There are many causes of swollen and painful dorsal feet. Trauma, inflammation, deformities and tumours of the foot and metabolic diseases can cause swollen and painful dorsal feet, and the common causes are
Metabolic diseases: gout, diabetic foot, etc.
Trauma: fracture, joint dislocation, ligament injury, osteo-fascial syndrome, etc.
Inflammation: septic infection of soft tissue, arthritis, ischaemic necrosis of bone, synovitis, tenosynovitis, etc.
Deformities: flatfoot syndrome, clubfoot, etc.
Tumours: lipomas, dorsalis pedis tendon sheath cysts, etc.