Whether you have a long commute, you’re on your feet for most of the day at work, or you like to keep active at the gym, you have probably experienced foot pain at one time or another. Pain may be at the heel, the arch, the ball of the foot, or even at the base of your big toe.
If you have heel pain, especially if the pain is at its worst with your first steps in the morning, you may have something called, plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is the inflammation or irritation of the soft tissue structure that runs from your heel to your toes and supports the arch of your foot. To help relieve some of this pain, roll a Rubz Hand and Foot Massage Ball under the heel and arch to massage the area. The ball uses numerous stimulating fingers and ancient acupressure techniques to apply pressure to help reduce tension, relax muscles, and stimulate circulation.
If you have arch pain, proper footwear and a modified insole may give the relief you need. More often than not, the cause of this pain is faulty biomechanics, specifically overpronation.
Overpronation is when your foot rolls inwards towards its arches when walking and is the culprit of a number of foot anomalies. To counteract overpronation, an Arch Pad to support your arches along with a Rearfoot Post is a standard modification to the insole of your shoe.
Overpronation may also lead to metatarsalgia (ball of the foot pain) or even a neuroma (irritation of the nerve bundles between the base of your toes). To help relieve pressures from the balls of your feet and splay the bones in the midfoot to reduce irritation of the nerve bundles, a Metatarsal Pad would be an acceptable addition to your insole. Although it may be slightly uncomfortable at first, with time and patience, your feet will be sure to thank you.
Finally, a Reverse Morton’s Extension is another useful modification in the case of hallux limitus or a dropped the first ray. This modification works in two ways: One, it removes direct pressure from the joint thereby relieving pain. And two, it encourages your foot to push off on the big toe to engage in proper propulsion forward.
In general, any type of foot pain should be assessed by a Chiropodist who is trained to determine the cause of pain and the treatment options available to manage the pain and/or correct any gait abnormalities. Book an appointment with a Chiropodist at Feet First Clinic, a clinic located in Downtown Toronto to get your feet closer to being pain free!
