Mysterious Burning Bottom-of-Foot Pain?

[Zack Guido]

For what feels like my entire life I've had an occasional (maybe two times per year) pain shoot through the bottom of my foot, right in the middle of the arch. It seems to happen randomly and always starts just as I take a step and only lasts for a few seconds. Afterwards there is no lingering pain or pressure whatsoever and I've never had any injuries or surgeries in my foot or anywhere else.

It feels as if the bottom of my foot has completely ripped open. It's a sharp, burning, and extreme sensation that really feels like my foot is starting to rip open from the center of the sole outwards to the heel and toes. 

Every time it happens I ask everyone around me if they've ever had that pain and I'm happy to say that just a couple of days ago, finally, I got my first "yes"... 

The curiosity feels worse than the pain.. what the hell is happening in my foot?

[Coach Sommer]

Hi Zack,

Based on the general location of the pain, I would suspect the beginnings of plantar faciitist or some other arch related issue.  My recommendation would be to first go see a podiatrist for possible confirmation before any rehab solutions are considered.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Edited October 13, 2016 by Coach Sommer

[Jared Birbeck]

I have had the same and probably the same frequency, and my mother the same. her's was diagnosed as plantar faciitist and she was given a lot of stretches and strengthening work inc calf raises on a stair. I have not diagnosed mine. I have worked a lot on building strength and flexibility through the foot with a lot of stretching and calf raises and haven't had an issue for some time now.

[Christopher Stadtherr]

I've had similar pains, entirely unpredictable but temporarily quite painful.  I tend to notice it on a first step or when hopping down to the floor off an elevated surface.  Also for me, it happens quite rarely...a few times a year.

My guess is that it's due to a collapse of the arch with probable entrapment of a nerve - only thing that makes sense to me to explain that sensation and why it occurs so randomly. 

If we're talking about a similar pain, it's not Plantar Fasciitis - that creates a distinctly different pattern of pain - would be present all the time and not sporadically.

There's also possibility of a Morton's Neuroma - basically a tumor (benign) of a nerve, but usually those cause pain on a more chronic basis.