Top of the Foot Pain

If the top of your foot hurts, make an appointment to see us right away – we can usually relieve your pain very quickly in a very conservative manner. Surgery is almost never necessary.

Pain on top of the foot can be due to many different problems. If you notice swelling and pain on the top of your forefoot this may be due to a stress fracture and you should see a physician for proper diagnosis. A common condition causing top of foot pain is called dorsal compression syndrome. Another cause of pain on top of your foot is arthritis. At your first visit with us we will diagnose your problem by your history, exam and possibly x-rays.

DORSAL COMPRESSION SYNDROME
Cause
Dorsal compression syndrome occurs when the foot flattens out too much. The foot is an arch. When an arch collapses, the arch gets longer on the bottom and shorter on the top. So as the foot flattens, the arch gets shorter on top of the foot leading to pressure between the bones. This increased pressure is what causes the top of your foot to hurt.

When we treat top of foot pain, our goal is to reduce the pressure between the bones on top of the foot. To do this we must stop the arch from collapsing. The most effective way to do this is to use an orthotic that conforms VERY close to the arch of the foot. This is called a total contact orthotic. If the arch of the orthotic gaps away from the arch of the foot, then the orthotic will not be effective at reducing the pressure between the bones and will not effectively treat your pain. This is why many orthotics are not effective at treating this problem. More information on why our orthotics work better for top of foot pain is available here.

If you are not in the Seattle area, we have developed a home treatment plan for top of foot pain. Try this plan for three weeks. If you are not better in three weeks, see a podiatrist.

Don’t live with pain on the top of your foot. Call today to make an appointment in our convenient Seattle office.

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Douglas Hale, DPM & Lawrence Huppin, DPM
Foot and Ankle Center of Washington, Seattle
The material provided on this web site is for informative purposes only.
If you need specific medical advice, please contact the office for an appointment.