The calves are the fleshy part of the legs below the knees and have two key muscles. The gastrocnemius is larger muscle and functions to move the foot downward and to bend the knee. It is posterior to, or behind, the soleus, which also moves the foot downward.

The general reason for foot cramps while sleeping is decreased circulation in the foot. The drop in oxygen to the foot muscles causes them to constrict or spasm, sometimes painfully. Foot cramping can happen at any age.

A person can experience swelling in one toe or several toes at the same time. Several injuries or medical conditions can cause toes to swell. Common reasons to experience swelling in the toes include an injury to the toe, gout and psoriatic arthritis.

When you step forward and hit your heel to the ground in walking, it is referred to as the heel strike. A great deal of force goes through your heel and ankle during walking and each heel strike. If you have an injury such as Achilles tendinitis or plantar fasciitis, walking may become quite painful.

Numbness of the feet and toes typically indicates a problem with the nerves that communicate sensory information from these structures to the brain. Chronic illnesses, medications, nutritional deficiencies and physical impingement on the nerves may cause loss of sensation in the feet and toes.

Your foot and ankle are comprised of many small bones that work together during exercise to help you run, shift your weight and jump. Because exercise places extra pressure on foot and ankle joints, ligaments, muscles and tendons, the feet are subject to injury, swelling and pain.

When examining your feet, you may notice small, white bumps on your heels. These bumps are normally painless and cause a mere fascination with what they are and why you have them. According to the "Journal of the American Academy of Physician's Assistants,"

Although soccer can be an entertaining form of exercise, the running and jumping involved can put you at risk for injuries and conditions that cause heel pain. It can vary in severity, ranging from a mild ache to a debilitating pain that keeps you from playing or practicing.

Calf raises directly target your lower legs. You can perform this exercise with or without weights. Some people develop sore feet during and after calf raises. If you do, stop the exercise until you have assessed and treated the problem. A few different causes are possible. See your doctor if you have questions.

According to a 2003 article in the “British Journal of Sports Medicine,” a flat or high arch is one of many risk factors for lower extremity injuries including foot injuries. Common injuries that cause foot pain are plantar fasciitis, stress fractures and muscle strains.

Metatarsalgia is a foot condition characterized by pain in the area of the ball of the foot, usually where the second toe and foot join together. Repetitive motion and force in the area are common causes of metatarsalgia.

Symptoms of numbness and tingling in the toes can arise from several causative factors. These symptoms can be experienced in all the toes, or select ones depending on the cause.