What To Know and Do About Foot Arch Pain

Medically reviewed by Sarah Richards

Pain in the arch of your foot, or foot arch pain, is a common condition that affects people of all ages and activity levels. The arch of your foot stretches from the ball of your foot to your heel. It acts as a natural shock absorber during activities like walking, jumping, and running. It also helps propel your body forward during movement and distributes your weight evenly to maintain balance when you're on your feet.

Foot arch pain can occur due to injuries, overuse, structural differences in your feet, and underlying conditions. Depending on the cause, it can range from a mildly uncomfortable nuisance to severe discomfort that significantly disrupts your daily activities. Treatment might include at-home remedies and medical therapies.

How Foot Arch Pain Presents

Foot arch pain can occur anywhere between the ball of your foot (the padding between your toes and foot arch) and your heel. You may experience mild discomfort that comes and goes or severe and persistent pain. Arch pain may be limited to the arch of your foot only or radiate from your arch to your heel, the ball of your foot, or up your leg.

Arch pain often worsens with activities that increase the stress load on your feet, such as standing for extended periods, walking long distances, running, or jumping. On the other hand, arch pain may feel worse after periods of rest (e.g., morning stiffness) and improve with light activity or stretching.

Depending on the cause, arch pain may feel like:

• Dull aching

• Throbbing

• Sharp, stabbing sensations

• Burning

• Warmth and swelling on and around your foot arch

Potential Causes of Foot Arch Pain

Foot arch pain has many possible causes. Injuries or overuse, structural abnormalities, and underlying conditions that affect the network of bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the foot can lead to arch pain. Here are some of the most common causes.

Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis affects nearly two million people in the United States annually, making it one of the most common causes of foot arch pain. This condition is inflammation of the plantar fascia, the thick band of tissue that connects your heel to your toes and forms your foot's arch.

The plantar fascia absorbs the impact of your body weight during physical activities like sports, walking, and running. Repetitive stress and strain on the plantar fascia can cause microtears in tissue, which cause inflammation and pain. Symptoms include:

• Achiness or burning sensations on the bottom or arch of your foot

• Stiffness or tightness in the arch or bottom of your foot

• Dull or sharp heel pain

• Intense stiffness and pain in the mornings that improves with light activity

• Worsening pain after prolonged periods of standing or resting, or during physical activities

Risk factors for plantar fasciitis include:

• Foot arch differences (e.g., flat feet, high arches)

• Long-distance running

• Obesity

• Tight Achilles tendon, which connects calf muscles to your heel bone

• Wearing poorly fitted shoes or shoes with no arch support

• Changes in activity level

Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD)

Posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD), or progressive collapsing foot deformity, involves the progressive weakening of the posterior tibial tendon—the band of tissue that connects one of your calf muscles to the bones on your foot's arch. The posterior tibial tendon supports your foot arch and provides stability during activities like walking.

Your foot arch gradually loses its support as the tendon weakens or tears, leading to symptoms such as:

• Pain on the inside of your foot arch and ankle

• Swelling along your foot arch

• Pain and weakness during physical activity

• Difficulty engaging in exercise or walking or standing for long periods

• Worsening pain when wearing unsupportive shoes like flip-flops, sandals, or other flat shoes

Your arch may collapse and completely flatten as the condition progresses, leading to severe pain that shifts outward toward your ankle. Factors associated with an increased risk of PTTD include:

• Injury (e.g., a fall) that tears the tendon

• Overuse from repetitive movements during high-impact sports

• Wearing non-supportive footwear

• Foot arthritis (inflammation of joints and surrounding tissue)

Stress Fractures

A stress fracture is a small crack or severe bruising in the bones of your foot. Overuse of your foot without sufficient recovery time causes most stress fractures.

Stress fractures in your metatarsal bones—long bones that connect your toes to your midfoot—can cause arch pain. Possible symptoms include: 

• Sharp pain in the affected area that worsens with activity and improves with rest

• Swelling outside of your ankle or on the top of your foot

• Bruising

• Tenderness 
  

Athletes who participate in high-impact activities, such as dancing or running, are more likely to develop stress fractures. A sudden increase in activity and wearing non-supportive shoes can cause stress fractures in people who do not engage in regular, more intense physical activity.

Stress fractures are also more common in people with a bone condition like osteoporosis (bone loss) or arthritis or those who have diabetes-related nerve damage in the foot. Diabetes is a chronic (long-term) condition that occurs when you have higher-than-normal levels of blood glucose (sugar).

