Foot Arch Pain

Foot arch pain is a common problem, largely due to the amount of pressure going through our feet, especially if you are on your feet a lot.

This is because the muscles and tendons that support the foot arches have to work hard to stabilise the foot and can quickly fatigue resulting in pain on the bottom of the foot.

Weakness and tightness in the foot muscles changes how the forces go through the feet and up the legs so foot arch pain is often associated with back and knee pain too. There may also be lumps and bumps underneath the foot.

There are a number of different things that cause bottom of foot pain, and pain under the foot arch is common in athletes, particularly those who like to push themselves to their limit.

The most common cause of foot arch pain by far is plantar fasciitis. This is where there is damage to the thick band under the foot.

Plantar fasciitis usually develops due to altered foot biomechanics, bone spurs and muscle tightness and often affects people who spend long periods on feet or suddenly increase their activity levels.

Typical symptoms of plantar fasciitis are foot arch pain near the heel that is worse in the morning and with initial movement. The pain under the foot arch usually improves as you get going but will get worse again with too much activity.

You can find out all about the common causes, symptoms and treatment options of this common cause of foot arch pain in the Plantar Fasciitis section.

Another common cause of foot arch pain is cramp. Foot cramps affect around 25% of people over the age of 60, particularly at night.

Foot arch cramps are sudden, uncontrollable, intense muscle spasms lasting anywhere from a few seconds to several hours. They result in sharp, intense calf, toe or foot arch pain, muscle spasm and even toe curling.

Cramps in the foot arch may be caused by dehydration, lack of vitamins & minerals, muscle tightness, fatigue, nerve damage or poor circulation.

You can find out all about the common causes, symptoms and treatment options as well as how to prevent foot arch pain from cramp in the Foot Cramps section.

3. Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome

Tarsal tunnel syndrome is one of the less common causes of inner foot arch pain caused by pressure on the tibial nerve as it passes through the tarsal tunnel 

Anything abnormal that takes up space in the tarsal tunnel e.g. bone spurs, swelling, cysts will compress the nerve and cause pain in the bottom of the foot.

Typical symptoms of tarsal tunnel syndrome include inner arch foot pain, pins & needles and numbness.

Find out all about the causes, symptoms and treatment options for this type of bottom of foot pain in the Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome section.

Another possible cause of pain under the foot arch is plantar fibromatosis, a condition where small nodules develop in the plantar fascia, usually in the middle of the foot arch.

Plantar fibromatosis may develop due to a foot injury, genetics or various medical conditions.

Typical symptoms of plantar fibromatosis include a small, firm lump in the arch of the foot, toe curling and foot arch pain with any pressure over the nodules. Plantar fibromas are one of the most common causes of lumps on the bottom of the foot.

Find out all about the common causes, symptoms and treatment options for this cause of pain in the bottom of the foot in the Plantar Fibromatosis section.

Inner arch foot pain is often due to inflammation and degeneration of the tibialis posterior tendon. Tibialis posterior is an important muscle and its tendon plays a vital role in supporting the foot arches.

Tibialis posterior tendonitis tends to develop from overuse during high impact activities e.g. tennis or soccer, or following an injury e.g. a fall.

Typical symptoms of posterior tibial tendonitis are pain on the bottom of the foot and around the ankle, collapsing of the medial foot arch and an inability to stand on tiptoes.

You can find out this common cause of pain in the foot arch in the Posterior Tibial Tendonitis section.

Stress fractures, tiny breaks in one or more of the foot bones, can cause sharp pain in the foot arch.

Stress fractures are usually caused by repetitive overloading of the foot bones from high-impact activities e.g. running & jumping and often develop when suddenly increasing training levels.

Stress fractures typically cause localised foot arch pain around the fracture site with associated bruising and swelling. Pain in the bottom of the foot often causing difficulty walking.

Find out all about the common causes, symptoms and treatment options for severe arch pain in the Foot Stress Fractures section.

A common cause of foot arch pain associated with a lump on the inner arch is accessory navicular syndrome.

Around 10% of the population are born with a small extra bone in their inner foot arch, known as an accessory navicular.

Often, this extra piece of bone doesn't cause any problems but if it gets irritated and inflamed, it will cause inflammation and inner foot arch pain. There may be a visible bony lump that can rub on shoes causing pain and making walking uncomfortable. 

You can find out all about how it causes medial foot arch pain and how to treat it in the Accessory Navicular Syndrome section.

8. Flat Feet

People with flat foot often develop inner arch foot pain. Flat feet develop when the foot arches collapse causing the sole of the foot to drop down. Around 30% of people have flat feet. 

Some people are born with flat feet but they can also develop during pregnancy, after a foot injury, when there is excessive stress on feet or as we age.

Fallen foot arches may cause fatigue in feet, foot arch pain, back pain and knee pain, cramps in the foot arch and can make it difficult to push up onto your tiptoes which can affect how you walk.

Wearing specially designed orthotics e.g. arch supports can really help to reduce pain in the bottom of the foot from fallen arches.

9. Trench Foot

Trench foot tends to cause pain on the bottom of both feet. Also known as Immersion Foot, trench foot is caused by tissue & nerve damage due to reduced blood flow to the feet.

Trench foot develops with prolonged exposure to damp conditions, poor foot hygiene and sweaty feet and typically affects hikers, festival-goers & runners.

Common symptoms of trench foot include swollen, white/grey feet, prickly pain under foot arch, numbness, pins and needles, blistering and possible gangrene if left untreated.

Find out all about the common causes, symptoms and treatment options, including which celebrities have suffered from it, in the Trench Foot section.