What Causes Foot Pain in the Morning? For most people, getting out of bed in the morning is no big deal but for some, it is an extremely painful experience. Due to different types of foot problems, there are people who have pain when putting any weight on the feet after waking up. The body overall is web of complexity but in looking at the feet, very little thought is placed on how much feet do every day. Although foot pain in the morning could be the result of something serious, often it is the result of irritation or inflammation. In some instances, the degree of pain is only moderate but other times it is so severe that an individual actually falls over in trying to stand. Although foot pain any time of the day is not something an individual wants to deal with, pain that occurs first thing upon rising is reportedly the most excruciating. This is not so much because of the time of day but the differences in causes of foot pain. foot-pain-morning Reasons for Morning Pain While there are certain conditions that would be suspect when someone experiences early morning pain in one or both feet, the list of possibilities is actually quite impressive. Because there are so many things that could cause foot pain such as this and with some potentially leading to further damage, it is always recommended that an individual see a doctor. Even if the diagnosis is simple, it is better to know exactly what the problem is. As far as treatment, this could be any number of things to include at-home remedies to surgery but again, once a diagnosis has been made, a doctor would be able to provide an individual with viable solutions. Following is a list of things that could cause foot pain in the morning but keep in mind there are others not included. Plantar Fasciitis – This is without doubt one of the more common considerations. In this case, the Plantar Fascia, which is connective tissue that runs the length of a person’s foot on the bottom side, becomes stretched, irritated, or inflamed. Unfortunately, this is also among the more painful conditions and in fact, along with foot pain, many people with Plantar Fasciitis have stabbing pain in the lower leg too. Poor Arch Support – The foot’s arch needs to be properly supported and if not, morning pain would be expected. Low quality shoes are one problem but even worse are flip-flops. Wearing shoes with poor arches briefly would not do any harm but wearing them for hours on end would cause the foot to become sore and irritated due to no or little support of the arch. plantar-fasciitis-foot-pain-feet-hurt-after-running Excess Weight Gain – Most people never connect a sudden weight gain with painful morning feet but this is another cause. First, if someone were carrying around more weight than normal the feet would suffer the consequences throughout the day. Second, excess weight can cause problems of poor circulation, which could also be a trigger for a person to experience morning pain. Posture – We all know that poor sitting and standing posture can lead to backaches but bad posture can also affect the feet. Again, poor posture would mean improper weight distribution on the feet during the day so nerves and tissue become irritated, as well as swelling occur. As a result, a person would stand up in the morning and immediately have serious discomfort or pain. Physical Activity – Pain felt in the morning could be something very minor. For instance, if an individual had recently taken up a sport such as jogging, tennis, softball, or something else that puts even more demand on the feet, morning pain could be from that. However, proper stretching, as well as applying a cold or ice compress at night would typically provide the relief needed. Metatarsalgia – There are a number of foot conditions that could cause early morning pain with one being Metatarsalgia. This is inflammation of the metatarsal region of the foot, caused from running, standing, or climbing on hard surfaces, as well as repetitive motion. Unfortunately, this is a very painful condition but the good news is that treatment usually consists of good at-home care. Stress Fracture – For someone who jogs a lot or is heavily involved in sports, receiving a stress fracture is always a possibility. While this type of fracture is not the same as an actual broken bone, it is a very fine crack that has developed from use and abuse. After being off the foot while sleeping, once a person stands and blood rushes down to the foot and involved area, pain would be experienced. heel-pain-in-morning Final Note If an individual begins to experience pain in one or both feet first thing in the morning, it would help to consider the different activities involved in or any recent physical change. With this, identifying the exact cause could be possible. If the pain is not severe, there is not significant swelling, and the person is not running a temperature or having other symptoms, chances are good over-the-counter pain and anti-inflammatory medication coupled with cold compresses and rest would do the trick. In many cases when a person has foot pain in the morning, providing home care for two to three days would provide relief. It might also be beneficial for the feet to be propped up slightly on a pillow while sleeping to help reduce swelling. On the other hand, if the pain or swelling was significant, or the individual were having other physical symptoms, a doctor should be seen. Although simple treatment options would likely be offered, there are many different treatments a doctor would consider based on the diagnosis and severity of the problem.
Posted on: Mon, 22 Jul 2013 05:44:25 +0000