Foot Aches
Our poor, overworked feet. In a single day, they absorb about 1,000 pounds of force as they carry us from place to place. And we mistreat them terribly-we stand on them for hours; we walk on hard, unyielding surfaces, and we cram them into shoes that may be fashionable, but are often very far from comfortable. So it’s really no wonder that four out of five adults eventually suffer from foot problems.
Foot pain is so common, podiatrist Andrew Schink, D.P.M., past president of the Oregon Podiatric Medical Association and podiatrist in private practice in Eugene, quips, “At parties, I’ve stopped telling people what I do for a living.”
While certainly not as glamorous as the heart or the brain, the feet are amazing pieces of engineering, perfectly designed to give years of service-if you treat them right. Each foot has 26 bones-together the feet have almost one-quarter of the bones in the entire body. Thirty-three joints make the feet flexible and 19 muscles control movement of foot parts. Tendons stretch tautly between muscles and bones, moving parts of the feet as the muscles contract. Two arches in the midfoot and forefoot, constructed like small bridges, support each foot and provide a springy, elastic structure to absorb shock. Numerous nerve endings in the feet make them sensitive (and ticklish). And the whole structure is held together by more than 100 ligaments.
As incredible as our feet may be, few of us ever think about them until they hurt. And when they do hurt, it’s difficult to think of anything else. Fortunately, if your dogs are barking, there are several things you can do to soothe and pamper your tired, aching, overworked feet. There are also some simple steps you can take to prevent serious foot problems from developing in the first place. Here are some suggestions-
Take a load off. Much of the foot pain we experience comes from tired muscles. “The leg has four basic muscle groups that move the foot up, down, and from side to side,” explains Schink. “After a period of time, the foot flattens out because the muscles get overly fatigued from trying to hold up the foot.”
If you have to stand a great deal, take breaks to take the weight off your feet. The same advice applies if you do a lot of walking. Whenever you can, elevate your feet at a 45-degree angle to your body, and relax for 10 to 15 minutes. Elevating your feet will move blood away from the feet and help reduce swelling.
Give them a soak. Put two tablespoons of Epsom salts (available without a prescription at your local drugstore) into a basin of comfortably warm water and give your aching feet a relaxing bath for 15 minutes, says Schink. Then, pat your feet dry with a soft towel, and moisturize them with your favorite cream or lotion.
Alternate hot and cold. Sit on the edge of the bathtub and alternately run cold water then (comfortably) hot water (for one minute each) on the feet, end with cold water. If you are diabetic, however, do not try this without your doctor’s approval.
Give them the squeeze. There’s nothing quite as relaxing as a foot massage. Have a partner massage your feet with massage oil, baby oil, or moisturizing lotion. Or treat yourself by massaging your own feet. First, apply oil, and condition the foot with medium-light strokes, using your thumbs and fingers. Next, starting with the ball of the foot, work across and down the entire foot using the thumbs to make small, circular motions. Use the thumbs to make long, deep strokes along the arch of the foot, moving in the direction of the toes. Gently squeeze, rotate, and pull each toe. End by cupping the foot between both hands and gently squeezing up and down the length of each foot.
Ice ‘em. A cool way to refresh your feet after a long, hard day is to ice them down with a washcloth filled with ice. It’ll make them feel wonderful and decrease swelling.
Exercise your feet. Like any part of the body, the feet stay healthiest if they’re kept strong and flexible with regular exercise. Walking in shoes that provide good support and cushioning is excellent exercise for the feet.
Feet also benefit from specific foot exercises. Michael Martindale, L.P.T., a physical therapist at the Sports Medicine Center at Portland Adventist Medical Center in Oregon who specializes in athletic injuries, suggests the following:
- Golf-Ball Roll: With your shoe off, place your foot on top of a golf ball, and roll (don’t stand) on the ball using only the weight of the foot.
- Spill the Beans: Scatter beans or marbles on the floor, and pick them up with your toes.
- Circle and Stretch: Sit in a chair with your feet out in front of you, and make four or five small circles in both directions with your feet. Next, stretch your toes out as far as you can; then stretch them up toward you. Repeat six times.
Trim your toenails. Ingrown toenails may be inherited, but improper nail trimming can make the problem worse. Trim the nails straight across and only to the end of the toe, then file the corners to remove sharp edges that might cut the skin.
Maintain ideal weight. Being overweight puts excess strain on your feet, as well as on all of the other weight-bearing joints of the body.
Buy shoes that fit. Too often, people buy shoes that don’t fit their feet. They opt for fashion rather than fit or comfort. “I could make almost any foot problem feel better with the right pair of shoes,” says Schink.
He says to look for shoes that:
- Have plenty of room in the toe area (toe box).
- Don’t slip. The foot should not slide around in the shoe.
- Are wide enough. Your foot shouldn’t bulge over the edges of the shoe.
- Fit in the store. Don’t buy shoes that are too small for your feet believing that you’ll “stretch them out” with wearing.
Know your feet. Different types of feet require different kinds of shoes, according to Martyn Shorten, Ph.D., former director of NIKE’s Sports Research Laboratory. “High-arched feet tend to be rigid and need shoes that provide good cushioning and absorb shock,” he says. “Flat feet have lots of flexibility so they need shoes that can control excess motion.”
To find out what kind of foot you have, wet your bare feet and stand on a concrete floor or piece of paper. If you have high arches, the outline of your foot will appear very narrow and curved like a half-moon. If the outline looks like a slab, you’re probably flat-footed.
Wear the right shoe for the activity. “The wrong shoe can cause injuries such as tendinitis in the knees, chronic foot pain, heel spurs, and stress fractures,” says Kathleen Galiigan, D.C., a chiropractor in Lake Oswego, Oregon, who specializes in sports injuries.
She says each activity has its own set of repetitive movements that require special support and cushioning. You wouldn’t play basketball in a pair of heels. Likewise, don’t rely on that old pair of sneakers if you’re going climbing or hiking. Spend the extra money to buy shoes that are specific for the activity you’re doing. The investment could save you and your feet a good deal of discomfort.
Replace worn shoes. It’s tough to give up those old favorite shoes, but often we wear shoes long after they’ve lost their ability to support and cushion the foot. “Shoes are often worn out before you can see the wear,” says Galligan.
She advises paying attention to the worn-out. shoe messages from your body. “If your feet hurt, your legs feel tired, your knees are sore, or your hips hurt, it’s definitely time to buy a new pair of shoes.”
Tagged under: feet, feet injuries, foot aches, foot problems, General Ailments, repetitive movements toenails
Filed under: General Ailments