Pes Cavus (High Arch)

Pes cavus, or cavus foot, is an abnormally high arch in the middle of your foot. People with high arches often experience pain in the arches and other parts of their feet. Symptoms include:

• Dull, aching pain or burning sensation in your feet when standing, walking, or running

• Frequent ankle sprains

• Calluses

• Abnormal gait and posture (placing your body weight on the back and balls of your feet)

• Knee pain 

Cavus foot can be congenital (present at birth) or develop due to neurological conditions, foot injuries, or medical conditions like arthritis.

Ligament Sprains

A ligament is a strong band of tissue that connects bones and holds them together. The foot has three main ligaments—the plantar fascia, calcaneonavicular, and calcaneocuboid ligaments.

Sprains are stretched or torn ligaments. A sprain in any of the ligaments in your foot can cause arch pain. Symptoms include:

• Pain and tenderness on or near your foot arch

• Bruising and swelling

• Pain during physical activity

• Difficulty putting weight on your foot 
  

Sprains can occur due to sudden twists, falls, or awkward movements that place excess stress on your ligaments. Walking on uneven terrain, wearing improper footwear, and playing sports can also increase your risk of a foot sprain.

When To See a Healthcare Provider

Some mild arch pain may improve with rest and at-home care measures, but certain symptoms warrant a trip to a healthcare provider. Schedule an appointment if you:

• Have sudden or severe pain that interferes with daily activities

• Experienced a recent foot injury

• Cannot bear weight on your foot

• Have pain that persists for more than a week despite at-home treatments like resting and applying ice

• Notice swelling, redness, or warmth in the arch or surrounding structures like joints

• Have diabetes or a condition that affects nerves or blood flow to your feet

How Is Foot Arch Pain Diagnosed?

Your primary care provider or a podiatrist will perform a physical examination, review your medical history, and order imaging tests to determine the cause of your foot arch pain. A podiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating conditions that affect feet, ankles, and legs.

During the appointment, your healthcare provider will:

• Ask about your symptoms: They'll ask when your symptoms started and activities that worsen or relieve the pain.

• Review your medical history: Questions include whether you have any medical conditions or if you've had a recent foot injury.

• Examine your foot: Possible symptoms include swelling, redness, or structural abnormalities. The provider will squeeze or touch your foot to determine if you have a stress fracture.

• Evaluate your movement: The provider will ask you to stand or move in certain ways to evaluate your range of motion, foot strength, and gait (how you stand and walk).
  

Your healthcare provider may order imaging tests, such as an X-ray or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. This can help them visualize your foot's bones, tendons, and ligaments and look for signs of abnormalities, such as a fracture or sprain. 

How Is Foot Arch Pain Treated?

Treatment for foot arch pain depends on what's causing your symptoms.

At-Home Treatments

At-home treatments can help relieve foot arch pain and promote healing. This may include:

• Rest: Limiting activities that worsen the pain can help reduce inflammation and pain.

• Ice therapy: Applying ice packs to the arch for 20 minutes at a time, several times daily, reduces inflammation and pain.

• Supportive footwear: Wearing shoes with good arch support and thick cushioning can help you feel more comfortable when standing, walking, or exercising.

• Stretching and strengthening exercises: Specific stretches and exercises for the calf, plantar fascia, and foot muscles can improve flexibility, strengthen the arch, and relieve pain.

• Over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers: Medications like Advil (ibuprofen) or Tylenol (acetaminophen) can help manage pain and inflammation.

Other Treatments

Your healthcare provider may prescribe medications or recommend additional treatments or therapies for persistent or severe arch pain. This may include:

• Prescription medication: Your healthcare provider may prescribe stronger anti-inflammatory medications or cortisone (steroid) injections in the affected area to reduce inflammation and pain.

• Taping: Placing kinesiology tape (KT) across your foot provides arch support and may relieve pain.

• Orthotics: Custom-made shoe inserts can provide additional arch support if a structural difference (e.g., high arches, flat feet) is causing arch pain.

• Immobilization devices: Night splints or walking boots that help limit foot mobility can manage pain and help you heal faster.

• Surgery: Surgery may be necessary if arch pain persists for several months and more conservative treatments are ineffective. Surgery can address severe injuries, plantar fasciitis, and correct structural abnormalities like high arches.
  

A Quick Review

Foot arch pain has many possible causes, from plantar fasciitis and ligament strains to stress fractures and structural abnormalities like high arches. Home remedies like rest, supportive shoes, and ice therapy can provide relief in many cases. However, the pain can severely limit your daily activities.

Reach out to a healthcare provider—like a podiatrist—if your pain persists. They can make a diagnosis and develop an effective treatment plan. Early intervention is key to preventing chronic pain and keeping you on your feet.

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