Our lifestyle these days has become quite sedentary. In earlier times, people did not have the convenience of cars and buses and so they had to walk everywhere. While walking does take longer, it is great for your health, especially the health of your feet. Because we don’t walk as much as we used to do, a lot of us are experiencing aches and pains in our feet. These can range from annoying niggling pains to extremely debilitating aches that make it difficult for people to even walk. As a result, we need to pay a lot of attention to our feet and ensure that they are in good shape.

What are the causes of foot pain?

The feet are an incredibly complex system of bones, tissues, ligaments and muscles. Any problem with even one of these components can result in foot pain which can vary in severity. But all of them are serious conditions and must be looked after. Let us take a look at the major causes of foot pain:-

1. Plantar fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis is a condition that causes pain in the heel of the foot. The plantar fascia is the thin ligament that joins the heel with the front of the foot and it acts as a shock absorber for your feet. This ligament undergoes sufficient wear and tear, especially for people who are overweight. When excess wear and tear occurs, the ligament can get inflamed and cause pain in the heel area of the foot.

2. Sprains and strains

In the normal course of our lives, sometimes we simply twist our feet and suffer a sprain. Or maybe because of an accident, the ligaments and tendons which connect the bones and muscles in the feet can get damaged, resulting in foot pain.

3. Sciatica

The sciatic nerve is an important nerve that extends from the spine and down the legs. Due to irritation of this nerve, you may experience numbness or pain in your feet.

4. Tendinitis

Tendons are the connectors between your muscles and bones and are thus extremely important for proper movement. When the tendons in your feet experience inflammation or irritation, it can cause great pain to move your joints.

These are the most common causes of foot pain, but what is the treatment?

The treatment for foot pain depends largely on the root of the pain.

1. In order to treat plantar fasciitis, it is important to get ample amount of rest. You can also do muscle stretches and use Soothing Foot Compress to provide an extra dose of relief.
2. If you’ve recently met with an accident or experienced an injury, it might be useful to treat the sprain in your foot with anti-inflammation medication to get rid of the swelling in the joints of your feet. Pain relieving medication should also help keep the discomfort in check. Resting your feet is important and so is going to the doctor to confirm you haven’t suffered a fracture.
3. If you cannot relate your foot pain to a recent injury or accident, it is possible that your pain may be related to a spinal condition like sciatica. In that case, it is advised to see a spine specialist as soon as possible. It is also likely that a pinched nerve may refer the pain to the sciatic nerve, which in turn may be causing your foot pain. The spine specialist will be able to provide an accurate diagnosis and prescribe a course of treatment.
4. If there is a problem with the tendons in your feet, adequate rest is a necessity. So is using ice compress and elevation of the affected area. If the pain gets too much, painkillers may need to be imbibed to ease the discomfort.

Our feet are precious and yet we rarely treat them well. In fact, we do a lot to actually harm their health. Take care of your feet, and they will never let you down!

To know more about soothing foot compress, click here.