Can Spine Problem be The Cause of Foot Pain?

“Approximately 6% of Americans experience foot injuries, bunions, flat feet or fallen arches each year.”

This article provides a list of common causes of foot pain and helpful tips to help you understand the source of your foot pain.

How does A Spine Problem Cause Foot Pain?

Occasionally, sciatica pain can spread down the leg and into the foot if a nerve root in the lumbar spine (lower back) becomes compressed or irritated. Specifically, compression of classic sciatica, also known as the S1 nerve root, can cause pain along the foot's outer side.

How Common is The Sciatica?

Sciatica is a very common issue. In the U.S., about 40% of people experience sciatica at some point in their life. The third most common reason people visit their healthcare provider is back pain.

What Are the Causes of Nerve Compression?

Nerve roots can become compressed or irritated for several reasons. Common causes are:



• Degenerative Disc Disease: Age-related changes cause the disc to narrow or shrink.
• Lumbar Herniated Disc: Intervertebral disc leakage of the inner contents.
• Spinal stenosis: Narrowing of the bony openings of the spinal cord or spinal nerves.
• Spondylolisthesis: Sliding of a vertebra over the vertebra below.

The inability to raise the front of your foot or repeatedly stumble while walking may be due to a 'foot drop' condition. 

Foot Pain Due To Nerve Compression In The Knee, Leg, or Hip

Nerve damage or compression in the knee, leg, or hip can also cause foot pain. For example:



• Sciatic neuropathy - or damage to the sciatic nerve in the pelvis area can cause pain in the upper part of the foot with a degree of weakness.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome - or a defect in the tibial nerve in the carpal tunnel of the inner ankle can cause tingling or sharp pain in the ankle area and along the foot sole.
• Peroneal neuropathy - a condition in which the peroneal nerve is compressed or injured in the knee, can cause foot pain.
• Sural nerve compression - can occur in the ankle or foot and usually causes sharp pain outside the ankle or foot.

Note: Corn development on the skin around the toes can press on nearby nerves, causing foot pain and other symptoms. Morton's neuroma also causes foot pain, a thickening of the tissue around a nerve in the foot.

Among all the possible nerve pain causes in the foot, pinpointing the exact cause can be difficult. Here are a few signs that might help you identify the cause of your foot pain:



• Foot pain after recent trauma to the lower back, hip, knee, or ankle can help identify nerve damage.
• Foot pain caused by nerve root compression or sciatica may also be accompanied by other symptoms, like pain, numbness, or weakness in the thigh, buttocks, and leg. 
• Foot pain that develops after wearing tight shoes may indicate compression of the sural or peroneal nerve near the knee or ankle.
• Foot pain that occurs after hip surgery or hip injection may indicate sciatic neuropathy.
• Foot nerve pain can also occur due to nerve damage from systemic conditions, such as diabetes or multiple sclerosis.