Top of the Foot Pain:
Pain Across the Top of the Foot [Causes, Symptoms & Best Treatment!]
The most common causes of pain across the top of the foot are ganglionic cysts, nerve irritation and bone growths: Fix it 100%!

The most common causes of top of the foot pain:
- Top of the foot nerve compression.
- Lisfranc fracture or sprain.
- Sprained top of the foot.
- Top of the foot bone spur.
- Dorsal foot compression syndrome.
- Flat foot compression leading to osteoarthritis.
So, let’s look at the PICTURES!
Pain Across the Top of the Foot Overview:
There are many causes for pain across the top of the foot. The most common causes of pain across the top of the foot is a prominent metatarsal exostosis. This can lead to arthritis & nerve pain over the years.
Pain across the top of the foot is almost always caused by one of two factors:
- The first cause is compression of the nerves on top of your foot. These usually get compressed against the top of your shoes, is there is not a lot of cushion on top of your foot.
- The second cause is deep arthritis within the joints of the foot. This can cause a bone spur an inability to bend your foot and absorb your body weight against the ground.

Symptoms:
Pain across the top of the foot is usually caused by nerve impingement against bone in the top of your shoe.But this can also be arthritis pain even walking barefoot. These are the most common symptoms:
- This can lead to numbness, burning and tingling on top of the foot.
- Pain across the top of the foot foot.
- Pain on the top of the big toe joint.
- Pain on top of the midfoot.
- Pain on top of the front of the ankle.
- Deep aching pain.
- Inability to fitting shoes.

We find the best way to relieve this pain is to skip the shoelace holes immediately over this bone spur.
Causes:
1)Metatarsal Exostosis: A hard bump
This is a fancy name for a bone growth on top of your foot.
- The two bones at the joint can develop extra bone growth which feels like a big lump on the top of your foot.
- It is usually associated with bone spurs or arthritis in your mid-foot.
- It is also common in high arched feet.
- This problem unfortunately is part of the bone, so it will either need surgery or accommodation.
- If it is really irritating you, this can cause medial dorsal cutaneous nerve irritation on top of your foot.
- This can cause numbness, burning or tingling in the foot or the big toe.

2) Medial Dorsal Cutaneous Nerve Irritation:
- This can cause numbness, burning & tingling at the top of your foot & big toe.
- This is due to the compression of the nerve on top of your midfoot & big toe.
- This nerve compression is reversible, but it can take days, weeks or months.
- This type of nerve irritation is known as neuropraxia.

3) Sprained Top Of Foot:
- A sprain in the top of the foot or the arch is called a Lisfranc sprain.
- In most cases it is usually only a sprain that lasts a couple days to a couple weeks.
- But in some cases it may be essential to seek imaging & further treatment.
4) Arch Pain & Mid-Foot Pain:
- Arch pain is one of the most common sources of foot pain in the world.
- 15% of all people get it in there lives.
- This pain is usually worse in the morning & gets better after moving around for a little while.
- If you have pain after rest & in the morning, consider this!

5) Ganglionic cyst – A soft bump:
- Ganglionic cysts are soft masses across the top of the foot which are not immediately dangerous!
- These are simply pockets of fluid that pouches out from the joints of your foot bones like a balloon.
- Treatment consists of draining and removing the pocket of fluid.
- But they should still be check out by a podiatrist because there is a chance that they may be something a little more dangerous.

6) Foot Arthritis:
- This is very common if you have had a previous injury in the midfoot.
- It is also very common if you are older.
- This is due to years & decades of abnormal rubbing between the foot joints.

Diagnosis:
- The preferred doctor to diagnose this is a foot and ankle specialist called the podiatrist.
- We are biased because we are podiatrists!
- When you go see podiatrist for the first time we can go over a detailed history and physical.
- This allows us to evaluate you, and rule out the most common causes of top of the foot pain.
- During the same visit we have the opportunity to perform an x-ray, which will show us if there’s any bone problems or bone and joint issues.
- If this is more of a muscle, tendon or nerve issue, we can use a diagnostic ultrasound within the clinic.
- This will allow us to make the best possible treatment decision almost immediately.
Other Treatments That May Help:
- Consider our comprehensive plantar fasciitis heel pain guide.
- If you are having Achilles tendon pain as well, there is a good chance you might be having plantar fasciitis pain to the bottom of your foot.
Also consider:
- A bone spur on top of the foot forms due to abnormal friction and stress on the bone.

