Foot Pain – Those Boots You Wore Were Not Made for Walking

In 2014, the American Podiatric Medical Association performed a survey, and found that 77% of people have foot pain. Does that mean that most of us are just walking around, each step causing more and more distress? Probably. The good news is that you can get treatment for your foot pain that will reduce, or alleviate your foot pain altogether.
When you consider the anatomy of the foot, which contains a variety of bones, joints, tendons, muscles, and nerves, you can imagine the diversity of ailments that can cause people pain. Ligament instability or natural deformity can cause structural pain like metatarsalgia, injury to the fascia can cause plantar fasciitis, and excessive injury to the arches can lead to varied conditions, like adult flatfoot deformity and tarsal tunnel syndrome. Some of these conditions require medical intervention, and others can be treated at home. It’s important to consult with your doctor before beginning any home regimen to get the best outcome and reduce your pain as fast as possible.

What can you do at home?

1. Get Rid of Your Heels – It’s important to wear functional shoes, and luckily there are fashionable options available. Embrace sneakers, invest in orthotic inserts or metatarsal pads, and provide your arches with the support that they need to get you where you want to go.
2. Add Support – Sometimes certain parts of the foot need help staying put, or getting back to where they need to be. Tools like bunion splints, hammertoe crest pads, and braces can help you function throughout the day.
3. Watch Your Diet – Carrying extra weight around can wreak havoc on our feet. Reducing your caloric intake in order to lose weight can help alleviate pain associated with certain foot conditions.
4. Stop by the Pharmacy – Over the counter pain relievers, like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, can help reduce inflammation, especially for acute conditions.
5. Stretching – Some foot conditions can greatly improve with a proper stretching regimen. Talk to your doctor, and ask for some guidance for an at-home stretching routine.
6. Rest – Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your foot pain is to give it a rest.

How can your doctor help?

1. Ask About Injections – There are several non-invasive procedures that can help reduce inflammation and decrease pain, like steroid injections and stem cell therapies. Your doctor can help you decide which treatments work best for your condition.
2. An Operation Might be the Fix – Some conditions that cause foot pain may require surgery, especially in extreme cases.
3. Shock Wave Therapy – There is evidence that shock wave therapy can help people recover from certain foot conditions. The non-invasive treatment utilizes targeted pulses to cause a very small amount of trauma to the area, which triggers the body to repair the area.
Foot pain can be detrimental to your life, and letting it go without seeking treatment can make it worse in the future. Make an appointment with Premier Pain & Spine to start treating your foot pain today.
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