Subscribe to our Newsletter and receive the content that interests you in your email.By: Hallie Levine, AARP, May 9, 2022If you're over 50, you've probably experienced foot pain.About 25% of all older adults experience it, according to a 2011 study published in the journal PAIN.And there are several causes.Being overweight can cause foot pain;the same happens if you wear poor quality shoes for years.Even the sheer wear and tear that occurs with activity and aging can contribute, says Dr. Sean Peden, a foot and ankle specialist at Yale University School of Medicine.But foot pain should never be ignored, as research suggests it can impair balance and foot function and even increase the risk of a fall.It's also important to know that not all foot pain is created equal, says Peden.In particular, there is a difference between muscle pain from intense exercise and sharp pain from a bone or joint.This is the kind that warrants a trip to the doctor to get a diagnosis and identify the appropriate treatment, he stresses.The pain could also indicate other potentially serious health problems.These are six that you should keep in mind.Older adults are especially vulnerable to stress fractures—tiny cracks in the bone—because the trabeculae (the spongy tissue that connects the bones in the body) become thinner with age.The most common symptom is pain with activity, which subsides with rest.“We saw a lot of stress fractures during the pandemic.People were going barefoot longer because they were working from home, and they were also gaining weight, two things that don't go well together,” says Jacqueline Sutera, a podiatrist in New York City.Memorial Day Sale: Join AARP for just $9 a year when you sign up for a 5-year term.Join today and receive a GIFT.It is important to understand that the symptoms of a stress fracture are more subtle than those felt with a true bone fracture.In fact, many people don't even know they have a stress fracture, Sutera says.“Usually there isn't a lot of swelling or bruising, people don't remember hitting themselves and they can usually walk, albeit with some pain,” she explains.If the pain persists for more than a few days and doesn't seem to improve with ice and rest, she consults the doctor.And keep in mind that not all stress fractures show up right away on an X-ray, so you may need an MRI, Sutera adds.Treatment consists of rest for six to eight weeks;You may also need a special shoe insert or orthotic support to help the injury heal.If you're diagnosed with a stress fracture in your foot, talk to your doctor about getting screened for osteoporosis.The fracture could be a sign that your bones are getting weaker, says the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.Plantar fasciitis is a common disorder in which the plantar fascia—the thin ligament on the bottom of the foot that connects the heel to the front of the foot—becomes irritated and inflamed.It often resolves on its own with ice and rest, but if it continues, you should see a doctor, says Sutera."If the fascia is torn, it won't heal on its own," she warns.While an X-ray can reveal problems like osteoarthritis or a stress fracture, an MRI is needed to diagnose a torn ligament.Usually the first line of treatment is a short boot and crutches.If that doesn't work, surgery may be necessary.Foot pain can be a common symptom of psoriatic arthritis, an inflammatory disease that causes joint pain and swelling.Most people with psoriatic arthritis already have psoriasis, a skin disorder that causes scaling, redness, and inflammation of the skin.She may notice that one or more toes are so swollen they look like little sausages, a condition known as dactylitis.Other signs include pain in the heels or soles of the feet and thickening and pitting of the toenails."If you have a lot of pain in the morning that's concentrated on one side of your body—your right ankle, your right toes, your right foot—it could be a sign of psoriatic arthritis," says Peden.The disease is diagnosed with a physical exam, X-ray or MRI imaging, and a blood test to rule out other problems.It is important to detect psoriatic arthritis early, before the joints deteriorate.Treatment includes disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, such as sulfasalazine (Azulfidine), or biologic agents, such as adalimumab (Humira).About half of people with diabetes have neuropathy, or nerve damage, a disorder that causes a sensation of tingling, burning, or stabbing pain, and even weakness and numbness in the foot.But neuropathy can have other origins, ranging from excessive alcohol consumption to undiagnosed infections such as Lyme disease and even cancer.That's why anytime you have neuropathy, you need to see a doctor, says Peden.Regardless of the cause, you need to watch your feet carefully.Check them daily for cuts, redness, or swelling, and never go barefoot, even indoors (wear socks or slippers).If you see corns or calluses, have them removed by a podiatrist instead of trying to do it yourself.And keep your toenails short.If you have trouble cutting them, the podiatrist can do it for you.Receive similar content, subscribe to our NewsletterGout—a form of inflammatory arthritis in which high levels of a substance called urate build up in the body, causing joint swelling and pain—often starts in the big toe, but the disease may missed or the patient is misdiagnosed, says Peden.“People go to the ER because their toe hurts a lot and they're told they have an infection or a fracture, even when there's no history or symptoms to indicate those things,” he says.The disorder usually emerges in middle age and is more common in men than women.If the pain is so severe that it keeps you from sleeping at night, there's a good chance it's gout, says Peden.Ask your doctor to do a blood test to check your urate levels or to take a sample of the fluid in the painful joint to look for urate crystals under a microscope.An ultrasound of the affected area may also provide clues.Most of the time, gout can be treated by your primary care doctor or a rheumatologist.There are certain medications, such as colchicine, that help treat gout pain.Lifestyle changes, such as losing weight and following a specific eating plan known as the DASH diet, which is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy, can also help reduce cholesterol levels. urate in the blood.When we think of thrombosis we probably think of a swollen and painful leg.But this problem, which involves a blood clot forming in one of the body's deep veins, can also cause sudden, severe pain in the ankle or foot, Sutera adds.The greatest risk is for people who smoke, are overweight, or are over the age of 60, particularly if they are sedentary.If you notice swelling in your foot or leg and pain that doesn't seem to have an apparent cause, see your doctor right away, especially if the area feels hot to the touch and is discolored (usually blue or pale red). )."These clots can break loose and travel 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