Pain In The Toes: An Overview

It’s actually fairly common in terms of foot injuries to experience heel pain at the same time as toe pain. If you have any kind of toe pain — sore toes, sore toes and feet, soreness in your toes when walking, etc. — there’s likely a tie back to your heel pain. But first, let’s consider this: where is the toe pain coming from?

Causes of Pain In the Toes

Gout

The most common cause of toe pain is gout, which is a form of arthritis that affects the joints. Gout usually is the result of too much uric acid in the bloodstream (also known as hyperuricemia). Uric acid occurs when your body breaks down purines, which are found in human cells and many foods. If too much uric acid accumulates, urate crystals can accumulate in joints. This is, essentially, gout. It’s usually accompanied by sudden burning pain, stiffness, and big toe swelling.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is another cause of toe pain. This is actually the most common type of arthritis, and occurs when cartilage in joints wears down. As a result of this, the bones rub against each other — causing pain and swelling in the joint and limiting your mobility.

Obesity

A third cause of toe pain is simply obesity, which is becoming a growing concern in the first world today. Obesity puts you at risk for numerous other health factors, from heart problems to heel and toe pain. If you’re attempting to manage too much weight for your frame, your toes will bear a good deal of this force — and that can lead to toe pain.

Treatments for Toe Pain

In general, the best approaches to countering any type of toe pain, arthritis, or gout involve:

Maintaining a healthy diet
Substituting water for alcohol
Anti-inflammatory medications
Speaking with a professional

Before you try any rigorous treatment or toe pain-related product, however, consider some of these free exercises that can begin to alleviate your toe pain, heel pain, or general foot soreness: