Foot & Lower Limb Pain

 

What are the main causes of foot and lower limb pain?
There are many causes of this kind of pain, including:
 

• Heel pain (plantar fasciitis)

• Injury – such as sprains, breaks and fractures

• Arthritis – inflammation of the joints and other tissues

• Tendonitis – inflammation of the tendon structures that attach to the bones of your feet (e.g. the Achilles which connects your calf muscle to your feet)

• Shin splints – refers to pain felt anywhere along the shinbone from the knee to the ankle

• Peripheral vascular disease – where blood flow is constricted

• Sever’s disease – is a common cause of heel pain, particularly in young and physically active people

• Deep vein thrombosis – a blood clot that forms in the veins of the leg

• Sciatica and radiculopathy – pain in the buttock and leg caused by pressure on nerves in the lower back

• Flat feet, corns, calluses, bunions or a range of other ailments

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How can you heal your pain?

 

A good step is to see your podiatrist, who can assess and treat you as part of a personalised treatment plan.

 

What is the best treatment?
 

No single treatment works for everyone, which is why it is so important to see your podiatrist who can tailor a treatment plan to specifically reflect your needs.

Treatment for pain can be varied – to include anti-inflammatory medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen. Whereas if swelling and inflammation is the cause of pain – ice packs, strapping and stretching can form part of your treatment plan. For biomechanical issues – such as flat feet or bunions – orthotics may be prescribed as part of a wider treatment plan.

Given the complexity of ailments affecting the feet and lower limbs, only your podiatrist can prescribe the treatment most suited to your needs.

 

Most importantly, don’t self- diagnose pain treatment!