I have been a toe walker most of my life. Lately I have been having arch pain, I was wondering if this these things are connected? I read something about stretching causing arch pain and I figured they might have something to do with each other since the muscles are contorting differently than in normal walking.
-Yan
Full Version: Arch pain
Dear Yan
Toe-walking can be due to a number of reasons: neurological disorder, limb length discrepancy, gastrocsoleus contracture, trauma or idiopathic. When the foot is in an equinus position such as in toe walking, the gastrosoleus muscle is contracted and essentially shortens and tightens. When this occurs it also affects the foot by causing the plantar fascia to tighten, and can lead to microtrears at the heel area where the plantar fascia originates, thus resulting in pain.
Stretching does not cause heel pain. In fact stretching is an integral part of the treatment planfor patients suffering from heel pain.
Good-luck and thank-you for contacting foot.com,
SBarlizo, DPM, C Ped
foot.com expert
Toe-walking can be due to a number of reasons: neurological disorder, limb length discrepancy, gastrocsoleus contracture, trauma or idiopathic. When the foot is in an equinus position such as in toe walking, the gastrosoleus muscle is contracted and essentially shortens and tightens. When this occurs it also affects the foot by causing the plantar fascia to tighten, and can lead to microtrears at the heel area where the plantar fascia originates, thus resulting in pain.
Stretching does not cause heel pain. In fact stretching is an integral part of the treatment planfor patients suffering from heel pain.
Good-luck and thank-you for contacting foot.com,
SBarlizo, DPM, C Ped
foot.com expert
QUOTE(sbarlizo @ Oct 29 2006, 04:54 PM) 
Dear Yan
Toe-walking can be due to a number of reasons: neurological disorder, limb length discrepancy, gastrocsoleus contracture, trauma or idiopathic. When the foot is in an equinus position such as in toe walking, the gastrosoleus muscle is contracted and essentially shortens and tightens. When this occurs it also affects the foot by causing the plantar fascia to tighten, and can lead to microtrears at the heel area where the plantar fascia originates, thus resulting in pain.
Stretching does not cause heel pain. In fact stretching is an integral part of the treatment planfor patients suffering from heel pain.
Good-luck and thank-you for contacting foot.com,
SBarlizo, DPM, C Ped
foot.com expert
Well, I must say I'm sorry but you didn't address my concern. I am of course assuming that the heel is different from the arch of the foot but I believe I asked about arch pain. I've been told toe-walking breaks down the arch of the foot but as this started recently I was wondering if it was caused by anything else. I would have prefered a simpler explanation to follow and the words "streching does not cause ARCH PAIN" to be first.
However I do thank you for answering, it was much appreciated.
Thank You.
-Yan
Yes toe walking could be connected to arch pain. for many reasons.
Over stretching can cause injury and prevent healing.
The muscle may be no different from a "normal " walker. You might have a contracture "a fixed shortening". I have hade patients with toe walking due to leg length descrepances some the foot has broken down some have not.
If your feet can handle toe walking (you have no pain) your fine. If your cannot handle toe walk pain deformity increase, their mark change in your foot and/or ankle stucture the you need help.
Sometime Plantar Fasciitis is arch pain sometime it is heel pain and sometimes it is much more.
If your pain continue ( before it limits your function) seek a proffessional.
Over stretching can cause injury and prevent healing.
The muscle may be no different from a "normal " walker. You might have a contracture "a fixed shortening". I have hade patients with toe walking due to leg length descrepances some the foot has broken down some have not.
If your feet can handle toe walking (you have no pain) your fine. If your cannot handle toe walk pain deformity increase, their mark change in your foot and/or ankle stucture the you need help.
Sometime Plantar Fasciitis is arch pain sometime it is heel pain and sometimes it is much more.
If your pain continue ( before it limits your function) seek a proffessional.
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.