Common Foot Problems in Elderly: 9 Conditions, Risks, Care

Foot pain affects one in three adults over 65, making everyday activities like walking to the mailbox or climbing stairs harder than they should be. When your feet hurt, you might avoid movement altogether, which can lead to muscle weakness, balance problems, and an increased risk of falls. These foot issues are not just a normal part of aging you have to accept.

This article covers nine common foot problems in elderly adults, including their symptoms, causes, and treatment options. You’ll learn how conditions like diabetic ulcers, arthritis, bunions, and nerve damage affect your feet, when home care works, and when you need professional help. We’ll also share practical prevention tips and explain how podiatry care can help you stay mobile and independent.

1. Elderly foot care at Achilles Foot and Ankle Center

Your feet change as you age, and the common foot problems in elderly adults often require specialized care. At Achilles Foot and Ankle Center, our team understands how these changes affect your daily life and mobility. We provide comprehensive podiatry services across thirteen Central Virginia locations, making expert foot care accessible when you need it most.

How aging changes your feet

Your feet become wider and longer as you age, and the natural fat padding in your heels and balls of your feet thins out. The arches flatten, ligaments stretch, and your skin becomes drier and more fragile. These changes make your feet more vulnerable to pain, injury, and chronic conditions that limit your movement.

How foot problems affect balance and independence

Foot pain changes the way you walk, which throws off your balance and increases your fall risk. You might avoid activities you enjoy because standing or walking hurts. This reduced movement weakens your muscles and joints, creating a cycle that threatens your independence and quality of life.

Untreated foot problems can lead to serious complications like ulcers, infections, and permanent mobility loss.

How Achilles Foot and Ankle Center supports seniors

We offer same-day appointments for urgent foot problems and accept all major insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid. Our doctors use advanced technology like digital imaging and ultrasound to diagnose problems accurately. You receive personalized treatment plans that fit your health needs and lifestyle goals.

Services available for common elderly foot issues

Our practice treats arthritis, heel pain, bunions, diabetic foot ulcers, nerve problems, and nail conditions. We provide both nonsurgical options like custom orthotics, physical therapy, and injections, plus surgical procedures when needed. Our state-of-the-art surgery center handles everything from bunion correction to joint replacement.

What to expect at a podiatry appointment

Your first visit includes a thorough examination of your feet, ankles, and walking pattern. We review your medical history, medications, and any current symptoms affecting your mobility. You’ll discuss treatment options and leave with a clear plan to address your foot problems.

When to schedule a visit for foot or ankle pain

Contact us if you have persistent pain that lasts more than a few days, swelling that doesn’t improve with rest, difficulty walking, or any open sores on your feet. Don’t wait if you notice redness, warmth, or drainage, as these signs can indicate infection requiring immediate care.

2. Diabetic foot problems and ulcers

Diabetes causes some of the most serious common foot problems in elderly adults. High blood sugar levels damage nerves and blood vessels in your feet over time, making you vulnerable to infections, ulcers, and in severe cases, amputation. Regular foot care and professional monitoring can prevent these complications before they threaten your mobility.

How diabetes affects circulation and nerves

Poor blood flow prevents wounds from healing properly and makes it harder for your body to fight infections. Nerve damage, called diabetic neuropathy, reduces sensation in your feet so you might not feel cuts, blisters, or pressure sores developing. You lose the warning signals that normally tell you something is wrong.

Common diabetic foot problems and ulcers

Diabetic foot ulcers develop when minor injuries go unnoticed and untreated. Dead skin builds up, creating pressure points that break down into open sores. You might also experience dry, cracked skin that splits and becomes infected, or develop thick calluses that hide ulcers underneath.

Symptoms and warning signs to watch for

Check your feet daily for redness, swelling, warmth, or drainage that signals infection. Watch for any breaks in the skin, blisters, discoloration, or foul odors. Contact your podiatrist immediately if you notice these signs, as diabetic foot infections can spread rapidly and become life-threatening.

