Experiencing Pain in the Arch of Your Foot? Causes & Treatments
Arch pain can result from one or a combination of conditions that develop in the sole. For example, patients atUrgent Footcareoften describe a tightness, pulling, strain, burning, or ripping sensation through the mid arch of the foot, in front of the heel but behind the ball of the foot.
The pain in the arch can come on suddenly thanks to increased walking, a sporting event, or progressively over a while from things like the wrong shoes. Arch pain can be present every day and can be consistently present. This can interfere with day-to-day activity in a challenging way.
In extreme cases, the pain can be excruciating and cause burning and throbbing in bed at night. The soft tissue in the arch can be torn, which can be detected via ultrasound or MRI.
If you’re unsure why you have that pain in your arch, here are a few medical conditions, causes, and treatments that may cause it and some tips to prevent it from happening in the first place.
Medical Conditions and Causes
Arch pain is caused by weakened or strained ligaments associated with the bones in the arch of your foot. The pain is primarily driven by wearing shoes with inadequate support, standing or walking for long periods, or overuse of the feet during work or sports.
Pain in the arch of your foot can also happen because of a particular quirk in how you walk or stand. For example, if your feet don’t move in a straight enough line when you walk, this can cause some muscles in your arches to work harder than others, leading to pain.
There are many other possible causes of arch pain, but the distinguishing factor we see at Urgent Footcare is Plantar fasciitis (see below for more details). Direct injury and muscle strains are just some examples of other possible reasons for this condition. Ligament sprains and tightness or lack of tightness in joints in your foot are also possibilities for causing this pain. Some of the most common reasons for arch pain include the following:
- Weight Gain
- Aging
- Overuse
- Structural Damage
- Neurological Conditions
- Physical stress
- Stretching
- Immobilization boot
