Foot Pain After a Marathon: What's Normal and What Isn't

You crossed the finish line. Now your legs feel like concrete and your feet have opinions. Most of that is normal and fades within a few days. Some of it isn't, and the sooner you deal with it, the sooner you're running again.

Foot problems are among the most common issues runners bring to the medical tent. At the New York City Marathon, the runners who came in for foot care most often had blisters, corns and calluses, plantar fasciitis and ball-of-foot pain. Here's how to tell what you're dealing with.

Normal: general soreness

Aching calves, quads and arches that ease a little more each day. Keep moving gently, sleep, and use the recovery tips in our post-race guide.

Heel pain that's worst in the morning

A sharp or bruised feeling under your heel, worst with your first steps out of bed or after sitting, often points to plantar fasciitis: irritation of the thick band of tissue under your foot. Race-day mileage on tired feet is a common trigger. Gentle calf and arch stretching and rolling a massage ball under your arch can help. If it's still there after a few mornings, book in. Plantar fasciitis caught early settles much faster than plantar fasciitis that's been run through.

Pain at the back of the heel

Pain, stiffness or a thickened, tender spot along the tendon above your heel can mean Achilles tendinopathy. It's often stiff first thing and loosens as you move. Don't stretch hard into it and don't run through it. Get it assessed, because the right loading plan is what heals it.

Pain in the ball of your foot

Burning or aching under the forefoot, like walking on a stone, is often metatarsalgia: overload of the bones and joints at the front of your foot. Worn-out shoes and how your foot loads are usually part of the story.

Pinpoint pain on a bone: stop and get it checked

Pain you can point to with one finger, especially on the top of the foot or along a bone, with swelling or a limp, can be a stress fracture. Stop running and get it assessed promptly. This one doesn't get better by testing it.

Skin and nails

• Blisters: leave them intact and covered if you can. See us if they're large, painful or look infected.
• Black toenails: bleeding under the nail from repeated impact. Don't drain or remove it yourself. A throbbing, red or lifting nail needs attention.
• Calluses and corns: don't cut them or use medicated corn pads. A chiropodist can remove them safely.

Who to see

Foot pain is what chiropodists treat every day. At Align, a Sports Body Align Assessment looks at how your feet, ankles and legs move when you run, finds what's behind the pain and builds a plan to fix it. That might mean treatment, a better-matched shoe, or Align Orthotics made for how you run.

Don't wait two weeks to see if it settles.

Book an assessment →

This article is general information, not a diagnosis. If you have diabetes, poor circulation or numbness in your feet, see a health care provider for any foot pain or wound.