Diabetic foot ulcers account for more hospital admissions than any other diabetes complication.

Advanced wound care and limb salvage options

Achilles Foot and Ankle Center provides specialized wound care treatments using advanced technology to promote healing and prevent amputation. Our limb salvage program combines surgical debridement, infection control, pressure offloading devices, and close monitoring to save your feet and preserve your mobility.

Daily foot care routine for people with diabetes

Wash your feet daily with warm water and mild soap, then dry them thoroughly, especially between your toes. Apply moisturizer to dry areas but avoid putting it between toes where moisture promotes fungal growth. Inspect your feet each day using a mirror to check the bottoms, and wear properly fitted diabetic shoes that protect your feet from injury.

When diabetic foot issues are an emergency

Seek immediate care if you develop a fever with any foot wound, notice red streaks spreading from an injury, or see black or blue tissue on your feet. Pus, severe pain, or numbness that suddenly worsens also requires urgent attention to prevent permanent damage.

3. Arthritis and stiff foot joints

Arthritis ranks among the most common foot problems in elderly adults, affecting the joints where bones meet and causing pain that makes walking difficult. Worn cartilage creates friction between bones, leading to stiffness, swelling, and reduced mobility that impacts your daily activities and independence.

Types of arthritis that affect the feet

Osteoarthritis develops from years of wear and tear on your foot joints, while rheumatoid arthritis causes immune system attacks on joint linings. You might also experience gout, which creates sudden, severe pain when uric acid crystals accumulate in your joints, typically starting in your big toe.

Signs and symptoms in older adults

Your joints feel stiff in the morning and loosen up slightly as you move throughout the day. You notice swelling around affected joints, tenderness when you touch them, and a grinding sensation when you walk. The pain might worsen with activity and improve with rest.

How arthritis can lead to falls and loss of mobility

Joint pain changes your walking pattern as you unconsciously shift weight to avoid discomfort. This altered gait throws off your balance and weakens surrounding muscles, increasing your fall risk significantly. Avoiding activities due to pain creates a cycle of decreased strength and flexibility.

Arthritis in the feet and ankles is a leading cause of disability in older adults, but proper treatment can restore function and reduce pain.

Nonsurgical treatments and lifestyle changes

Weight management reduces pressure on your foot joints, while low-impact exercises like swimming or cycling maintain joint flexibility without causing additional damage. Applying ice after activity decreases inflammation, and anti-inflammatory medications control pain when your doctor approves their use.

Bracing, orthotics, and physical therapy options

Custom orthotics redistribute pressure away from arthritic joints and provide cushioning that reduces pain with every step. Ankle braces stabilize unstable joints, while physical therapy strengthens supporting muscles and improves your range of motion through targeted exercises.

When to consider injections or surgery

Schedule an evaluation if pain interferes with daily activities despite conservative treatments, or if your joints become severely deformed. Corticosteroid injections provide temporary relief, while surgical options like joint fusion or replacement restore function when other treatments no longer work.

4. Heel pain and plantar fasciitis

Heel pain affects millions of older adults and ranks among the most common foot problems in elderly populations. Sharp, stabbing pain under your heel or along your arch makes those first morning steps excruciating, and the discomfort often returns after periods of rest or prolonged activity.

Common causes of heel pain in seniors

Years of repetitive stress on your heel bone create inflammation in the tissues that support your arch. Being overweight increases the pressure on these structures, while flat feet or high arches alter the way force distributes across your foot. Worn-out shoes that lack proper support accelerate this breakdown.

Plantar fasciitis symptoms and diagnosis

You experience intense heel pain when you first stand after sleeping or sitting, which typically improves as you move around. Your doctor diagnoses plantar fasciitis by examining your foot, watching you walk, and checking for tenderness along the plantar fascia. X-rays rule out stress fractures or bone spurs contributing to your pain.

