Can you pull a muscle in your foot? Signs, treatment and healing time

Can you pull a muscle in your foot?

Yes. A pulled muscle, or muscle strain, happens when muscle fibers are overstretched or torn. Your foot has about 20 small muscles of its own, most of them in the sole, which support your arch and move your toes. Several larger muscles in your lower leg also reach into the foot through tendons, the tough cords that attach muscle to bone. A strain can affect any of them.

A strain is different from a sprain, which is a stretched or torn ligament, the bands that hold bones together. Both are common in the foot and ankle, and both are treated in a similar way at first.

Symptoms of a pulled muscle in the foot

• pain that starts suddenly during activity, or builds up over a few days of overuse
• pain when you push off, rise onto your toes, curl your toes or stretch your foot
• tenderness over a soft area of the arch, top or side of the foot, rather than on the bone
• mild swelling, and sometimes bruising
• cramping, tightness or spasms in the arch
• stiffness, especially after rest

Numbness, tingling and burning pain aren’t typical of a strain. They point to an irritated nerve and are worth having checked. Our guide to nerve pain in the feet explains more.

How bad is the strain?

Doctors grade strains by how much of the muscle is torn:

• Grade 1 (mild): overstretched, with a few torn fibers. It’s sore, but you can walk and move normally.
• Grade 2 (moderate): a partial tear. There’s clear pain, some swelling and weakness, and often a limp.
• Grade 3 (severe): a complete tear of a muscle or tendon. There’s severe pain, often a pop, and you may not be able to push off or rise onto your toes. This is rare in the small foot muscles and needs a doctor.

Where does it hurt? Pulled muscle or something else?

Several other problems can feel like a pulled muscle. Where it hurts is a useful clue:

This is a guide, not a diagnosis. If a spot on the bone hurts to press, or the pain doesn’t ease with rest, see a podiatrist, because a stress fracture often starts out feeling like a strain. For more on specific causes, see our guides to heel pain in the morning, inner arch pain and Achilles tendinitis.

What causes a pulled muscle in the foot?

Overuse:

• running, jumping, dancing or long walks, especially after a sudden increase in distance or intensity
• switching to minimalist or barefoot-style shoes too quickly
• long days standing on hard floors

A sudden strain:

• sprinting or pushing off hard
• twisting or rolling the foot, or landing awkwardly
• slipping or tripping on uneven ground

Things that raise your risk:

• worn-out or unsupportive shoes
• tight calf muscles
• flat feet or high arches
• tired muscles, skipping a warm-up, or going back to sport too soon after an injury

How to treat a pulled muscle in the foot

The first 2 to 3 days

1. Rest from what hurts. You don’t have to stay off your feet completely, but stop running, jumping and anything that brings on the pain.
2. Ice it for 15 to 20 minutes every 2 to 3 hours, with a thin cloth between the ice and your skin.
3. Wrap it with an elastic bandage if it’s swollen. It should be snug, not tight.
4. Raise your foot above the level of your heart when you sit or lie down.
5. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve) or acetaminophen (Tylenol), if it’s safe for you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist first if you have kidney, stomach or heart problems, or take a blood thinner.

If you have diabetes, neuropathy or poor circulation, don’t use ice or heat on your foot, and have any foot injury checked by a podiatrist. You may not feel if the cold or heat is harming your skin.

After the first few days

• Wear supportive shoes with good arch support and cushioning, even at home, and avoid going barefoot.
• Use warmth for stiffness. Once any swelling has settled, a warm (not hot) compress can loosen the foot before you stretch.
• Try an arch support if your arch keeps aching. An over-the-counter insert can take strain off the sole while it heals. Our guide to orthotics explains the options.
• Start gentle stretches and exercises as the pain allows.

Stretches and exercises for a pulled foot muscle

Start once the sharp pain has eased, usually after a few days. Move gently, and stop any exercise that causes sharp pain. Aim for once or twice a day.

1. Towel scrunches. Sit with your foot on a towel and scrunch it toward you with your toes. Repeat 10 times.
2. Marble pickups. Pick up marbles or small objects with your toes and drop them into a cup.
3. Arch stretch. Sit, cross the injured foot over your other knee, and gently pull your toes back toward your shin until you feel a stretch along the arch. Hold for 30 seconds, 3 times.
4. Calf stretch. Face a wall with the injured leg behind you, keep the heel down and lean forward. Hold for 30 seconds, 3 times with the back knee straight, then 3 times with it slightly bent.
5. Ball roll. Roll the sole of your foot slowly over a tennis ball or massage ball for 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Heel raises. Once walking is comfortable, rise slowly onto your toes and lower back down, first on both feet, then on the injured foot alone. Repeat 10 to 15 times.

Getting back to activity

• Go back to sport once you can walk, rise onto your toes and hop gently on the injured foot without pain.
• Start with shorter, easier sessions and build up over 1 to 2 weeks.
• Warm up first, and ease off if the pain comes back.

How long does a pulled muscle in the foot take to heal?

Most foot strains are mild and heal within a few weeks. These are typical times, not promises. Healing depends on how bad the strain is, which muscle or tendon is involved, and how well you can rest it.

If the pain isn’t clearly better after 1 to 2 weeks, or keeps coming back, see a podiatrist. A stress fracture, tendinitis or plantar fasciitis can feel like a strain but needs different treatment.

When to see a doctor for a foot strain

Go to the emergency room if:

• your foot looks deformed, or there’s a deep wound
• your foot turns cold, pale or blue, or goes numb

Get seen the same day if:

• you can’t put weight on your foot
• you felt a pop and now can’t push off or rise onto your toes
• the swelling or bruising is severe
• one calf is suddenly swollen, warm and painful, which can be a blood clot
• you have diabetes, neuropathy or poor circulation and have hurt your foot

Book a visit if:

• the pain isn’t clearly better after 1 to 2 weeks of home care
• one spot on the bone hurts to press
• the pain keeps coming back when you exercise
• you have numbness, tingling or burning

How a podiatrist or physical therapist can help

A podiatrist will examine your foot, check which movements hurt and find exactly where it’s tender. Evolve Health podiatrists have digital X-ray on site to rule out a fracture, and may order an ultrasound or MRI if a tendon tear is suspected.

Depending on what they find, treatment may include:

• supportive shoes, taping or a walking boot to rest the injured muscle or tendon
• arch supports or custom orthotics if your foot shape or activity keeps causing strains
• physical therapy to rebuild strength and flexibility and get you back to sport safely
• surgery, rarely, for a completely torn tendon

How to prevent foot muscle strains

• Build up distance and intensity gradually.
• Warm up before exercise, and stretch your calves regularly.
• Strengthen your feet with toe exercises and heel raises a few times a week.
• Wear supportive shoes suited to your activity, and replace running shoes every 300 to 500 miles.
• If you want to try minimalist shoes, bring them in slowly over several weeks, switching between your regular shoes and the minimalist pair. Changing too quickly can lead to injury.
• Take rest days, and mix in low-impact exercise such as cycling or swimming.

Our recommended products page lists resistance bands and massage balls that our physical therapists use in home exercise programs. If your foot pain isn’t easing after a week or two, or you’re not sure it’s a strain, you can find a podiatrist near you and book online.