Your body is a complicated machine, and when one part of it doesn’t work, it will adversely affect the rest of you. This is especially evident when you are living with foot pain and plantar fasciitis. Activities of daily life, formerly thought to be routine, can suddenly become a struggle. By trying to find a solution, you can help to improve your life and reduce or even eliminate your pain. Understanding what is causing the pain can help you to treat it, and “get back up on your feet.”
Anatomy Of The Foot
Your foot is comprised of bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. All of these work together for it to move seamlessly. The bones of your foot and toes itself are organized into rows including the Tarsal, Metatarsal, and Phalanges. These small bones comprise the main structure of your foot, along with several larger bones that help to create the ankle and connect to your leg. They include the Cuneiforms, Cuboid, Navicular, Talus and, of course, the Tibia and Fibula–which run all the way up to your knee.
Lastly, the biggest bone in your foot is the Calcaneus, which forms the heel section. All of these components work together to allow your foot to move, and although the range of motion of a foot isn’t as vast as that of a hand, it is still an intricate process.
Much like your hand, the foot is a complex structure filled with smaller joints that are absolutely necessary for it to exhibit any motion. But unlike the hand, the foot is a much stronger part of your body, because it has to bear your weight. As a result, if something begins to hurt your foot, it can be devastating to your body because of how much it rely on using your feet.
Participating in sports, and even moving around for daily and routine tasks, all necessitate foot movement. And when you are suffering from foot pain, it’s important to seek medical attention. In the event that you have sustained a hairline fracture, sprain, or strain, you need to understand the proper ways to take care of your foot in order to for it to get better and restore your mobility.
What Causes Injuries
Because your foot sustains a significant amount of wear and tear on a daily basis, foot pain is very common. As a result, you should be able to easily determine the most common causes of foot pain.
Some people, suffer from diabetic nerve pain and ulcers. For many others, the causes of foot injuries are sustained from high impact while playing sports, or simple overuse of the foot while not wearing the proper support. Your foot is a strong part of your body, but also requires support in order to ensure that it remains healthy and functions properly.
Seeking Medical Attention
When you are suffering from foot pain, your first step should be to see a doctor. You never want to self-diagnose the cause of the pain, because you may be missing something that leads you to treat the symptoms rather than the cause of your pain.
A doctor, on the other hand, will be able to tell you why you are having foot pain, what your injury is, and the best method you can use to take care of it. Once you’ve been diagnosed and given a treatment plan, you can determine what will work best for you and your life.
For example, icing your foot pain is a common recommendation. But if you suffer from Cold hives, it might simply not be an option; in that case, you’ll want to discuss alternative treatments. Lastly, if you have any type of fracture in your foot, it might require surgery. If you try to take care of your foot and the pain simply won’t subside, talk to a doctor to make sure that it doesn’t require surgery.
Common Types of Injuries
When you have foot pain, you may be suffering from a multitude of problems. You may incur an injury to the front of your foot, often called a Metatarsalgia injury. This occurs from overuse of that part of the foot; for example, runners, tennis, soccer players, and other athletes will spend a lot of their time sustaining impact on the balls of their feet, which can lead to pain and inflammation.
Another condition, called Morton’s Neuroma, is caused the irritation of a nerve at the site of the foot pain. This causes a thickening, which leads directly to the toes. In some cases, a benign “tumor” may form, which will then need to be removed.
An especially common foot injury is plantar fasciitis. This condition manifests itself as heel pain, and is caused by repeated strain on the plantar fascia–the ligament which connects the heel of your foot to your toes, running underneath your arch.
Again, plantar fasciitis can become a problem for you when you overuse your foot, while simultaneously not wearing shoes that are supportive and protective enough. If you roll your feet inwards when you walk, perhaps you have high arches or flat feet, or simply have been on your feet for too long. This condition can become very painful, and cause walking to be very difficult.
Treatment Options
For Morton’s Neuroma, some of the best treatment options (outside of surgery if needed) are getting rest, better fitting shoes, and of course ice packs that can help to handle the swelling and lead to pain reduction. Learning how to properly use kinesiology tape can also help to provide relief for this type of pain, but it’s important to first learn how to properly tape your foot. If you don’t tape it correctly, you will end up causing more foot pain rather than providing the extra support and relief that you are looking for.
When you are trying to treat plantar fasciitis, you have to try to rest your foot as much as possible. Because the ligament is agitated, you want to be sure to give it enough time to rest and heal. By giving your ligament time to rest, you will help the little tears in the ligament to heal
You should also use ice while you are resting, and – obviously – limit your activities. Additionally, when you resume your normal daily life and sports, you should take extra precautions on taking care of your feet. Try to wear supportive socks, shoes, and even use kinesiology tape to provide extra stabilization and support for your feet.
Your feet work hard for you, regardless of what you are doing. That’s why you need to return the favor by wearing supportive footwear, seeking medical attention if you have pain, and following the doctor’s orders. When you take the time to understand the causes of foot pain as well as how to treat them, you’ll be able to get better soon.
On the other hand, when you can’t use your feet without being in pain, your entire life will begin to suffer. When you start walking incorrectly, you can adversely affect other parts of the body, including your legs, hips, and spine, and begin to cause referred pain. By taking care of your body and your feet, you’ll be able to resume normal activities and sports, and go back to living your life sooner rather than later. To learn more about what we can do for you to help alleviate your foot pain, please contact us.