Pain on the side of your foot, also classified as lateral foot pain, is a common discomfort for a number of different groups of people. We’ve seen lateral foot pain affect athletes, older adults, younger populations and individuals with pre-existing conditions like diabetes. But what issues tend to lead to lateral foot pain? In today’s blog, we take a look at four common causes of pain on the side of your foot.
Lateral Foot Pain Problems
If you’re dealing with pain or discomfort on the side of your foot, especially if it gets worse with activity, consider heading to a foot specialist to see if you’re dealing with one of these four conditions:
1. Bunion – A bunion is one of the more common causes of lateral foot pain because it involves a disfigurement of the big toe joint near the side of your foot. Poor fitting shoes can put excess pressure on your toe box, causing the big toe to tilt inward and the joint to push outward, producing a visible bony prominence on the side of the foot at the joint. Shoe changes can help calm symptoms in mild bunions, and a minimally invasive surgery can help correct larger deformities.
2. Ankle Sprain/Instability – It’s likely pretty obvious if an ankle sprain is contributing to pain on the outside of your foot and ankle, but if damage to the ligaments is severe enough, symptoms may linger long after your ankle has “healed” and you’ve returned to certain physical activities. If your lateral ankle ligaments on the outside of your ankle are torn or damaged, which is common in a standard ankle sprain, it could be what’s contributing to that discomfort on the outside of your foot. Physical therapy exercises or a minimally invasive tightening procedure can work wonders for ankle instability caused by lateral ligament damage.
3. Arthritis – Arthritis affects the health of our joints, and if osteoarthritis develops in either of your ankle joints, it can change how your feet handle stress and pressure. Depending on how these degenerative changes affect your feet, it’s absolutely possible that it would manifest in the form of lateral foot pain. If you’re been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, talk to your doctor about any new or worsening foot pain you’re feeling.
4. Peroneal Tendonitis – Peroneal tendonitis is another common cause of pain on the outer side of your leg because that’s where the peroneal muscles and tendons are located in your foot. Peroneal muscles and tendons help to stabilize your foot with every step you take, but if they are overworked or injured, which can happen when athletes don’t give their bodies enough time to recover, inflammation and pain can set in on the outer side of your foot.
If you are dealing with pain on the side of your foot, don’t just assume it will go away on its own. Reach out to a foot and ankle specialist like Dr. Silverman and treat the issue head on. For more information or to contact our office, give our team a call today at (952) 224-8500.
