Feet are one of the body parts we take for total granted. We just assume we will get up and walk. But what if you wake up one day, put your feet on the floor, try to get up to walk to the kitchen for your morning cuppa and ” OUCH” pain !!?
Facts
Our feet are brilliantly engineered , 26 bones, 30 joints and more than 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments. It takes a lot to make them work – which also means – there is a lot that can go wrong!
Feet and ankles absorb an impact of +_ 120% of your body weight with each step. (1) – 275% if you are running ! That sure is A LOT of impact!
When we reach middle age , subcutaneous fat in our feet (especially around the heel area) thins, we thus have less protective padding in our feet which could lead to ankle and foot injuries.
Corns, calluses, nail issues and verrucas can strike at any time.
Toe nails grow at 1mm a month.
Some of the common caused for pain explored
Heel pain
As with the scenario described above , you get out of bed and as soon as your foot strikes the floor you are in pain. what could it possibly be ? A possible cause could be heel pain, it is a very common occurrence and more likely than not caused by plantar fasciitis.( this is NOT the only reason! Just one of many) What on earth is that right ? The plantar fascia is a thick fibrous band which attaches your heel to your toes. It supports the arch and takes the load when you stand, walk and run. So its a vital part of our foot – yet we only start googling it when it hurts 🙂
The really good news is that for most people it clears up or is managed very well with simple treatment. What are the treatment options you ask ? The first cause of action I normally advice my patients is rest , ice therapy and painkillers. One could also look at insoles and certain exercises – the key to this is patient compliance. Setting a daily reminder to do the prescribed exercises and listening to your body. We heard above that the feet takes a huge load when we are active, so sometimes a little rest is all your hard working feet need to recover.
Bunions and toe pain
In the good old days high heels and tight foot wear were blamed for bunions and toe pain. Although the wrong footwear can absolutely make the situation worse, new studies suggest that the main cause is genetics. (2) So how do bunions develop? Well, normally the big toe starts moving inwards towards the second toe causing the base of the big toe to become bulbous. This in itself can be painful or the pain could be due to footwear pushing on the oddly shaped protrusion. Although surgery can be carried out ( which I would refer my patients for if that is their preference) there are toe props that can be made to try and alleviate the toes pressing into each other , inserts, foam that can be cut to place over the toe to take the pressure off. If you spot any misalignment of your toes, seek advice. Bunions can cause other toe issues , such as hammer toe etc.
Fungal nails, athletes foot, corns, verruca’s
There are so many things that can go wrong with feet. Most , luckily are treatable. The bottom line – seek help from a qualified foot health practitioner ( like myself 🙂 )
Corns and calluses can be pared down to relief pain. Verruca’s can be treated , it is a lengthy process as one has to initiate an immune response in the body but it is absolutely treatable. Fungal nail – takes a long time to clear up but there are so many options for treatment. Scraping and cutting away infected parts, fungal nail ointments and lacquers ( although this needs to penetrate the nail bed to work – hence the cutting and scraping away of infected nail) , fenestration ( making small holes in the nail so the medicaments can penetrate the nail bed) , anti fungal tablets. Medicines and foot care advice will help treat athletes foot and other contagious skin conditions.
Call me today to book an appointment , so I can help you put your best foot forward !
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