Where Does it Hurt? The Top of the Foot

Common conditions affecting the top of the foot include:

Bunions

Bunions are misaligned big toe joints which can become swollen and tender. Although bunions tend to be genetic, they can be aggravated by shoes and certain activities. Click here for more information, including treatment options.

Stress Fractures of the Foot and Ankle

Stress fractures are small cracks that can occur in a bone because of overuse or activities that place high stress on the structures of the foot and ankle.

Tailor's Bunion

Tailor’s bunion is a prominent, boney bump at the outside of the foot near the base of the fifth toe. It is similar in presentation and treatment to that of a bunion. This condition also becomes painful, due to irritation in shoes and is usally made worse by shoes that have a narrow toe box. Tailor’s bunions are generally a product of genetics, though they can be made worse by wearing tight or narrow shoes.

Ganglion Cyst

A ganglion cyst is a mass of tissue that is filled with a jelly-like fluid. The word “ganglion” means “knot” and is used to describe a knot-like mass or lump of cells that form below the surface of the skin. These cysts vary in size.

LisFranc (midfoot) Fracture/Dislocation (?)

This is an injury that involves the midfoot.