Golfers can end up having pain in the feet in many places.  The more common areas are:

1.  The big toe joint.  This is because of the foot motion during the golf swing.  There is increased pressure noted in the big to joint, putting extra stress on this area.  If there are any arthritic changes in the joint, this increased pressure can cause pain.  Over time, bone spurs can form restricting motion further at the big toe joint making normal ambulation painful and at times trying to move the big toe very painful as well.  The golf swing will then exacerbate the problem.
    
2. Heel Pain.  Many golfers experience heel pain.  The motion of the foot during the golf swing can put increased pressure and pulling of the plantar fascia.  This can result in pain overt time.  The plantar fascia is the tight band going from the heel to the ball of the foot.  After playing a round of golf, patients relate increased pain later that night of the next day.
    
3. Toe Pain.  Hammertoes, or the contracture of the toe, can cause pain in golf shoes or other shoes.  There is friction and pressure to the toes causing redness and inflammation.  Corns, or thickening of the skin, can develop and cause pain.

These problems are very common with golfers.  There is no need to suffer; podiatrists can keep you playing golf for many years without pain.   See them early on for the best treatment options.

Plantar plate

Do you notice that your toe is lifting up off the ground all of a sudden?  Do you have pain under the ball of the foot?  This may indicate a problem with the plantar palate.  The plantar plate is a ligamentous like structure which is located under the metatarsal phalangeal joint, (MPJ.)  If this structure gets injured or tears, the stability of the MP joint is compromised.  This can allow the toe to move medially (inward) or laterally (outward) on the metatarsal head.  It can also allow the toe bone to lose its stability at the joint and starts to move upwards off the ground.

You can tell if you have this problem by palpating the area.  If the plantar plate is injured, you will have pain on the underside of the toe near the ball of the foot.   A tuning fork can reveal pain in this area.

The podiatrist may try a maneuver to move the toe up and down to evaluate the looseness in the area.  This may cause pain indicating a tear in the plantar plate.

Treatment can be started conservatively with many patients getting better.  Splinting the toe down to relieve stress, using pads to the area, and functional orthotics has been successful for many patients.  Surgery can be done if the above measures fail.  Seeing your podiatrist early for a definitive diagnosis is very important.  X-rays, ultrasonography can be used to help diagnose the problem. 

Jennifer Grey, the reigning champ from Dancing with the Stars, recently had surgery for her neuroma. She had continued pain throughout the contest and eventually needed surgery. High heels and tight shoes can aggravate the problem causing increasing symptoms. Many times the person takes their shoe off and rubs the foot to relieve symptoms. X-rays may be taken to rule out any bone problem. Ultrasound can be used to visualize the neuroma.

Do you have pain in the ball of your foot? Do your toes cramp up when in a shoe? Do you have an electric shock which radiates into the adjacent toes? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may have a neuroma.

What is a neuroma? A neuroma is and enlarged nerve which can occur in the foot. There can be inflammation of the nerve also. When this occurs, pressure from the metatarsal bones, the long bones behind the toes, can cause further irritation to the nerve and pain.

Treatment can consist of wearing wider shoes, insoles, functional orthosis, injections, anti-inflammatory medications. If these forms of care are not enough, then surgery may be necessary.

What's all the hype about toning shoes?

There has been much talk from companies that manufacture "toning shoes" about how they will help you burn more calories during your normal activities. Many people have believed this to be true and have purchased such shoes. When they start to wear them, many have noticed they are getting pains in the Achilles tendon and back of the legs. Why is this?

These shoes can cause the center of gravity of your body to be towards the heel. This causes increased stress and stretch to the Achilles tendon causing pain from overuse during walking, running and activities. This is why many of my patients are coming into the office with leg and Achilles tendon pain after they started wearing these shoes. They are getting more stress to the Achilles tendon with each step causing injury.

Studies have not shown any increased calories being burned during activity with these shoes. What is happening is causing the person to use muscles at different times during the gait cycle due to the imbalance these shoes allow. That is why some people feel their muscles getting tighter.

These types of shoes may be beneficial for people with arthritis in the feet, who walk with a very slow gait because it will help them rock forward during ambulation.

A final word of warning! Be careful if using these shoes and be aware of any pains in the back of the legs and Achilles tendon. If you notice these symptoms, see your Podiatrist for care.

Heel Pain

Do you experience heel pain? Does the pain seem to hurt the most as soon as you step out of bed first thing in the morning? If you feel a sharp, stabbing, achy pain on the bottom of your heel as soon as you take the first step in the morning or even after long periods of sitting, you may be experiencing "plantar fasciitis" or also referred to as "plantar fasciosis."

Every time you step down and put weight on your feet, your feet adapts to the surface by flattening out. This motion causes the fibers on the bottom of your feet to stretch out and it pulls onto your heel bone, or calcaneus, causing an inflammatory reaction that your mind perceives as pain. After long periods of inactivity, such as during sleep, these fibers stay contracted until you take your first step out of bed. This morning pain is referred to as "post-static dyskinesia," roughly translated to be "after immobilization movement." So after a period of not moving, the pain is incited once you move.

The most common cause of heel pain is generally irritation to the plantar fascia but other causes such as stress, trauma, a cyst, tendon injury, or arthritis may also cause heel pain. All have a slightly different characteristic so it is important to be able to describe your pain to your physician. Your doctors may also order x-rays to rule out a more serious condition or use ultrasound to help diagnose the problem.

Almost anyone can get plantar fasciitis and it worsens in people with a high body mass index. With more weight being exerted on the feet, the fascia continues to stretch and overtime it becomes irritated and inflamed much like overstretching a muscle. With early diagnosis, the majority of cases can be treated without surgery.