Suffering from foot pain is a great concern. The discomfort can impede our ability to perform our daily work, hamper our exercise routine and our mobility. Even the simplest of movements and tasks can feel like a severe punishment when our feet ache. Therefore, foot pain related issues should be treated with importance and urgency. Here are some daily tips to address the root causes of foot pain.

What causes foot pain?

Sometimes the cause of the foot pain may not be related to some underlying disease. The reason may be poor fit shoes, sports-related injuries or overuse of shoes that require replacement.

What are the preventive measures?

There are a few points to consider when selecting the right pair of shoes. The size of the shoe is important. Too tightly fitting shoes can restrict blood circulation. Loose-fitting shoes can cause a person to trip and fall. Shoes with high heels can put undue pressure on the feet. One should avoid heels for prolonged periods. Shoes that are too narrow at the toe could cause foot pain and even result in a hammertoe.

Another important fact to consider when choosing shoes that minimize foot pain is to measure the length and width of the feet along with the arches. Shoes with arch support are desirable.

Shoes with good, supportive soles that provide shock absorption around the heel and the balls of the feet should be chosen. Replace shoes regularly, especially those that have soles that have worn out due to frequent use, high impact activity like running or soles that have worn out due to heat and humidity. Such shoes are no longer viable.

Custom made insoles can also provide appropriate foot support and relieve foot pain issues. The insoles may be useful in cases of heel spur pain. Heel spurs are abnormal outgrowths of bone at the base of the heel, sometimes caused by wearing the wrong shoes or caused by sports like running.

Another point of pain is the balls of the feet or callmetatarsalgia. Again the cause might be poorly fitting shoes and injury from sports. Custom made shoe inserts may help to relieve the pain here as well. Pain and numbness around the balls of the feet may be due to a condition called Morton’s neuroma – where the base of the toes show tissue thickening around the nerves. The inflammation of the tendons in the sesamoids or the bones near the big toe causes Sesamoiditis

Gout, flat feet and bunions are all other conditions that may impact the feet and cause pain. Gout most commonly affects the big toe. The crystals that accumulate in the toe joints and causes Gout. There are several treatments available for gout, one of them being anti-inflammatory medication. A bunion forms at the base of the big toe and is a prominent, bony protuberance that can be seen sticking out from the side of the foot. Switching footwear and using shoe inserts can relieve the situation.

Pain in the feet may be due to a variety of conditions. There are means and treatments available to care for the foot conditions and alleviate the pain caused in the feet. This will enable the patient to lead a more active and pain-free life.