The cuboid bone is one of the 26 bones of the foot. It is located on the outer side of the foot, about halfway between the pinky toe and the heel bone. The cuboid bone moves and shifts to a small degree during normal foot motion. Certain forceful movements or prolonged positions can cause the cuboid bone to move too far, which interferes with its normal position or motion. This causes immediate foot pain, which can feel worse when standing or walking on the foot.

Cuboid syndrome often occurs suddenly. It may occur with ankle sprains, as the foot rolls in, or when a person stomps the foot hard onto a hard surface, such as concrete, particularly if the person is wearing rigid or high-heeled shoes. Hard landings onto the feet from a jump, or falling from a height onto the feet can also create enough force to affect the cuboid bone's position and cause a problem.

A cuboid bone injury can develop from maintaining prolonged foot positions, such as standing or walking in high heels, or remaining in a toe-pointed (ballet dancer's) position, for a long time. Peroneal tendon problems, such as weakness, tendonitis, or tendinopathy, also can contribute to, or occur at the same time as, cuboid syndrome.

The majority of people who suffer cuboid syndrome have flat feet, although the condition can even occur in people with very high arches.

Cuboid syndrome causes sharp pain on the outer side, and possibly underside, of the foot. The pain does not usually spread to the rest of the foot or leg. It often starts quite suddenly and lasts throughout the day. Pain can worsen with standing or walking, and can make walking on the foot impossible. The pain is often completely relieved by taking weight off the foot. When not putting weight on the foot, a person can usually move the foot around freely and with little to no pain. Without treatment, however, the pain during standing and walking can persist for days, weeks, or longer.

Surgery is not usually necessary for treatment of cuboid syndrome. Your physical therapist can help determine if cuboid syndrome is present, and design the correct treatment program for you, based on your particular condition and goals.

Cuboid syndrome can cause any of the following symptoms:

• Sharp pain on the outer side, and possibly underside, of the foot.
• Increased pain when standing and/or walking.
• Limping when walking, or an inability to walk on the foot at all.
• Reduced pain when no weight is put on the foot.
• Possible mild swelling on the outer side of the foot.

Your physical therapist will conduct a thorough evaluation that includes taking your health history. They also will ask you detailed questions about your injury, such as:

• How and when did the pain start?
• What type of discomfort do you feel, and where do you feel it?
• What can’t you do right now, in your daily life, work, or sport, due to the pain?

Your physical therapist will perform tests on your body to find physical problems, such as:

• Misalignment of the cuboid bone.
• Weakness or tightness in the muscles of the foot and leg.
• Joint stiffness.
• Difficulty standing and/or walking.

If your physical therapist finds any of the above problems, physical therapy treatment may begin right away, to help get you on the road to recovery and back to your normal activities.

If more severe problems are suspected or found, your physical therapist may collaborate with a physician to obtain special diagnostic testing, such as an X-ray. Physical therapists work closely with physicians and other health care providers to make certain that you receive an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment.

Cuboid syndrome often responds to treatment quickly.

Your physical therapist will work with you to design a specific treatment program that will speed your recovery, including exercises and treatments that you can do at home. Physical therapy will help you return to your normal lifestyle and activities. The time it takes to heal the condition varies, but noticeable improvement can be achieved in 1 or 2 physical therapy visits, with full recovery within a few weeks or less when a proper treatment program is implemented.

During the first 24 to 48 hours following your diagnosis of cuboid syndrome, your physical therapist may advise you to:

• Avoid all jumping, hopping, and running activities.
• Limit prolonged walking.
• Wear flat, stiff-soled shoes.
• Stay active around the house, and go on short walks several times per day. Movement will decrease pain and stiffness, and help you feel better.
• Apply ice packs to the affected area for 15 to 20 minutes every 2 hours.

Your physical therapist will work with you to:

Reposition the cuboid and stabilize it. Your physical therapist may use their hands (manual therapy) to reposition the cuboid bone back to its normal position, so that it can move more normally. This can potentially relieve most of the pain, and restore the ability to stand and walk. The physical therapist then may use various exercises and techniques to support the cuboid bone’s corrected position. These may include foot exercises, taping of the foot, and advice on footwear and when to return to activity.