Achilles tendinitis and heel spurs

Achilles tendinitis causes pain at the back of your heel where your tendon attaches, while heel spurs are bony growths that develop under your heel bone. Both conditions create similar symptoms to plantar fasciitis but require different treatment approaches.

How heel pain changes the way you walk

Your body naturally shifts weight away from painful areas, creating an uneven gait that strains your knees, hips, and lower back. This compensation pattern weakens muscles and increases your fall risk significantly.

Untreated heel pain leads to chronic problems that affect your entire body’s alignment and function.

Home care, stretching, and activity tips

Roll your foot over a frozen water bottle for 15 minutes several times daily to reduce inflammation. Stretch your calf muscles and plantar fascia before getting out of bed. Replace worn-out shoes every six months and avoid walking barefoot on hard surfaces.

Medical treatments for persistent heel pain

Your podiatrist may recommend custom orthotics that support your arch and cushion your heel, corticosteroid injections to reduce severe inflammation, or physical therapy to strengthen supporting muscles. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy offers a nonsurgical option when conservative treatments fail.

5. Fat pad atrophy and metatarsalgia

Fat pad atrophy represents one of the common foot problems in elderly adults that makes every step painful. The natural cushioning in your heels and balls of your feet gradually disappears with age, leaving bones to dig directly into hard surfaces. This condition creates burning pain in your forefoot called metatarsalgia that worsens throughout the day.

What fat pad atrophy is

Your feet contain protective fat pads that absorb shock and cushion bones when you walk or stand. Fat pad atrophy occurs when these layers thin out significantly, removing the natural padding between your bones and the ground. This deterioration exposes your metatarsal bones in the ball of your foot and your heel bone to direct impact with every step.

Why older adults lose cushioning in the feet

Age naturally breaks down the collagen and elastin that keep fat pads resilient and thick. Years of walking, standing, and bearing your body weight compress these cushions until they no longer bounce back. Chronic conditions like diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis accelerate this process and cause earlier fat pad loss.

Symptoms of ball of foot and heel pain

You feel sharp, burning pain in the balls of your feet that intensifies when you walk barefoot or stand for long periods. Your heels ache deeply, and you notice increased sensitivity to hard surfaces. The discomfort typically worsens by evening after a day of activity.

Without proper cushioning, your bones absorb forces they were never meant to handle, leading to stress fractures and chronic pain.

Treatment options and custom cushioning

Custom orthotics with extra padding replace lost cushioning and redistribute pressure across your foot. Injectable fillers can restore volume to severely depleted fat pads, providing immediate relief that lasts several months. Your podiatrist may recommend padding products specifically designed for metatarsal or heel protection.

Shoe and insert tips to protect thin soles

Choose shoes with thick, cushioned soles that provide shock absorption, and replace footwear before the cushioning compresses flat. Add gel inserts or metatarsal pads to your existing shoes for extra protection in high-impact areas. Avoid flat shoes, flip-flops, and walking barefoot on hard floors.

When to seek podiatry care for forefoot pain

Contact your podiatrist if ball of foot pain persists despite cushioned footwear, or if you develop visible swelling, redness, or difficulty walking. Seek evaluation when pain prevents you from completing daily activities or when you notice skin breakdown under pressure points on your feet.

6. Bunions and toe deformities

Bunions and toe deformities rank among the common foot problems in elderly adults, causing painful bumps and crooked toes that make wearing shoes difficult. These conditions develop gradually over years, creating structural changes that alter the way your foot functions and increase your risk of falls and mobility problems.

How bunions, hammertoes, and claw toes develop

Bunions form when the joint at the base of your big toe shifts outward, forcing your toe to angle toward the other toes. Hammertoes develop when the middle joint of your toe bends downward, while claw toes curl at multiple joints simultaneously. Genetics, years of wearing improper footwear, and muscle imbalances all contribute to these deformities.

