Everyone at some point in their lives has experienced foot pain. This is very common because our feet carry our weight whether we are walking or standing. Foot pain pertains to any discomfort or aches in some parts of the foot such as the toes, arches, soles, and heels or the whole foot itself. It can range from a slight throbbing pain to a severe excruciating one.
Common Causes of Foot Pain
There are so many reasons why foot pain occurs. Based on a survey by the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA), 77 percent of Americans from age 18 and above have suffered from foot pain but only one-third sought medical help. To get proper foot pain treatment, you need to identify what’s causing the problem. Here are some of the common causes of foot pain:
Wearing the wrong shoes
Wearing shoes that are too tight or too small can put a lot of pressure on your feet. How long you wear them and whether you’re walking around or standing adds up to the problem. Wearing high heels is the same, it puts pressure on your toes. Another is wearing inappropriate shoes for the occasion like wearing dance shoes for hiking.
Medical Conditions
One of the usual medical conditions that cause foot pain is arthritis. With arthritis, joints become stiff, hard, and painful. The little joints in our feet are not exempted. Another one is diabetes Mellitus that can cause several disorders and complications in the feet.
Obesity
Being overweight adds extra strain on your feet as you walk. The muscles, tendons, and bones in your feet are not made to bear so much weight and this places pressure on your feet which results in swelling and foot pain.
Pregnancy
Women naturally gain weight during pregnancy and this alters a woman’s center of gravity completely. This change causes a pregnant woman to use a new stance that greatly strains the feet and knees and makes the feet hurt.
Injury
Foot or leg injuries can cause inflammation of the muscles, tendons, and ligaments which in turn leads to foot pain.
Plantar Fasciitis
In Plantar Fasciitis, a group of connective tissues that can be found at the bottom of your foot and attaches your toes to your heel bone (plantar fascia) gets inflamed. This makes stepping very painful.
Other Possible Causes of Foot Pain:
- Bunions
- Corns
- Heel Spurs
- Ingrown Toenail
- Athlete’s Foot
- Hammer. Mallet and Claw Toe
- Foot Rash
- Warts
How to Relieve Foot Pain at Home
- Apply an ice pack to the affected area.
- Rest the aching foot.
- Raise the foot concerned.
- Keep the affected area from being rubbed with the use of foot pads.
- Take some over-the-counter pain reliever
Steps to Avoid Foot Pain
- Wear the right shoes
- Keep a healthy weight
- Enhance your flexibility
- Take a break. If you sit all day, take standing up breaks and vice versa.
If your foot pain doesn’t go away in a week or two after treating it at home or if the pain is severe then you should look for medical help.
For more health tips, you might want to read The Healthy Posture Chair and Its Benefits and 9 Simple Yoga Stretches to Help Relieve Lower Back Pain and Hip Pain.