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Painful Feet When Walking | Causes and Remedies
Walking takes us where we need to go and is among the most convenient ways to maintain our fitness.
Because we spend so much time on our feet, aches and pains are inevitable, especially after walking for long periods.
While foot pain is frequently caused by overuse, it can also be caused by an underlying injury or medical condition.
Keep reading to learn why your feet hurt when you walk and what you can do to alleviate the problem.
Why Do Your Feet Hurt?
To find out what is the cause of your foot pain, it is best to seek a licensed doctor or podiatrist for a proper diagnosis.
Foot pain can be caused by one of the following conditions:
Plantar fasciitis
Feeling pain in the bottom your heels?
This pain might indicate plantar fasciitis, which is when the thick band of fibrous tissue that connects the heel bone to the toes (plantar fascia) is irritated or inflamed.
Plantar fasciitis is usually an overuse injury, but can also be caused by other factors like a tight calf muscle or Achilles tendon. Learn more here.
It usually hurts the worst when you first get out of bed in the morning. It can also be felt in your arch or in your heel.
Bunions
Notice a firm bump at the base of your big toe joint?
That's a bunion, which can be caused by wearing shoes that are too tight. It can eventually cause your big toe to veer diagonally towards the second toe.
Ingrown toenails
Do you pay attention to your toenails?
Well, if you don't, you should because , you can get an ingrown toenail!
Essentially, your nail grows into the side flesh of your skin, which can be caused by improper footwear or even cutting off too much of your nail.
It can be very painful, and if left untreated, the affected toe may become infected.
Hammertoe or claw toe
Are your toe joints bending abnormally?
Yes, it can happen and it might indicate that you have one of these 2 conditions.
Hammertoe causes the toe's middle or second joint to bend downward. It usually only affects one toe.
Claw toe usually affects the little toes, although it can also affect the other four toes. It can cause the toes to bend and curl under.
Turf toe
If you've played any high impact sports before, you've probably heard of the term turf toe.
This is a common sports injury that is often accompanied with severe pain. It happens when you sprain the middle joint of your big toe by bending it too far or too forcefully.
This injury became more common as artificial turf started to become more commonly used in playing fields. Hence, the name turf toe.
Flat feet
Flat feet, also known as fallen arches, is when the bottom of the foot lacks an arch or sometimes don't develop an arch at all.
This can be a condition that you were born with but you can also develop it as you grow.
Sometimes, direct injury or trauma on the tendon that attaches your calf muscles to the bones in your feet (posterior tibial tendon) can lead to flat feet.
If you do feel a stabbing pain or have trouble walking, do contact a medical professional for the best treatment options.
What Can I Do To Prevent or Alleviate Foot Pain?
Foot Massage
There's a reason why massages feel good.
Massaging your legs and feet is a good way to get your blood supply moving to relieve painful inflammation and, in turn, relieve pain.
Feet Hygiene
Washing your feet is so important, yet some people tend to neglect it!
You should wash and scrub your feet in warm water everyday to make sure your feet are clean. This also allows you time to inspect your feet for physical warnings before any severe problems arise.
Stretching
Stretching has been something that has been embedded into us from a very young age at school.
Stretching is important to loosen your muscles tension, allowing you to move freely and with less pain.
Comfortable and Appropriate Footwear
Avoid wearing ill fitting shoes and stick to comfortable shoes that suit your feet type.
If you have a foot deformity like flat feet, you will need special footwear or custom orthotics prescribed to you by a medical professional. These devices might have arch supports or foot pads to help with the foot pain and prevent further complciations.
Consult a Podiatrist
A podiatrist is medical expert on every part of the foot and have specialised skills in managing pain associated with incorrect foot mechanics.
Typically, a podiatrist will be able to diagnose the reason of your foot pain and provide the appropriate treatment or physical therapy.
If your foot discomfort is caused by diabetic nerve damage or blood flow difficulties, you may be encouraged to consult other healthcare specialists who can assist you in managing these underlying diseases.
Rid Your Foot Worries With Dr. Foot's Professional Care
If you feel pain in your feet, be it heel pain or toe pain, contact us with your worries so we can help you find the right treatment!
We're excited to provide podiatry care for everyone.
We will not just examine, diagnose and administer treatment; most importantly we educate and empower patients with better care so that they can get back on their feet!