Symptoms and problems these deformities cause

You experience pain, redness, and swelling around the affected joints that worsens when you wear shoes. Corns and calluses form where your toes rub against footwear, and you struggle to find comfortable shoes that fit. These deformities change your balance and walking pattern, making you more vulnerable to trips and falls.

How tight shoes and flat feet play a role

Narrow, pointed shoes squeeze your toes together and accelerate bunion formation, while high heels shift pressure forward onto your forefoot. Flat feet or fallen arches create abnormal mechanics that pull on tendons and ligaments, gradually drawing your toes out of alignment over decades.

Proper footwear cannot reverse existing deformities, but it prevents them from getting worse and reduces pain significantly.

Nonsurgical treatments and padding options

Switch to wide, roomy shoes with low heels that accommodate your deformities without pressure. Toe spacers, bunion pads, and cushioned inserts protect painful areas and reduce friction. Custom orthotics support your arch and improve your foot mechanics to slow deformity progression.

Surgical correction and recovery basics

Your podiatrist can realign bones and joints through various surgical procedures when conservative treatments no longer provide relief. Recovery typically takes several weeks to months, with gradual return to normal activities as healing progresses. Surgery offers permanent correction but requires commitment to proper footwear afterward.

Preventing worsening deformities over time

Wear shoes with adequate toe room and avoid styles that cramp your toes. Perform daily toe exercises to maintain flexibility and strength in your foot muscles. Schedule regular podiatry visits to monitor your deformities and adjust your treatment plan before problems escalate.

7. Ingrown toenails and nail problems

Nail problems become more common foot problems in elderly adults as thickened, brittle nails grow harder to trim properly. Your reduced flexibility makes reaching your toes difficult, and vision changes prevent you from seeing potential issues developing. These factors combine to create painful nail conditions that interfere with wearing shoes and walking comfortably.

Common nail problems in older adults

Ingrown toenails occur when nail edges dig into surrounding skin, while fungal infections cause nails to thicken, discolor, and crumble. You might notice nails becoming excessively thick, curved, or developing ridges that catch on socks and footwear.

Causes of ingrown, thick, and fungal toenails

Improper trimming creates sharp edges that pierce your skin as nails grow forward. Tight shoes compress your toes and force nails into flesh, while reduced circulation slows nail growth and makes them thicker. Fungal infections spread easily in warm, moist environments like sweaty shoes.

Signs of infection or more serious issues

Watch for redness, swelling, and drainage around your nails that signal infection. Severe pain, foul odors, or spreading warmth indicate conditions requiring immediate treatment.

Infected ingrown toenails can lead to bone infections in people with diabetes or poor circulation.

In office treatments to relieve nail pain

Your podiatrist can remove ingrown portions of nails and treat underlying infections with appropriate medications. Professional debridement thins excessively thick nails and improves their appearance.

Safe nail trimming and hygiene tips

Cut nails straight across, never rounded at corners, and avoid cutting too short. Keep feet clean and dry, and wear moisture-wicking socks that reduce fungal growth.

When you should not treat nail issues at home

Contact your podiatrist if you have diabetes, poor circulation, or numbness in your feet before attempting any nail care yourself.

8. Nerve problems and neuropathy

Nerve damage creates some of the most dangerous common foot problems in elderly adults because you lose the ability to feel pain that normally warns you about injuries. Neuropathy develops gradually over years, making your feet vulnerable to wounds, infections, and complications that threaten your independence and mobility.

Types of nerve problems that affect the feet

Peripheral neuropathy damages nerves in your feet and legs, typically starting in your toes and spreading upward. Diabetic neuropathy is the most common type, but vitamin deficiencies, chronic kidney disease, and certain medications also cause nerve damage. Tarsal tunnel syndrome compresses nerves near your ankle, creating localized pain and numbness.

