain from foot injury or trauma can affect the toes, balls of the feet (bottom of foot, behind the toes), mid-foot, and heel. Some conditions that cause foot pain include:

• Bunions: bony bump on the joint at the base of your big toe caused by pressure on the big toe or arthritis
• Bursitis: painful inflammation of the heel or big toe caused by pressure or injury
• Cartilage injuries: damage to the tissue that covers the surface of the bone
• Cysts or tumors: sacs filled with air, fluid, or other substances (most are noncancerous, but they can be cancerous) 
• Fractures in the toes or foot: broken bones
• Heel spurs: abnormal bone growth
• Infections: can occur in the bones or joints
• Nerve compression, damage, or foot impingement: compression of the bony or soft tissue structures of the ankle during certain activities, such as pointing the toes
• Osteoarthritis: degenerative wear and tear on the joint
• Plantar fasciitis: inflammation of the large band of tissue that covers the bottom of the foot
• Rheumatoid arthritis: a chronic (ongoing) inflammatory joint disorder
• Sprains: due to torn ligaments in the toe or foot
• Tendonitis: abnormal tissue growth or swelling (can be cancerous or noncancerous) 

If your foot pain lasts longer than two or three days, call an orthopedic specialist at University of Miami Health System. We provide a wide variety of non-surgical rehabilitation and minimally invasive orthopedic treatments for foot pain and injury. We offer appointments as soon as possible — often the same day or within 24 hours.

Treatments

RICE Method
Most mild foot pain and injuries resolve with home treatments, including rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE method).

Anti-inflammatory Medication
Your doctor may prescribe an anti-inflammatory medication or recommend an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory, such as ibuprofen, to reduce swelling and pain.

Electrical Stimulation
Your doctor may recommend you undergo electrical stimulation therapy to help get relief from your injury.

Physical Therapy
You may need to work with a physical therapist to regain strength and use following an injury.

Surgery
If your pain or injury has not responded to other treatment options, your orthopedic specialist may recommend you have surgery to correct the problem.

Tests

Comprehensive Exam
Your doctor will conduct a thorough exam and review your health history to diagnose this condition. 

Imaging
Your doctor may order an imaging test such as an X-ray, a computerized tomography (CT) scan, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to confirm the diagnosis.

Why Choose UHealth?

Highly experienced in treating a full range of orthopedic conditions. Our team of fellowship-trained orthopedic specialists works together with a multidisciplinary group of physicians and scientists to provide high-quality care to people with benign (noncancerous) and malignant (cancerous) conditions. These include musculoskeletal diseases, bone and soft tissue sarcomas, metastatic diseases, benign neoplasms of bone and soft tissue, and all types of orthopedic injuries.