Reduce pain and other symptoms. Your physical therapist will help you understand how to avoid or modify the activities that caused the injury, so healing can begin. Your physical therapist may use different types of treatments and technologies to control and reduce your pain and symptoms. The focus will be placed on physical therapy, icing, and gentle movement to reduce pain without the need for pain medication.

Improve motion. Your physical therapist will choose specific activities and treatments to help restore normal movement in the foot or in any stiff joints. These might begin with "passive" motions that the physical therapist performs for you to move a joint, and progress to active exercises and stretches that you do yourself. You can perform these motions at home and in your workplace to help hasten healing and pain relief.

Improve flexibility. Your physical therapist will determine if any muscles in the area are tight, start helping you stretch them, and teach you stretching exercises to do at home.

Improve strength. If your physical therapist finds any weak muscles, the therapist will choose, and teach you, the correct exercises to steadily restore your strength and agility. When addressing cuboid syndrome, foot and ankle muscle exercises are commonly taught to strengthen the muscles and tendons around the cuboid bone, arch of the foot, and ankle.

Improve endurance. Restoring muscular endurance is important after an injury. Your physical therapist will develop a program of activities to help you regain the endurance you had before the injury, and improve it.

Learn a home program. Your physical therapist will teach you strengthening, stretching, and pain-reduction exercises to perform at home. These exercises will be specific for your needs; if you do them as prescribed by your physical therapist, you can speed your recovery.

Return to activities. Your physical therapist will discuss your activity levels with you and use them to set your work, sport, and home-life recovery goals. Your treatment program will help you reach your goals in the safest, fastest, and most effective way possible. Your physical therapist may teach you how to choose the best footwear, to avoid putting unwanted pressure on the cuboid bone, and to add specialized support such as orthotics.

Once your pain is gone, it will be important for you to continue your foot exercises at home, to help keep your foot healthy and pain free.

In all but the most extreme cases, physical therapist treatment provides excellent results. Surgery and pain medication (such as opioid medication) are not usually needed for this condition.

Risk factors for cuboid syndrome include:

• Foot bone instability.
• A sprained ankle.
• Being overweight.
• Wearing poorly-fitted or poorly-made shoes or orthotics.
• Performing extreme or extended exercises.
• Allowing insufficient recovery time after exercise.
• Conducting physical training on uneven surfaces.
• Wearing high heels or rigid heels.
• Stomping the foot.
• Landing hard on the feet from a jump.

To prevent cuboid syndrome individuals should:

• Avoid forceful stomping on hard surfaces, such as concrete or rock, especially when wearing rigid heels or high-heeled shoes.
• Limit forceful stomping activities in general.
• Perform cool-down and gentle stretching exercises following high-level sport or dance activities.
• Limit wearing rigid-heeled or high-heeled shoes when running, dancing, prolonged walking, or simply being active.
• Seek advice on proper footwear.
• Discuss your occupation with a physical therapist, who can provide an analysis of your job tasks and offer suggestions for reducing your risk of injury.
• Keep your muscles strong and flexible. Participate in a consistent program of physical activity to maintain a healthy weight and fitness level.

To prevent recurrence of cuboid syndrome, follow the above advice, and:

• Continue the new foot exercises that you learned from your physical therapist to maintain your improvements.
• Continue to do any other home exercises your physical therapist taught you to help maintain your improvements.
• Continue to be physically active and stay fit.

All physical therapists are prepared through education and experience to treat people who have this condition. You may want to consider: 

• A physical therapist who is experienced in treating people with orthopedic, or musculoskeletal, problems. 
• A physical therapist who is a board-certified clinical specialist or who completed a residency or fellowship in orthopedic physical therapy. This physical therapist has advanced knowledge, experience, and skills that may apply to your condition.

You can find physical therapists who have these and other credentials by using Find a PT, the online tool built by the American Physical Therapy Association to help you search for physical therapists with specific clinical expertise in your geographic area.

General tips when you're looking for a physical therapist:

• Get recommendations from family and friends or from other health care providers.
• When you contact a physical therapy clinic for an appointment, ask about the physical therapists’ experience in helping people with this condition.
• Be prepared to describe your symptoms in as much detail as possible, and say what makes your symptoms worse.