I've had a couple of foot problems: Plantar fasciitis, and Morton's Neuroma. The former, I treated with physical therapy, ibuprofen, and five pounds of weight loss (that's all it took). I'm glad to say it's gone completely.

The latter I've learned how to control. Occasionally I'll do something simple that inflames it. Usually it's simply a matter of standing up from a sitting position the wrong way, or wearing a shoe that's too tight. Once inflamed, it takes a few days or even weeks to bring it back down again. The trick is to remove the source of inflamation first, treat the inflamation second (to break the cycle), and exercise heightened care until its symptoms subside.

For example, one day I tweaked it by rolling my foot as I stood up. At that point some swelling and inflamation made it more tender. In its more swollen and tender state, anything can make it worse. In my case, it was bike shoes that were too tight. I broke the cycle by controlling the inflamation with ibuprofen, and by removing the source of re-inflamation by switching to wider bike shoes. Within a couple weeks I stopped feeling it altogether. But I know it will bite me again and again throughout my life.

I think the first time I felt it was when I was backpacking in my teens. My boots were a little narrow for me. This was before I realized that I have a wider than average foot. Over the years it's come and gone again and again, but at least now I know how to minimize its impact.

The primary response is, the moment I feel it, stop what I'm doing. Take off my shoe, walk around for a couple minutes. Take ibuprofen. Usually that settles it before it has a chance to really swell and get inflamed.