Foot pain....?

I'm asking this question for my dad (60).

He's having some sort of foot pain, it's at the top of his foot, along the side of the top (not the side of the foot completely). Like from the small toe up toward the ankle. On both feet.

I've asked him if he's had any foot injuries, he said no. I asked him if he's stepped wrong with both feet, he said no. He has several friends who have Gout and none of his symptoms point to Gout. I asked him to describe to me what exactly hurts and here's what he told me::

- Hurts more in the morning when he gets out of bed. (Actual pain rather than soreness.)
- Generally sore throughout the day.
- Gets a little better the more he moves them.
- Cramps in them at night. (They woke him up this morning.)
- Yesterday morning the tops of his feet were sort of red but no swelling. This morning, no redness but cramps.

It sounds like RLS (Restless Leg) sort of, but it's not in the leg.

Does anyone have any ideas?

(And please, no simple "Go to the doctor" answers, we know he needs to and should but he's low on money at the moment. I would just like a general idea)

i can tell you without a doubt it is not gout.
it could be lots of things - but here is the run down on the most likely.

it sounds really really like a form of arthritis - possibly rheumatoid which is symmetrical, always hurts more in the morning, or osteo which is a degenerative form from wear and tear, especially if he worked in a job with a lot of standing.

could be extensor tendinits, from overuse

you can get carpal tunnel syndrome which everone has heard of but you can also get tarsal tunnel syndrome which nobody has heard of which is the foot equivalent

it could be a trapped nerve in his back or hip.
diabetes, lupus, syphilis, psoriatic arthritis.
he needs to have the area x rayed, then you will know for sure, most of the above can be diagnosed with a simple cheap x ray

Have him checked for bone spur's they are growth's of calcium deposits and also it could be arthritis !

i have something like that and my doctor calls mine rsd - i have nerve and muscle damage in my foot. the temperature changes, swelling, lots of pain and some color change. i didn't do anything to injure my foot either. it could be morton's neuroma thou as they thought mine was at first. i would take him to see a podiatrist. good luck.