Many new runners will quickly experience foot pain while running. And although foot injuries from running are common, the causes of stress vary from runner to runner. Learn more about foot soreness and injuries.
Running is an affordable and accessible exercise anyone can do to improve their health. In addition, running can help strengthen bones, build muscle and improve your overall mood.
Causes of foot pain from running
Your foot is a network of bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons, working together while you run. A foot injury from running may involve one or more parts of this network. Before deciding whether to see a doctor for your foot pain, you may want to find out if something as simple as changing shoes or improving your running form can help reduce or eliminate foot pain after running.
Although we always recommend that you consult an orthopedic podiatrist or podiatrist for a proper foot pain diagnosis, the following information may help decide whether you need to see a podiatrist.
Toe pain during or after running
The big toe plays an overall role when walking and running. Incredibly, this one small joint in the big toe supports 50% of your body weight during this part of the time.
“Stiff big toe,” hallux rigidus is a form of degenerative arthritis. Although there are several biologically related causes of hallux rigidus, such as osteoarthritis and inflammatory diseases, it can be due to overuse or injury if you begin to have pain in the big toe during or after running.
Commonly referred to as “turf toe” in athletes, hallux rigidus can be caused by a sprain of the MTP joint or stubble in the toe while running. Easy overuse of the joint from running too far or too often can also cause hallux rigidus.
Heel pain after running: Plantar fasciitis
Do you have the same foot pain first thing in the morning and after long periods of sitting? Your foot pain may be plantar fasciitis.
Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation in the thick tissue band that connects the toes to the heel bone along the bottom of the foot. The plantar fascia is like a shock absorber, supporting the foot’s arch when walking and running.
Stress on the plantar fascia can cause irritation, inflammation, and small tears in the tissue, resulting in sharp heel pain. Long-distance running – especially with poor running form – can cause plantar fasciitis, as flat feet and high arches.
Fortunately, if heel pain after running is plantar fasciitis, rest, icing, stretching, and improvement in running shape can often relieve your symptoms.
A stress fracture in the foot
Are you new to running or running more than usual – and suffering from acute, localized foot pain? You may have a stress fracture.
A stress fracture might be a small crack in a bone. Most stress fractures are caused by over-consumption and repetitive activity in running sports, such as football and basketball.
Whether you are running on asphalt, on trails, or otherwise, a sudden change or increase in exercise or exercise intensity can cause stress fractures in the foot.
Stress fractures are most commonly found in the metatarsal bone – the middle leg of your foot. Stress fractures are also found in the heel, ankle, ankle joint, and top-middle leg bone (navicular). Most stress fractures in the foot are overuse injuries – especially in long-distance runners and those new to running.
Since diagnosing stress fractures can be difficult, you should immediately consult an orthopedic podiatrist if you experience sharp pain and think you may have a stress fracture.
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