What's causing pain along the outer edge of my foot, and how can I tell the difference between a muscle and a bone issue?

Pain along the outside edge of your foot usually comes from one of three things: peroneal tendonitis, cuboid syndrome, or a stress fracture in the fifth metatarsal (near your little toe). Peroneal tendonitis causes a gradual ache around the outer ankle that gets worse with activity. Cuboid syndrome feels like a sudden stiffness or cramp in the middle of your foot, especially when pushing off while walking. Both of these can often improve with supportive insoles or custom orthotics that help correct how your foot moves. A fracture, like a Jones fracture, is more serious and causes sharp, intense pain directly over the bone, making it hard to put weight on your foot. If you have that kind of pain, see a doctor right away. For ongoing tendon or mechanical issues, Upstep offers custom orthotics made just for your feet and delivers them straight to your door, and no specialist visit is needed.