by Cat
(Anchorage, Alaska)
I am a 41 yr old female and I've had this problem as long as I can remember...
Ever since I was a child, when I would jump down off of something (from as low a height as a foot or so) I would have almost instantaneous burning pain all across the top of my feet for a few seconds after landing on my feet. I havent had any other foot problems, my arches are great (a bit high, actually) no bone spurs, bunions etc... I dont experience any pain while walking or when I'm on my feet for extended periods but if I hop down off something, the landing shock is always excruciating! It feels like the pain is just under the skin and it is a very sharp, burning blossoming pain all across the tops of both feet that lasts maybe 10-20 seconds before fading completely away as if nothing happened... until the next time I land! Any ideas what this could be?
Hi Cat,
Your high arched feet are your problem. Most people with high arches are prone to have very poor shock absorbing capabilities in their feet. The reason for this is that high arched feet do not pronate and it is pronation that allows our feet to act as "shock absorbers" which is one of the many functions of our feet.
When you jump and land on your feet, the shock that is created is not absorbed by your feet and probably is traveling all the way to your lower back where there is a jarring of the lower spine. This jarring irritates the nerves as they come out of the spinal column and you end up with the sensation that you get in your feet. It lasts for a short period of time and then disappears.
The analogy can be made to shock absorbers in a car. Good shock aborbers give you a nice comfy ride, poor shock absorbers give you a hard bumpy ride.
Two things you can do. Stop jumping off ledges and consider adding a shock absorbing type orthotic to your shoes.
Good luck.
Marc Mitnick DPM
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