Chat with AHA!

Chat with Ask Healthshots

Foot pain in the morning? Know what it means

Wonder why your feet hurt when you wake up? Find out the reasons behind foot pain in the morning and what to do about it.
causes of foot pain
Know likely causes of foot pain in the morning. Image courtesy: Adobe Stock
Updated On: 23 Oct 2023, 11:10 am IST
  • 178

You are all pumped up to begin your day, but when you place your feet on the floor, you experience immense pain. All your chirpiness and excitement can disappear as morning foot pain is no way to start the day. The reasons behind it can be many. You probably wore shoes that don’t flatter your feet or got the sleeping position wrong or you dropped something heavy on your feet. Sometimes, the causes of morning foot pain are not that simple. The sharp pain in your feet might be a way of your body telling you that you need to consult a doctor.

If the searing pain is the first thing you feel when your feet touch the ground in the morning, people assume it is plantar fasciitis. It is the most common cause of chronic heel pain, according to Harvard Health Publishing.

But there can be more causes of the foot pain that can make you wince in the morning.

prediabetes and diabetes
There are many causes of morning foot pain. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

Health Shots reached out to Dr Wahid Akbar, senior consultant gastroenterologist, Ujala Cygnus BrightStar Hospital, to know more about morning foot pain.

Pain in feet or heels is a common condition among women

It’s not just you who wakes up and feels the pain in feet. Akbar says pain in feet or heels is a common condition among women and the most common factor contributing to it may be a deficiency of vitamin D and calcium.

Women who have reached menopause can experience morning foot pain

You don’t have to worry about menstruation any more, but there are other health conditions that might raise alarms. For instance, morning foot pain is quite common in women who have reached menopause, mostly above 50 years of age as they “might suffer from osteoporosis which weakens the bones”, said the expert.

Diabetic patients may feel pain in feet

Pain in feet doesn’t have anything to do with age, at least in case of diabetic patients as young and old people with diabetes can suffer from it. Got diabetes? Then you might experience pain in your feet or heels while sitting or moving as well. Akbar shared that those suffering from arthritis or osteoarthritis might also suffer from painful conditions. He said that if you have been facing the problem for many weeks or months, then you should rush to a doctor and get yourself checked up.

swelling in feet
Pain in feet or heels is a common condition among women. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

How to treat foot pain?

In the case of arthritis or osteoarthritis, medication is important along with a healthy diet. Physiotherapy also plays an important role in the treatment, said the expert.

If it’s vitamin D and calcium deficiency then we know that milk should be consumed more. According to Harvard T.H Chan, few foods are naturally rich in vitamin D3, with best sources being the flesh of fatty fish as well as fish liver oils. Smaller amounts of the Vitamin are also found in cheese, egg yolks and beef liver. Some of the mushrooms also contain small amount of Vitamin D2.

Take a Poll

What is your top health and wellness goal?

Take a Poll

What is your go-to-technique for relieving body pain?

So, eat the right food items and make your bones strong and healthy.

  • 178
About the Author

Natalia Ningthoujam has written on various subjects - from music to films and fashion to lifestyle - as a journalist in her career that started in 2010. After getting stories from the crime scene, police headquarters, and conducting interviews with celebrities, she is now writing on health and wellness which has become her focus area. ...Read More

Next Story