Common Foot Pain From Walking: Plantar Fasciitis, Ingrown Toenails and Bunions

Walking is easy to start and hard to beat for fitting movement into a busy day. It can lift your mood, ease stress, support heart health and contribute to healthy aging. But recurring pain can change the equation: soreness in your feet, knees, back or hips may be a sign to adjust your routine, not simply push through. Repetitive movement can strain muscles and joints over time. Age can also affect how your body handles exercise: flexibility, muscle mass and bone density tend to decline, while foot changes such as flatter arches, wider feet and loss of cushioning may alter how you move. Strength work can help support balance and mobility, but new pain deserves attention. Talk with your doctor, especially if the pain is sharp or severe. The conditions below are common possibilities, not a diagnosis. The experts consulted are [Teresa Schuemann, P.T., D.P.T.](https://evidenceinmotion.com/people/teresa-schuemann/), a physical therapist at Evidence in Motion in Texas; [Joel Press, M.D.](https://www.hss.edu/physicians_Press-Joel.asp), physiatrist-in-chief at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City; and [Sheila Dugan, M.D.](https://www.rushu.rush.edu/faculty/sheila-dugan-md), physiatrist and chair of the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Rush Medical College.

Plantar Fasciitis

**What it feels like:** Tenderness in the heel or along the bottom of the foot. **What it is:** The plantar fascia is a band of tissue running from the heel bone to the ball of the foot. It helps absorb shock and support the arch. Strain can lead to small tears and stiffening, producing the pain known as [plantar fasciitis](https://www.prevention.com/health/a69046673/how-long-does-plantar-fasciitis-last/). High arches and walking with the feet rolling inward, or pronating, can raise the risk. “Walkers can overwork the area when pounding the pavement, especially when you wear hard shoes on concrete, because there’s very little give as the foot lands,” says Schuemann. **How to treat it:** At the first sign of stiffness, sit and rest the affected ankle across your opposite thigh. Pull your toes toward your shin until you feel a stretch in the arch. Run your other hand along the sole to find the taut band of tissue. Repeat 10 times, holding each stretch for 10 seconds.

Ingrown Toenail

**What it feels like:** Soreness or swelling along the sides of a toe. **What it is:** When a nail’s edge grows sideways, it can press into nearby soft tissue or the skin. Tight or short shoes can repeatedly injure the toe as you walk. Prolonged pressure on a long hike or charity walk may cause bleeding beneath the nail; in time, the nail could fall off. **How to treat it:** Choose shoes with room for your toes, allowing for the swelling that can happen during exercise. You may need a half size larger in walking shoes. When trimming your nails, cut straight across instead of rounding the corners.

Bunion

**What it feels like:** Pain along the side of the big toe. **What it is:** Misaligned bones at the joint on the outer side of the big or little toe can create a painful swelling called a bunion. Flat feet, low arches and [arthritis](https://www.prevention.com/health/health-conditions/a74207360/arthritis-early-signs/) may make bunions more likely. **How to treat it:** Wear shoes with a wide toe box. Over-the-counter bunion pads can cushion the area, and icing for 20 minutes after a walk may ease pain and inflammation. Severe cases may require surgery to remove the bony protrusion and realign the joint.

Achilles Tendinitis

**What it feels like:** Pain at the back of the heel or in the lower calf. **What it is:** The Achilles tendon connects the calf muscle to the heel. It can become irritated by a sudden increase in walking, particularly if you’re new to exercise or returning after a break. Repeatedly flexing the foot on steep hills or uneven ground can add strain. **How to treat it:** Reduce your mileage and avoid uphill routes while the tendon is irritated. “This increases the stretch on the tendon, irritating it and making it weaker,” Schuemann says. [Calf stretches](https://www.prevention.com/fitness/workouts/a32160586/best-calf-stretches/) before and after walks may help prevent problems. After walking, ice the area for 15 to 20 minutes. If needed, take a temporary break from walking and try a non-weight-bearing activity such as swimming until the pain settles.

Lumbar Strain

**What it feels like:** An ache in the middle or lower back. **What it is:** Back strain can happen during everyday activities, and walking may aggravate an existing lower-back injury. Overworked tendons and ligaments around the spine can contribute to a back strain. Arthritis or [inflammation](https://www.prevention.com/health/a73288205/chronic-inflammation-signs-and-fixes/) around nerves can also cause [lower-back pain](https://www.prevention.com/health/health-conditions/a71550704/doctors-explain-lower-back-pain-causes/). **How to treat it:** Add [ab exercises](https://www.prevention.com/fitness/workouts/g30856105/best-ab-exercises-women/) to your routine to strengthen your core. While walking, focus on [good posture](https://www.prevention.com/health/a42508467/improve-your-posture/). Schuemann advises against bending forward at the waist, which can happen when you walk fast or uphill.

Neuroma

**What it feels like:** Pain in the ball of the foot or between the toes. **What it is:** Thickened tissue around a nerve near the base of the toes can cause tingling, numbness or pain that spreads nearby. It often develops between the third and fourth toes. **How to treat it:** See a podiatrist when foot pain first appears; a neuroma can worsen quickly, and treatment depends on its severity. That may mean roomier shoes or, in more severe cases, surgery. Choose [walking sneakers](https://www.prevention.com/fitness/workout-clothes-gear/g46055643/best-walking-shoes-women/) with space in the toe box, and limit heels and other tight shoes that squeeze the toes.

Shin Splints

**What it feels like:** Stiffness or soreness along the shins. **What it is:** Repeated impact from walking or running on pavement can inflame the muscles and tissues surrounding the shin. **How to treat it:** Cut back on walking for three to eight weeks to give the tissues time to heal. “If it hurts to walk, avoid it,” says Press. Ibuprofen and ice packs may help with pain and inflammation. For a simple stretch, stand and lift your toes toward your shins 20 times.

Bursitis

**What it feels like:** Soreness on the outside of the hips.

Hip discomfort after repeated walks can come from inflamed bursae—the fluid-filled sacs that cushion the joint—though hip pain has many possible causes. Vary your routine with biking or swimming, add hip-strengthening exercises, and warm up, cool down, and stretch around each walk. Ice, heat, or an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen may ease soreness.

Runner’s Knee

A throbbing ache at the front of the kneecap can signal runner’s knee. Repeated walking may make the kneecap rub against the femur, the bone linking the knee to the hip, irritating cartilage and tendons. Previous knee injuries, cartilage loss—including loss associated with excess weight—and flat feet can raise the risk.

Give walking a rest while the pain settles, and switch to another form of exercise in the meantime. Strengthening the quadriceps and surrounding muscles with lower-body weight training can reduce the load on the knee. The practical point is simple: pushing through a persistent ache may keep aggravating the area.

Stress Fracture

Sharp pain in the foot or lower leg deserves attention, especially if pressing one specific spot brings on tenderness. That pattern may indicate a stress fracture, a small crack that often develops in the lower leg when repeated impact overwhelms the muscles and the bone takes on more of the shock.

Don’t try to walk it off. See a doctor; healing may require several weeks away from activities that load the bone. “You need to get off your feet to avoid loading the bones,” says Sheila Dugan, M.D., physiatrist and chair of the department of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Rush Medical College.

Prevention comes down to managing impact and supporting bone health. Replace walking shoes once their inner cushioning wears down. Add lower-body strength training twice weekly and choose bone-friendly foods to help support bone health. The takeaway for regular walkers: discomfort can be a cue to change your training, but focal pain in a foot or lower leg calls for medical advice.