The nerves in your feet often go unnoticed, at least until there’s a problem. Issues with the nerves in your feet can cause significant discomfort and pain, and it can be challenging to diagnose the problem yourself. Here is a brief overview of significant nerves that may be the cause of pain in your feet. 

Why am I Experiencing Nerve Pain in my Feet?

Nerve pain in your feet can result from a variety of conditions. The most common cause is entrapment or compression of nerves due to trauma or other diseases like diabetes. 

Symptoms of nerve pain in your feet include:

• Burning or tingling sensations along the foot
• The feeling of electric shock-like pain 
• Pain that worsens at night or after activities
• Muscle weakness in feet 

Lateral Plantar Nerve 

The plantar nerve branches off from the posterior tibial nerve after it passes through the tarsal tunnel. It splits into two parts: the lateral plantar nerve and the medial plantar nerve. 

The lateral plantar nerve runs through the sole of your feet, allowing you to have control of the intrinsic muscles while providing sensory information to the area. 

Lateral plantar nerve entrapment has similar symptoms to most foot nerve injuries. Patients report pain inside the ankle and heel, and pain often radiates into the three middle toes. 

The lateral plantar nerve can become compressed between the abductor hallucis muscle and the quadratus plantae muscle on the inside of the foot. This compression causes pain and discomfort. 

Sciatic Nerve 

At times, the pain in your foot may be linked to your spine. The longest nerve in the body, the sciatic nerve, runs from your lower back down through your hips to your feet. When this nerve is irritated or compressed, sciatica pain will radiate down your leg into your foot. Damage to the sciatic nerve in your hip region can cause you to feel pain along the top of your foot. 

Medial Plantar Nerve 

Your medial plantar nerve covers the majority of the sole of your feet and is connected to multiple muscles in your foot. It works to flex your toes and carries sensations throughout your feet. 

When the medial plantar nerve is damaged, it results in medial plantar nerve entrapment. The nerve branches are compressed bones, ligaments, or other tissue in your feet. This compression results in pain around your heel area and the sole of your foot.

Symptoms of medial plantar nerve entrapment include chronic pain when bearing weight on your feet. You may find it very difficult to walk or jog, and even sitting may be painful. 

Canyon Oaks Can Help With Pain in Your Feet 

If you’ve been experiencing pain in your feet, you don’t have to try and fix it alone. Our doctors at Canyon Oaks Foot and Ankle are more than ready to help you make your foot pain a thing of the past. We can help diagnose the problem and develop a plan of action by identifying the right treatment course for you. 

Schedule an appointment with us today.