Foot pain is a very common condition and is often misunderstood. This is why the foot pain chart was designed to accurately pinpoint the condition to find the accurate treatment.
Without wasting time, let us take a look at the foot pain chart and how it can be used.
What is foot pain chart?
A foot pain chart is a tool which is used to make the proper diagnosis of foot pain based on its location, intensity and accompanying symptoms. Using a foot pain chart can help clinicians identify the specific type of foot pain and address them accordingly.
A foot pain is a pain that occurs on the top, bottom or sides of your feet. It can also occur on your heel, toes, arch and anywhere in between. Foot pain is very common often caused by overuse, resulting in injuries; underlying health conditions, being overweight and wearing shoes that do not fit properly.
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Side foot pain chart
The side foot pain chart indicates the possible pains experienced outside the foot. They include the following:
Bursitis
Bursitis makes the area around a joint or bone painful, red and swollen. Symptoms include red or swollen feet, hot and sore, dull and aching pain and sensitive and painful when you press the affected area. This is often caused when you wear high heels or tight shoes or do weight-bearing exercises like running, jumping or lifting weights while standing.
Bunions
A bunion is that bony bump that forms on the joint at the base of your big toe. Symptoms include a bulging bump on the outside of the base of your big toe; swelling redness or soreness around your big toe joint; corns or calluses; ongoing pain or pain that comes and goes; and limited movement on your big toe. Bunions are often caused by wearing shoes that are too tight.
Peroneal tendonitis
This is an inflammation in one or both of the tendons that connect your lower leg to your foot. Symptoms include ankle pain, pains that get worse with physical activity; swelling, redness or warmth around your tendon; and thickened tendons, with a mass or nodule that moves with your tendon. Peroneal tendonitis is often caused by overuse of your foot and when you injure your foot during a fall.
Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD)
PTTD is a painful condition that affects the foot and ankle. Symptoms include pain and swelling along the ankle or inside of the foot; pain when standing on toes; ankle rolls inward, difficulty walking up and down the stairs or on uneven surfaces. PTTD is caused by health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension and foot or ankle tissue injuries.
Stress fractures
Stress fractures often occur due to overuse. They usually start as bone bruises that eventually become small cracks in the bone’s surface. Symptoms include pain that gets worse with physical activities; pain that comes and goes; and pain that becomes noticeable when you are resting.
Jones fracture
Jones fracture happens when you break your fifth metatarsal – the bone that joins your pinkie toe to the base of your foot. Symptoms include swelling, pain, tenderness, difficulty walking, bruising and deformity. Repeated overuse, sports injuries and falls are the most common causes.
Cuboid syndrome (subluxation of midtarsal joint)
Cuboid syndrome refers to the partial dislocation of the bones in the middle of the foot. A 2011 study found that four per cent of athletes with foot injuries had problems with the cuboid area. Some symptoms include pain on the lateral of the foot, pain that can be dull and aching, sharp and acute and difficulty in walking.
Outer foot pain chart
The major types of outer foot pains include the following:
Anterior process of the calcaneus fracture
This is located at the anterior (front) portion of the heel bone. It occurs from an inversion injury to the ankle. Symptoms include ankle sprain, with pain and swelling over the anterolateral aspect of the hindfoot.
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Cuboid irritation
Please refer to the point listed above.
5th Metatarsal Fracture
The fifth (5th) metatarsal happens at the end of the bone closest to the ankle, the part of the bone attached to the tendon. They typically occur after an ankle sprain or roll. Symptoms include pain, swelling, tenderness, bruising and difficulty walking.
Sinus Tarsi Syndrome
The sinus tarsi refers to a tube or tunnel between the talus and the calcaneus bones. Hence, sinus tarsi syndrome is pain or injury to this area. This type of foot pain is typically caused by traumatic injury to the ankle or foot and overuse. Symptoms include pain and swelling over sinus tarsi; pain made worse with physical activity, feeling of instability and pain made worse with uneven ground.
How to use foot pain chart
- The doctor will ask you questions about your foot pain, such as what you do to make your foot pain better or worse, and other symptoms, such as swelling, locking or giving way.
- Then the doctor will check your foot with careful palpation of the bones, joints, tendons and ligaments.
- Analysis of the movements of the ankle and foot joints to detect restriction or stiffness.
- Then investigations, such as X-rays, ultrasounds, CT scans and MRIs, are performed to confirm a diagnosis.
Below is a typical example of a foot pain chart
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