5 Common Shoe Mistakes that Cause Foot Pain

Your feet have a big job to do! Every day, they are tasked with carrying the rest of your body around and for the most part, they do their job without complaining.

But sometimes your feet may start to hurt and you have no idea why. The truth is, a lot goes on inside your feet with so many moving parts - bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles, soft tissues - and even a minor amount of damage to anyone part can cause pain and tenderness to the whole foot.

Many people suffering from foot pain find wearing the right shoes for the top of foot pain can sometimes make a surprisingly big difference in foot comfort and function!

Causes of Pain on Top of your Foot

In this post, learn all five too common shoe mistakes that can cause pain on top of your foot.

1. Hallux valgus.

Approximately 36 percent of adults have hallux valgus (bunions or bone spurs) and the risk increases with age.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, bunions and bone spurs can arise for a variety of reasons, including genetics. Having stiff joints or arthritis can make the discomfort worse. Pain on the top of the foot and in the big toe area is quite common.

Wearing shoes that do not fit well can sometimes trigger the formation of bunions but can definitely make the pain worse.

2. Peripheral neuropathy.

Peripheral neuropathy impacts more than 20 million people nationwide, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

While the condition is often associated with the onset of diabetes, the NIH states there are more than 100 types of peripheral neuropathy and causes vary. However, the single most frequent issue that leads to peripheral neuropathy is a physical injury.

Top of foot pain can be triggered by sports and also from careers that require standing or a lot of physical activity, such as construction. Here, wearing the right construction boots for men or women that protect the foot from injury can help prevent peripheral neuropathy to a great degree.

3. Extensor tendonitis.

As Medical News Today explains, the tendons are the long tissue bands that extend across the top of the foot. So when there is top of the foot pain, extensor tendonitis is always a suspected cause.

The foot has less padding than almost any other area on the human body. This is especially the case on the top of the foot, where only the thinnest covering layer of skin protects these delicate tendons from damage.

If anything gets dropped on top of the foot, it is all too easy to damage the tendons and they can be slow to heal. Wearing waterproof work boots will not only prevent slips and falls that can cause injury but also safeguards the top of the foot from other types of damage during work or physical activities.

4. Peroneal nerve dysfunction.

Peroneal nerve dysfunction is certainly not the most common source of top of the foot pain, but when it happens it typically relates back to the sciatic nerve.

The sciatic nerve is the main major nerve that runs from the base of the spine down to the foot and may also indicate a herniated disc or spinal bone spur, according to Mayo Clinic.

Wearing secure waterproof work boots can reduce the incidence of slips and falls on the job that can cause nerve compression along the spine and in turn trigger the sciatic nerve. Even mild cases of sciatica or peroneal nerve dysfunction can be extremely slow to heal and taking a preventative approach is always a smart choice.

5. Stress fractures.

According to the Mayo Clinic, stress fractures are most common in the lower bones of the body - especially the feet. The reason is simple: these bones are tasked with bearing weight at a level the upper body bones simply are not.

With age, overuse, improper use and improper footwear, stress fractures start to become much more likely to occur. Choosing the right shoes for top of foot pain can be a big preventative step, especially if you work in a physically demanding job or enjoy playing high impact sports.

Stress fractures are difficult to diagnose without imaging and in most cases, the only remedy is limiting activity until the fracture knits back together. Because they are hard to diagnose many more people have these tiny fractures than are aware they have them.

Stress fractures may not cause symptoms, but when they do, frequently one of the first warning signs is at the top of the foot pain. Stress fractures can also manifest with some localized swelling and tenderness at or near the site of the fracture itself.

Treating Pain on Top of Your Foot

It is important to remember that if you are experiencing a lot of pain or see visible swelling or discoloration, you shouldn't try to diagnose and treat yourself (although this certainly can be tempting!).

Rather, you should always schedule an appointment with your doctor or podiatrist without delay. Top of foot pain that is caught early is much easier to treat and this can also prevent the problem from becoming more serious.

Be sure to have your physician or podiatrist watch you walk and evaluate the shoes you most commonly wear, both for work and also casually. In many cases, a change in footwear may alleviate the pain and also promote faster healing for injuries to the top of the foot. To prevent you from having these foot pains, make sure to get a pair of work shoes that’s perfect for you and your line of work. Visit our store today for a collection of work boots you may choose from.