Foot pain affects thousands of Australians every day, and without proper treatment from a podiatrist, there is no real way to know what is wrong with you. However, it is safe to say that in many cases where the cause is initially waved off as just being poor footwear or standing up too much, you could be in danger of missing a much more serious issue. The last thing you want is for an undiagnosed, serious foot problem to affect your mobility in the future, so here are three reasons why you should always get your foot pain checked out by a podiatrist as soon as possible.

Broken Bones

One thing that should be mentioned straight away is that a broken bone in your foot doesn't necessarily mean you will be incapacitated. There are 28 bones in your foot, and many of them are quite small. They might not stop you from walking, but they can cause quite significant pain the longer you leave them alone. In some cases, for the more delicate and hard-to-reach bones, without proper treatment, they will never get better on their own. If you are worried about a broken bone, the only way to diagnose it properly is to see a podiatrist. 

Bone Spurs

Bone spurs are another issue that commonly occurs in people who have arthritis but isn't always connected to that condition and can be found in people without arthritis. Bone spurs are little growths along the side of your bones that can cause severe pain when they rub into other joints, muscles or ligaments. This is especially painful on your feet because there are so many different bones which can develop spurs. If you have constant pain in your feet that no medication seems to stop, then you could have bone spurs and should get them treated quickly. 

Achilles Injury

The Achilles tendon is a very important part of your foot that allows you to exert pressure and control over your movement, so if it gets damaged or ruptured, you will definitely notice a change. It will feel as though you can't actually push with that foot anymore but can only use it with a limp. If you felt something change right when the symptoms first started, like a snap in your calf, then don't downplay the problem. Without proper medical help, you will never get full control of your leg again, and there are many other injuries and issues like this one when it comes to the foot. That is why seeing a podiatrist when you get any sort of lingering foot pain is recommended. 

To learn more about the causes of foot pain, contact a podiatrist.