Pain in my foot?

  • I'm an avid walker. I walk pretty much daily, about 2-3 miles.

    The other day, after doing my usual walk outside, I got on my treadmill and walked another hour on a 5-incline. (trying to lose those last 40 pesky lbs.!) The next day, I was walking around and I got a sharp pain on the side of my foot. I was limping all around work. The next day, the pain was worse, and went up the back of my leg. My foot and back of the leg felt stiff. This lasted about 3 days, off and on, the worst right after I wake up and start walking around. The stiffness comes and goes, put the sharp pain is constant. I'm not limping anymore, but it does hurt when I walk. I walked with my mom tonight (my 2-3 mile walk) and ended up limping again by the time I got home.

    This is so frustrating because I really want to walk more, especially on an incline on the treadmill. Can anyone tell me what this is? Does this sound like a permanent thing I will have to deal with from now on?

    Thanks!
    Heidi
  • Hi doIlook..... maybe its time to buy some new shoes? I know good support in shoes is so important. It sounds like nothing out of the ordinary with your walking routine so I would think about shoe shopping. oh.....did you remember to stretch as part of a warmup? cool down? maybe that has something to do it also. Good luck.
  • A sharp pain like that doesn't sound like the normal soreness that results from working out. If it continues, it might be good idea to consult your doctor about it.

    There is a muscle that extends from the bottom of your foot up into your leg. If that muscle is getting a workout from your walking then it might be sore, but I wouldn't expect it to be a sharp pain.

    While your body will be sore from working out from time to time (as you use your muscles in ways they haven't been used before), you shouldn't have any pain that is permanent. If you are experiencing pain that doesn't seem to get better in a few days, that's a good time to put in a call to your doctor.

    - Barbara
  • Thanks for the replies.

    Yes, it's not a muscle because of the sharp pains. This morning, about 5 days after the pain started, was the worse pain yet. This doesn't feel like routine soreness from working out, it feels more like a broken bone or something! But I'd know if I broke a bone, right? And the pain wouldn't get worse when I woke up. It's strange.

    I'll see a doctor if it's still there in a week or so. In the meantime, no more long walks for me. I just love my walks so much!

    Heidi
  • I don't know exactly what is wrong with your foot, but something like plantar fasciitis is worse when you first start moving in the morning. This is because the calf muscles contract over night (as your toes point) so that when you first stand up and put your foot straight, you put a lot of pressure on the tendons, ligaments etc around the foot area and they are pulled and stretched. Everything warms up and your calf stretches again as you start moving so the pain gets better.

    Although your description of your injury doesn't sound quite like plantar fasciitis, is sounds like something similar is happening to you. I've had plantar fasciitis, and that is a sharp pain that is worse when first standing in the morning, or after having sat with my feet pointed for a long time. I'd check it out with a doctor, or look it up on the internet and see what you can find. Other than that, rest it as much as possible, and perhaps take something anti-inflamatory like ibuprofen for up to two weeks (this is what my doctor recommends for soft tissue injuries as it reduces swelling. You shouldn't use them long term though as they can do bad things to your stomach, among other things)