Symptoms of neuropathy, burning, and tingling

You experience burning, stabbing, or shooting pain in your feet that often worsens at night. Tingling sensations feel like pins and needles, while progressive numbness makes your feet feel thick or like you’re wearing socks when you’re barefoot. Some people describe their feet feeling extremely cold or unusually hot without temperature changes.

How neuropathy increases fall and ulcer risk

Lost sensation prevents you from feeling ground surfaces or recognizing when your feet are positioned incorrectly. You might step on sharp objects without noticing, allowing wounds to develop and worsen before you discover them. Balance becomes unreliable because your brain receives incomplete information about foot position.

Neuropathy-related falls and undetected injuries are leading causes of hospitalization and disability in older adults.

Treatments for nerve pain and numbness

Medications like gabapentin or pregabalin reduce nerve pain signals, while certain antidepressants provide relief for some patients. Physical therapy improves strength and balance, and controlling underlying conditions like diabetes slows further nerve damage.

Foot protection strategies when you have numbness

Inspect your feet daily using a mirror to check for cuts, blisters, or color changes you cannot feel. Wear properly fitted shoes at all times, and test bathwater temperature with your elbow before stepping in to prevent burns.

When sudden nerve symptoms need urgent care

Seek immediate evaluation if you experience sudden weakness, severe pain, or rapidly spreading numbness in your feet.

9. Corns, calluses, and cracked heels

Thick, hardened skin on your feet ranks among the common foot problems in elderly adults, developing as natural protection against pressure and friction. While your body creates this extra layer to shield vulnerable areas, these buildups become painful obstacles that interfere with walking and increase your risk of infection when they crack or tear open.

Why corns and calluses form on aging feet

Your skin naturally thickens in response to repeated pressure on specific spots where bones rub against shoes or ground surfaces. Calluses typically develop on weight-bearing areas like heels and balls of your feet, while corns form on top of toes or between them where friction occurs constantly.

Causes and risks of dry, cracked heels

Reduced oil production in aging skin creates dryness that causes heels to crack and split. These fissures can deepen into painful wounds that bleed and allow bacteria to enter your body.

Skin infections and skin cancer on the feet

Open cracks become entry points for bacterial and fungal infections that spread rapidly in people with diabetes or poor circulation. Regularly examine your feet for unusual moles, growths, or color changes that might indicate skin cancer, which can develop anywhere including your soles and between your toes.

Infected foot wounds in older adults account for thousands of hospitalizations annually, many of which could be prevented with proper skin care.

When thick skin and cracks become dangerous

Contact your podiatrist if calluses become extremely painful or show signs of bleeding underneath the surface. Deep heel cracks that expose red tissue or produce drainage require immediate professional treatment.

Safe home care and what to avoid doing

Soak feet in warm water to soften thick skin, then gently smooth with a pumice stone. Never cut calluses yourself or use sharp objects that can cause injury.

Podiatry treatments to remove thick or painful skin

Your podiatrist safely removes thick calluses and corns using specialized instruments, applies medications to soften buildup, and treats any underlying infections.

Skin care habits to prevent future problems

Apply moisturizer daily to dry areas, avoiding between your toes. Wear properly fitted shoes that eliminate pressure points causing callus formation.

Protecting your feet

Understanding common foot problems in elderly adults helps you recognize when professional care is necessary and take action before issues worsen. Early intervention prevents minor issues from becoming serious complications that threaten your mobility and independence. Regular foot inspections, proper footwear, and daily care reduce your risk of developing painful conditions, but professional evaluation remains essential when problems arise or persist despite home treatment.

Don’t ignore persistent foot pain or changes in your feet. The team at Achilles Foot and Ankle Center provides comprehensive care for all foot and ankle conditions affecting older adults across our thirteen Central Virginia locations. Our specialists create personalized treatment plans that address your specific needs and help you maintain the active lifestyle you deserve. Contact us today to schedule an appointment and get the expert care your feet need.