Why does the bottom of my foot hurt so much?

It is one of the most commonly asked questions we get: why does the bottom of my foot hurt so much? Conditions such as heel or arch pain can make waking up and getting out of bed each morning very difficult.

Feet are made up of many small bones, muscle ligaments, tendons and other body tissue – and pinpointing the problem isn’t something you can do yourself.

For the many Australians who live with foot pain, it is also not something that will simply disappear overnight or over time. So if you fall into this category, you’re better off doing something about it now. For many people who come in and ask us why the bottom of their feet hurt so much, we discover that they are waking up with one of the most common causes of foot and heel pain in adults – plantar fasciitis.

Plantar fasciitis is a condition that causes severe pain under the heel bone or pain in the arch, indicating inflammation of the long band of tissue under the foot. People experiencing this condition generally describe the pain as a stone bruise type pain, or as if they are walking on a stone or a bony heel spur. The pain is often worse in the first few steps each morning, after sitting down or towards the end of the day. Does this sound like you?

What can I do about it?

Left untreated, heel, arch or arch pain will persist for a long time. It is typically the result of overuse or lack of support from wearing inappropriate footwear.

Diagnosing and treating the condition must be done with the help of a Podiatrist. Our Podiatrists, we take a detailed history, perform a physical assessment, use video walking analysis and take a 3D foot scan to find out what’s causing the pain.

Once the cause is identified, we develop a treatment plan just for you.

It might be as simple as recommending a change in your footwear or some simple exercises to improve the biomechanics of the foot. Custom-made foot orthotics can also be prescribed to provide precise support for your individual foot condition.

The sooner you get to a Podiatrist, the sooner you can get to the bottom of your foot condition! Book an appointment with your local Podiatrist today.