Feet in the human beings
are subject to physical stress and pressure, be it walking on bad roads,
climbing steps, standing in Ques, running, exercising or playing sports. This
can render the tendons and muscles in the foot vulnerable to injuries. If you
only deal with the signs and symptoms but not the underlying problems, your
feet will eventually keep getting worse. The pain caused by foot injuries is
often recurrent if not treated properly.
Usually, the problem in
question is that your shoes don't fit right or that you were born with certain
foot problems. Other factors have also come into play, for instance putting on
extra weight as you age can add a tremendous amount of pressure to your feet.
Regardless of why your feet are hurt, here are some ways that you can adopt to
prevent foot pain.
1. Measure Your Feet
Shoes that are too tight
can make your feet hurt even more. Measure your feet for you when you are
standing. It would be great if you do this every time you want to buy a new
pair of shoes. Some other ways that you get the right fit are for instance, try
on the shoes when your feet are at their largest - swelling, fit shoes to your
largest foot if you have one foot bigger than the other, and make sure that
there is at least a half-inch between your longest toe and the end of the shoe.
2. Make Your Exercise
Interesting
If your feet hurts because
you give them a regular pounding every time you take a brisk walk, change your
routine. For instance, alternate between weight-bearing activities such as
running and non-weight-bearing activities such as cycling.
3. Modify Your Stretch
Times
The Achilles tendon
stretches can help alleviate heel pain when it strikes, but you should also do
them routinely. Be sure to stretch before and after exercising. Also, stretch
before going to sleep and before getting out of bed in the morning. Though you
might think your legs and feet are relaxed at night, most people sleep with
their feet pointed keeping the Achilles tight all night long. Therefore, just
by stretching before you rise, you can get your feet off to a good start.
4. Switch To Running Or
Walking Shoes
If your foot's natural
padding has eroded over time, wear sneakers. They have extra cushioning in the
heel, which will make up for your reduced, natural fat pads.
5.If you find your joints
are stiff or inflamed, then be sure to take necessary rest and stay off your
feet until they feel better.
Periods of regular rest are
essential to your feet's well being.
6. Lose some weight if you
are carrying extra poundage.
Any extra weight adds both
stress to weight-bearing joints and can also initiate the development of future
foot problems. Think of this as being a longer term project i.e. that you don`t
have to lose all the weight at once. Any excess weight you can lose will have a
corresponding benefit for your long suffering feet!
7. Remember to exercise on
a regular basis.
Aim to stay active and
flexible. Walking, swimming and yoga are excellent activities and will assist
in promoting superb foot health.
8. Concentrate on
developing and maintaining a good posture.
This will keep your body
weight even distributed over each foot.
9. Maintain a healthy diet
- this will assist enormously in promoting long term foot health and a sense of
general well being
10. Avoid a stressful
lifestyle - stress can sometimes exacerbate an existing arthritic condition.
11. Avoid smoking, and
excesses of caffeine and alcohol, protein and fat.
12. Above all, maintain
regular communication with your doctor and notify of any changes in the
condition of your feet.
Tips to Protect Your Feet
When Wearing High Heels
It's ok to wear high heels.
In fact, shoes with at least an inch heel are recommended for individuals with
flatfeet, tight calves and arch pain. But, once the height of the heel exceeds
1.5", the amount of force transferred to the ball of the foot increases
substantially.
1. For everyday wear, wear
1- 1.5 inch heels. Higher heels can be worn occasionally for events.
2. Wear different heel
heights each day. Alternating heel heights helps reduce problems with the
Achilles tendon.
3. Choose wider heels. A
wider heel distributes the weight on your foot more evenly, thus will give you
better balance and helps relieve some pressure.
4. High heeled sandals with
back straps, preferably thicker ones. The more support you have, the better the
balance.
5. Make sure the shoe fits
well.If you have to over-tighten a strap because your foot is sliding out of
the shoe, then the shoes are too big. If your toes are cramped in the shoe
before standing and walking, the shoes are too small.
6. Make sure the foot fits
well in the heel area. In high heels, the foot will slide forward. The greater
the heel height, the greater chance for the foot to slide forward. A shoe with
a more narrow heel will offer a better fit at the heel. This adds stability and
helps to prevent the foot from sliding forward.
7. Avoid high heeled shoes
with a steep slope. Some high heels have a sharp drop from the heel to the toe
area. The steeper this slope, the less contact with the arch and the less
stability and support. The more gradual the slope, the better the fit.
8. Massage your foot after
a day or evening in high heels. For arch pain, roll your foot over a frozen
sports water bottle.
9. Stretch both your foot
and your calf after wearing high heels. To stretch the arch, rest your foot on
the opposite knee and pull the toes back.
10. Wear low heeled shoes
around the house. Change shoes when you arrive home and spend the evening
without heels on. This will allow your foot to adapt to the flat surface and
help keep your calf stretched out.
11. Try insoles in your
high heels. Research has shown that shoe inserts designed for high heeled shoes
improve comfort and decrease force and pressure on the ball of the foot. While
a full-shoe insert can help, if you have pain in the ball of the foot -- or
you'll be standing in your heels a long time -- invest in silicone metatarsal
pads. They do a super job of shock absorption
12. Footrest is designed to keep your feet supported
and comfortable. Footrests acts as a gentle reminder to sit all
the way back in your chair.
13. Use metatarsal pads
under the ball of the foot. Place a thin pad in the shoe, at the area under the
ball of the foot to add cushion and shock absorption.
14. Don't ignore foot
problems. If foot pain starts to develop, seek medical attention immediately.
15. Don't ignore pain.
Painful feet are not normal. Many foot conditions can be cured if you visit a
Physiotherapist as early as possible.
Common Foot Injuries: Let
us look at some of the most common foot injuries a foot develops that leads to
pain.
• Plantar Fasciitis
• Heel Spurs
• Metatarsalgia
• Achilles Tendinitis
