Foot Pain and Etiology
Foot pain is a common yet debilitating result of various conditions, affecting up to 42% of the adult population and causing disability in almost half of these cases. The cause of foot pain varies significantly as it can result from damage to any tissue distal to the lower leg, including injuries to the bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, nerves, and vasculature. Injury to these structures can occur due to chemical, mechanical, or thermal stimuli from trauma, overload/stress, infections, nerve entrapment, or diabetic neuropathy.
The most common causes of foot pain in patients include tendonitis, stress fractures, corns, and calluses. Chronic conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, and even stroke and post-stroke neuralgias are also common causes.