Top of the Foot Home Treatment:
- There are usually two phases to treating top of the foot pain treatment.
- This doesn’t matter whether it’s intermittent sharp pain on top of foot, pain on top of foot near toes, tendonitis on top of foot or a top of the foot bone spur . Treatment is all roughly very similar.
- The two phases of treatment include controlling the acute inflammation, and correcting the biomechanics which led to the problem in the first place.
- Great top of the foot shoes and great orthotics lead to the prevention of dorsal compression syndrome. This prevents the compression on top of the foot, it prevents the stretching on the bottom of the foot.
- This will also reduce your numbness, burning and tingling pain.
Control Inflammation:
Massage & Ice Products:
- The metal ball is one of my personal favorites.
- This can work well for a bruised top of foot.
- This is not a permanent solution, you still need to remove the stress off of the top of the foot.






Menthol Based Gels:
- Biofreeze is one of our favorites.
- These gels have been studied to work 2x as long as ice.
- This can also work as a great option for a bruised top of foot or top of the foot extensor tendonitis.
- This is not a permanent solution, you still need to remove the stress off of the top of the foot.








Massage Sticks:
- These can work great for loosening your muscles.
- This allows less tightness and pressure on the ball of your foot.
- This works best for extensor tendonitis on the top of the foot.






Removing The Stress:
- The key is to prevent future pain.
- If you can get rid of the pain and swelling, this will let you start walking normally.
- If you can walk normally, the vast majority of your pain should gradually start to go away.
- This will limit dorsal compression syndrome and limit extensor tendonitis to the top of the foot.
Best Top of the Foot Pain Shoes:
- Getting a great supportive pair of shoes will make sure that there is pressure removed from the top of the foot.
- There is much less compression appreciated.
- This is especially important if you have a swollen top of foot, intermittent sharp pain on top of foot and top of the foot compression.
- Consider shoes combined with a good supportive orthotic for best pain relief!
- The following link will show you what our favorites are.
The Best Top of the Foot Pain Orthotics:
- These are our recommended orthotics.
- There are different types for different shoes.
- Women’s shoes usually need a less bulky orthotic, but allow for less correction.
- A full length orthotic requires a running shoe, boot or comfortable walking/dress shoe.
Best Full Length Orthotics:






Best Dress Shoe Orthotics:




Best 3/4 Length Orthotics:




Get A Great Dynamic Stretch:
- It is possible to stretch on your own, but these products can also really help!
- This will take pressure off of the ball of your foot.








Get A Great Static Stretch:
- These devices are great for stretching while you are resting.
- This will also help take pressure off of the ball of your foot.






Top of the Foot Pain Trauma:
- If you have a sprain Of the foot, Lisfranc fracture, or a fracture to the top of the foot, the need to protect it.
- The recommended way of doing this is to offload with a good supportive boot or cast.
- The best way to do this is of course to see your podiatrist and get evaluated with an x-ray, ultrasound and potentially even an MRI or CT scan.
- If you are unable to do so it may benefit you to be in a cast, fractured boot, or even keep the weight off of it with a rolling knee scooter or other protective devices.
- We as podiatrists frequently take patients off work for very long period of time when they suffer a traumatic injury, unfortunately there is no other way around us in labor jobs.
- If you have a sit down job there are ways to get people back to work quicker, but this can be very difficult otherwise.
Top of the Foot Fracture Boot Treatment:
- There are pros and cons to using a boot to treat your foot pain. If you are immobilized too long the cons are that you will gradually become stiff and overworked to your other leg. The pros are that you injured heel will hopefully have a chance to gradually heal!
- Our favorite fracture boots and their supplies:










Offloading and Scooter treatment:
- These are favorite knee scooters and walking devices.
- If your Achilles tendonitis pain is severe, offloading it can be very effective until the pain calms down.








Top of the Foot Pain: