People with pre-existing medical conditions, such as arthritis, flat feet, bunions, metatarsalgia, tendonitis and more usually complain about suffering foot pain. While these medical conditions can be an underlying cause of foot pain, it's possible to have painful feet without any underlying medical condition.
Read on to discover a few common non-medical reasons you may have pain in your feet.
1. Overuse
Engaging in physical activity, such as walking, jogging, jumping and running is a great way to get (back) in shape and enjoy a healthy lifestyle. However, overdoing it too quickly will only throw a wrench into the works.
Doing too much of one type of activity too intensely and quickly will result in overuse injuries, such as muscle strain and inflamed tendons, which will make your feet sore and painful.
2. Ankle Sprains
This is a common musculoskeletal injury that occurs when the ankle turns in an awkward angle, irritating the ligaments that help keep the ankle bones together. It can cause swelling, chronic pain and a feeling of looseness in the feet. Mild sprains can be treated at home with rest, ice to help reduce the swelling and over-the-counter pain relievers to help with the pain. You may need a medical evaluation if you have severe sprains.
Ankle sprains may occur when you're doing physical activity, such as playing football or rugby, or when you're simply running your daily errands.
3. Wrong Choice of Shoes
Not all shoes are made with comfort as a top priority. Some types of shoes, such as stilettos, are created for beauty with comfort being put on the back burner. The angle that this type of shoe puts your foot in can cause a lot of foot pain and also have long-term effects on the health of your feet.
Whenever possible, ditch shoes that strain your feet for more comfortable shoes. Prioritising comfort over style is essential to keep your feet healthy. Also, always make sure you're wearing the right shoes when doing physical exercise or playing your favourite sport.
The kind of treatment you'll need for your foot pain will depend on the cause and severity of the pain and may involve a combination of treatment methods including oral medication, topical medication, physical therapy, and even surgery. For further information about the causes of foot pain and the treatment options available to patients, consider reaching out to a podiatrist near you.
From a morning ache in the heel to persistent forefoot pain when walking, foot pain comes in many different forms. Most people find it difficult to work out what is causing the pain and decide what to do to resolve it.
The posts on this website can help you understand how the foot functions and what can go wrong with it to cause pain. In addition to suggesting stretches and footwear changes that might help, they can also let you know when you need to see a podiatrist for specialist help.
Don't put up with foot pain. Read our posts and then reach out to a podiatrist to get the relief you need.