Why Do My Feet Hurt When I Wake Up? 7 Common Causes (and What to Do About It)

Why Does My Foot Hurt in the Morning? Common Causes and Treatments

Ever rolled out of bed, took one step, and thought, "Wow, is this what ageing feels like?" You're not alone. Morning foot pain is a classic problem I hear about all the time — and honestly, it's one of the most fascinating ones too.

Foot pain affects around 20% of adults at any given time (Thomas et al., 2019), but morning misery is often worse because everything stiffens up overnight. It's like your feet went on strike while you slept.

Here are some of the biggest troublemakers causing that "ouch" moment first thing:

1. Plantar FasciitisThe number one culprit. The plantar fascia tightens up overnight, and when you put weight on it — bam — micro-tears pull at the heel. It’s brutal.

2. 1st MTPJ Osteoarthritis (Big Toe Joint Arthritis)That big toe joint takes a beating over time. During my Master's in Podiatric Surgery, I found it really interesting how even slight joint degeneration here can throw off your whole foot function.

3. Midfoot OsteoarthritisThose little joints in your midfoot (the tarso-metatarsal joints) can get arthritic too. It often shows up as an aching, burning stiffness after rest.

4. Achilles TendinopathyIf you’ve got that tight, throbbing pain at the back of your heel in the morning, your Achilles might be having a moan after all that overnight shortening.

5. Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction (PTTD)One of the lesser-talked-about conditions. It affects the tendon that holds up your arch. Without it, your foot gets a bit "meh" and painful, especially inside the ankle.

6. Tarsal Tunnel SyndromeThink carpal tunnel, but in your foot. Nerve compression = burning, tingling, and a "someone stabbed my foot" sensation when you least expect it.

7. Inflammatory Arthropathies (like Rheumatoid Arthritis)Autoimmune conditions love to flare up after rest. If your joints feel like they’ve rusted overnight, it might be worth a deeper look.

   
   

So, how do you fix it?

Well, there’s no one magic bullet. Research — like the 2020 review in The Foot journal — shows that early, tailored interventions like stretching, strengthening, orthotics, and even shockwave therapy can massively improve outcomes. But — and it’s a big but — the treatment really depends on what's causing your specific pain.

Sure, you can stretch, roll a frozen bottle under your foot, or buy cushy shoes. But if the problem’s more serious, you might just end up chasing your own tail.

If you're hobbling around every morning and it's cramping your style, it's probably time to get a proper look at what's going on. We'd love to help you figure it out — I’m trained to spot the deeper stuff other people might miss.

Book in with us for a proper assessment. Your future, pain-free self will thank you.