DISCLAIMER
This post is purely informational. Please contact
your closest health professional for a qualified diagnosis and prescription on
how to deal with your foot pain.
Today we are all about the very important foot!
The foot, anatomically, is the last portion of our lower limb. It carries the
whole body's weight and allows movement from place to place. After moving all
day, it's bound to hurt with overuse therefore we might end up with foot (or
feet) pain.
Definition of Foot Pain
Foot pain by definition is any pain you might feel in the bones,
the ligaments or the tendons of your foot because they may be worn out, because
of an injury or an inflammation. It can present itself as a burning sensation,
tingling or numbness.
It can last for as little as minutes to days but it can also
persist for months leaving you irritated, uncomfortable and dependent.
Dependency can be towards friends and family members or having to use assistive
devices like:
·
Canes
·
Crutches
·
Wheelchairs
·
Orthotic devices e.g. heel casts and ankle braces
Assistive devices can be used to help you move from here to there
or even to reduce the pain you feel while performing movements. In other words,
they allow you to continue your daily activities and participation in your
community.
Common types of foot pain (List is not
conclusive)
- Achilles
tendinitis
- Bunions
- Diabetes
of the foot
- Gout
- Bone
spurs
- Bursitis
- Calluses
- Flat
feet
- Osteoarthritis
- Osteomyelitis
- Rheumatoid
Arthritis
- Stress
fractures
- Tumors
- Tarsal
tunnel syndrome
The foot pain which I will discuss today is Plantar Fasciitis
which is a foot pain felt around the heel and/or arch.
Usually occurring among the middle aged people, plantar fasciitis
can also occur among young people who use their feet a lot like long distance
runners. You can get plantar fasciitis in both feet but it is common to get it
in one foot alone.
Causes
·
Excessive pronation – an anatomical term to describe the turning
inward of your feet when walking.
·
Overweight – remember, your feet carry the whole weight of your
body!
·
Excessive use (especially on hard surfaces) – standing, walking or
running too much
·
Incorrect foot wear
·
Tight calf muscles or Achilles Tendon (a tough band of tissue that
connects the calf muscles to the heel)
Signs and Symptoms
3 simple ways you can tell that you have this kind of foot pain.
1.
Raising your toes off the ground hurts
2.
During exercise it gets better but it returns when you rest
3.
Walking immediately after sleeping or resting can worsen the pain
What else could it be?
It is completely possible that you do not have plantar fasciitis
and that could be a good or bad thing depending on what else your foot pain
could be. (List is not conclusive)
- Abdominal
pain in the aged
- Reactive
arthritis
- Foot
fracture
- Calcaneal
bursitis
- Lumbosacral
radiculopathy
- Contusions
What should you do?
Plantar fasciitis is one of those bodily issues that can go away
on its own but if you don’t have that kind of patient or you like to take control
then this is for you.
- rest
- ice
- topical
NSAIDs
- shoe
inserts
- stretch
- deep
friction massage
- steroids
- shock
therapy
- surgeries
If you are like me and don’t like medications or surgeries, then
please read on for a detailed home therapy for plantar fasciitis.
ICE
Ice is a good source for natural analgesia. People, for years, have
been using ice to reduce pain and swelling. Grab an ice pack or D.I.Y one by
freezing a bottle of water and cover it with a cloth. Gently but firmly massage
the cloth-covered ice pack onto the area of pain for no less than 10 minutes.
Around 10 – 15 minutes, you may start to feel the cold turn to warmth, please,
that is a good sign to stop and move on to the next step. Do this 3 to 4 times
a day for good results.
MASSAGE
A good massage technique called Deep Tissue Massage is used for
effective results. Using a lubricant like massage oil or simply lotion, start
at the beginning of your heel and firmly move upwards with your thumbs through
the middle of your foot and (without letting go) move back down the outer part
of your foot. Alternatively, you can roll a tennis ball back and forth instead
of using your hands. Repeat this movement for 1 to 3 minutes.
STRETCH
You can use your body weight or a towel to stretch your calf
muscles or Achilles tendon especially if the cause of your pain is tightness of
these structures. You should place the ball of the affected foot onto a towel
and holding both ends of the towel with your hands, pull your foot upwards.
Hold the stretch for more than 6 seconds for effectiveness.
FOOTWEAR
Look into your footwear. Maybe they need to be changed out. Wear
comfortable shoes that are not tight on any part of your foot. During your foot
ailment, you will need extra padded shoes to reduce the pain while you work.
You should wear shoes with deep heel cupping and you may add a lot of cotton
wool inside as padding.
Lastly, you should just want to rest. Take time off your feet
while it heals. Healing can take up to 6 months which is less than if you go
the surgery way but that depends on foot specialists.
References
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/plantar-fasciitis/
https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-topics/hw114458
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