Conditions like calluses and athlete’s foot are immediately obvious and you know the causes. But sometimes, the outside of your foot hurts.

And when that happens, it can be difficult to know the true cause. That’s because the pain that happens on the outside of your foot doesn’t necessarily have an immediately direct cause.

If you notice the outside of your foot hurting, it could be happening because of these injuries:

1. Stress Fractures

These happen from repeated stress to your foot. They most frequently happen among athletes in training and people with high dedication to running.

Stress fractures are actually tiny breaks in your bones, and they can happen even in those in good shape living healthy lifestyles. Typically, you experience a stress fracture in the long bones leading to your toes or in the back of your foot.

Stress fractures typically get treated with rest, ice, compression and elevation (RICE). You may need to switch to a form of exercise that doesn’t place pressure on your feet (swimming). In some cases, you may need crutches or surgery (extremely rare).

2. Peroneal Tendinosis

The peroneal tendons run on the outside of your foot. Just like stress fractures, repetitive stress to your foot leads to injuries to these tendons. Long-distance running, soccer, and ballet can lead to injuries to your peroneal tendons.

You can simply strain these tendons, but it’s also possible to tear them.

Treatment is simple and works basically just like it does for stress fractures. Rest helps you heal. In some cases, you may need a boot. And if you tear these tendons, you’ll need surgery. However, surgery on these tendons is known, proven, and effective.

3. Ankle Sprains

You know all about these. However, you may not know that an improperly treated ankle sprain can result in lifelong ankle instability. And, ankle sprains can be hiding bone fractures.

When should you seek professional treatment?

Your ankle pain should only last at its initial intensity for a day or so. If the pain remains severe for several days, you likely have a fracture or torn tendon.

Rest, ice, compression, and elevation should heal up your ankle.

So, those are reasons you could have pain on the exterior of your foot. Now that you know why, you also know what action to take if you find yourself experiencing the painful symptoms of any of these injuries.