Step Out of Pain

Millions of people have some sort of foot pain problem. That is not surprising: the average person walks or runs about 70,000 miles during a lifetime, much of that on hard surface, in ill-fitting shoes and sometimes accompanied by the burden of excess weight. The real surprise might be that we don’t have even more trouble with the 26 bones, 33 joints, assorted tendons, muscles and other components in every foot.

When we do have problems, just “getting off our feet” won’t necessarily lead to permanent relief. For one thing, foot pain doesn’t always begin in the foot. Even though you’re feeling the pain there, a tight Achilles tendon or calf muscle may be the actual source of your problem. Either may restrict ankle motion, causing you to put painful stress on the front of your foot. Rest may help, but what’s often needed is a change in a way you care for your feet. The following is a guide to some common foot problems, along with tips on how you can help yourself:

TIRED FEET

If your job requires you to be on your feet in one spot all day, for example in front of a sales counter, chances are you’ve complained that your feet are tired and achy. Standing in one place all the time is one of the worst things you can do to your feet. The muscles don’t flex or contract; they are just static.

One solution: step on and off a raised surface, such as telephone book, to give your muscles some work. Or simply flex your feet, rolling up onto the ball of your foot, the back to your heel. Take your shoes off and roll a golf ball behind the ball of each foot for a minute or two. This is a great massage; it can also help with cramps or strains in your arch.

HURTING HEELS

Also known to many as heel spur, pain in the heel is usually the result of what characterizes as repetitive stress of tissue where it attaches to the heel bone. You get microscopic tears on a daily basis and eventually you have severe pain in your heel. The tears are in the springy tissue that runs from your heel bone to your toes. Bend your toes up and you’ll recognize it as the tight band running through your arch.

For heel pain in this area, stretching your feet as often as eight times a day might be a great help. Do the runner’s stretch: take your shoes off and face a wall. Place your hands against the wall for support, lunge with the right leg bent at the knee and the left leg straight behind you. Step back only as far as you can while still keeping the entire left foot, including the heel, flat on the floor. Repeat with your left leg in front and right leg behind. This stretch will help loosen your calf muscles and stretch your Achilles tendon, reducing tightness in the muscles leading to the foot. Another easy measure is by soaking your feet in warm water at night.

BALL OF THE FOOT PAIN

Problems in this area mostly happen to women. Causes range from damaged nerves by simply wearing a shoe that is too tight in the toe or too high in the heel. Switch to flat shoes that have a wider toe box. To relieve pain, place a pad just behind the weight-bearing ball of the foot. If you can’t stop wearing high heels altogether, limit them to special occasions.

No advice can guarantee an end to foot pain. But by following these suggestions, you’ll increase the chances that the next time you step out; you’ll have a smile on your face as you step “out” of foot pain.