What's wrong with my foot? i have been having a lot of pain in my foot. i am very active but didn't do anything in particular to injure the area. the pain is usually when i walk or run which i have been trying not to do. sometimes it hurts while resting b

Hello, : Hello, i can not diagnose your source of pain. However, the lack of injury and presentation at the base of the big toe does make one wonder about gout. Gout can occur if there is too much uric acid in the body and it crystalizes in joints. A frequent place that gout can strike is the big toe. The pain can impact the whole foot, or sometimes the ankle. It can also cause joint pain in other parts of the body. The toe area might swell or become red. Why don't you talk to your doctor and he or she can evaluate you to help to determine what is causing your pain. Stay well.

From : From your description, it sounds like your pain is at and around the 1st metatarsalphalangeal joint... The joint that connects your big toe to the rest of the foot. Is there a deformity present like a bunion perhaps? Does weather affect your pain? I guess, given the limited information, i'm heading to some kind of arthritis in that big toe joint. This is called either hallux limitus ("hallux" means big toe; "limitus" means, well... Limited motion) or, in more severe cases, hallux rigidus (where there is little or no joint motion). Part of the fun of arthritis is the formation of little spurs and ridges around the joint, as well as adhesions that further prevent an adequate range of motion. Given the assumption we're dealing with an arthritic condition of the joint, your conservative treatment options would include range of motion exercises, physical therapy, wearing a rigid shoe (to prevent that joint from excessive motion), anti-inflammatory medication, and even a steroid injection next to the joint. The alternative is to surgically remove and even possibly replace the joint with a joint implant. There are risks associated with this surgery, so i would first try a conservative approach. If a bunion deformity is present, any sort of bunionectomy must include removing or replacing the joint if the joint is arthritic. Merely making everything straight without addressing the arthritis will not relieve your joint pain. Without more specific information, it's hard to be specific. I feel like i'm presuming more than I should with the arthritis scenario. Other possibilities include a tendinitis, bursitis or other type of inflammatory condition. My best advice is to seek the services of a podiatrist or orthopedic surgeon. Why suffer? Hope this helps. Good luck and feel better!