Our feet are a really important part of our bodies. They take the entire weight of the body, so they must be taken care of properly. Often the feet do not get the necessary care due to many factors, some of which are factors beyond our control. Internal factors like plantar fasciitis, tarsal tunnel syndrome, muscle strain and even osteoarthritis can lead to symptoms of pain in the arch of the foot. The most common symptom of arch foot pain is a burning sensation under the long arch of our foot. The main risk factors for arch foot pain can be running, walking on hard surfaces, also being on our feet all day at work. The other contributing factors could be poor footwear that do not provide adequate support to the foot. Other common causes of arch foot pain can be a manifestation of a medical condition. The most common cause is plantar fasciitis which is the straining of the long ligament that provides support to the arch. Another common cause is tarsal tunnel syndrome which is a pinched nerve at the inside of the ankle. This pinching of the nerve sends a shooting pain towards the arch foot region. Pain in the arch can also come from flat foot or a pronated foot which are caused by structural imbalances in the feet. You can also get arch foot pain from the common type of osteoarthritis in the midfoot joints region.
The treatment of arch pain will depend on the cause. Generic approaches for this can be the use of ice at the beginning of the pain to reduce the amount of swelling and pain that has been caused. Later on, anti-inflammatory ointments and heat source applications may be used. Any exercise or activity that puts a strain on the arch foot muscles should be avoided until it improves. If your work involves standing on your feet all day, then you should seek out alternatives such as doing your work seated. Sports activities like running and walking should be modified to reduce the load. You might want to consider having a go at activities such as swimming or cycling until your arch foot pain lessens. The wearing of supportive shoes is often a good option to help the treatment of arch foot pain. Your podiatrist will also have some good advice and may recommend that you wear foot orthotics.