Pain in legs and feet are commonly caused by either:
Genetic Foot Disorders
There are strong hereditary links to the following foot disorders:
- Bunion or deviation of big toe (Hallux Valgus, Hallux Rigidus or Hallux Limitus)
- High arched foot (cavus foot)
- Hypermobility and joint instability
- Claw toes
- Hammer toes
- Flat feet (Excessively pronated foot)
- Knock knees
- Calluses
- Poor posture
- Pain under the ball of the foot (Metatarsalgia)
- Leg length discrepancy
- Ankle instability
Injury Related Foot Complaints
Your feet are required to absorb all the heavy impacts of jumping and running and occasionally we can contribute to longer lasting problems. The forces in your feet vary significantly with activity. It is not surprising therefore that occasionally we put our poor feet under too much stress and something goes OUCH!
Here is an illustration of the stress imact forces experienced by your feet in normal activities:
- Walking = 1.5 x your body weight
- Jogging/Running = 2-4 x body weight
- Jumping/Landing = 6-9 x body weight
These are common foot complaints that occur through mechanical injury or overuse:
- Complex sports injury involving knee pain
- Shin splints
- Recurrent calf pain
- Stress fracture
- Ankle instability
- Overuse syndrome
- Heel pain from prolonged walking/standing (postal worker, police officer, nurse or doctor)
- Achilles-tendonitis
- Plantar-fasciitis
- Tib-post tendonitis
- Tenosynovitis
- Heel spur
- Severs Disease
- Morton’s Neuroma
- Lower back pain
- Aching legs
Foot Dysfunction as result of Disease
Diabetes Mellitus can result in:
- A loss of sensation in feet
- Ankle instability
- Reduced healing
- High risk of rubbing from footwear
- Bony deformity and joint mal-alignment
Rheumatiod Arthritis:
- Painful inflamed joints
- Limited movement at ankle
- Ankle instability
- Painful feet
- Bony deformity and joint mal-alignment
Degenerative disease of muscular-skeletal system:
- Ankle and foot instability
- Foot pain
- Knee pain and instability
- Joint mal-alignment
Vascular disease:
- Swelling of feet
- Cramps
- Painful feet
- Risk of rubbing