Basic things to help you avoid or alleviate foot pain
When I talk about foot pain I’m talking about pain or discomfort in one, or more, parts of the foot. The pain you are experiencing – whether it’s your toes, heels, arches or the soles of your feet - could be caused by any number of different factors and there a list of common complaints on the FAQ page of the Five Little Piggies website that you may want to check out.
So, without knowing more about any potential injury to your foot, or any pre-existing medical condition, I’d like to outline some of the basic things that you can do yourself to help alleviate some, or all, of that pain.
Avoid going barefoot
I treat a lot of patients who have caused damage to their toes and feet because they’ve woke in the night to use the bathroom and walked barefoot, in the dark, to get there. On the way, they’ve stubbed their toe, slipped or tripped, or inadvertently knocked something over onto their foot. Barefoot walking is a contentious issue with some experts claiming that we should be gardening, walking, hiking and playing without wearing shoes. Our feet aren’t designed to walk 5-10,000 steps a day on flat, hard surfaces and doing so barefoot will cause unnatural stress to the feet. If you’re already suffering from foot pain, then barefoot is not best.
Sock it to ‘em
Socks don’t offer enough cushioning if that’s all you’re wearing on your feet around the house. They don’t offer enough protection for your joints if you’re walking on hard floors. There's a time and place for wearing good quality, moisture-wicking socks – with trainers, shoes or boots, or in bed to keep your feet warm - but wearing them around the house is not one of them.
Flip-flops and flimsy slippers
Ok so it’s slightly better (but not by much) than going barefoot, I suppose, but still… Flip-flops offer no rearfoot strapping which forces you to curl up your toes so that grip the flip-flop as a way of keeping your feet in them (when I see people in flip-flops I always think of surfers, with their toes “hanging 10” from their boards!). And flimsy slippers are no better – they have little to no cushioning underfoot or on top (imagining dropping a bottle of Olive Oil wearing flimsy bedroom slippers – ouch) and the soles aren’t rigid enough.
Watch out for killer flats (yes, you read that correctly: flats, not heels)
You’d think giving your feet a rest from your killer heels would be a good thing. But think again. Ballet pumps may feel more comfortable but they actually cause the foot to overpronate or roll inwards. Unsupportive flat shoes can cause plantar fasciitis when the foot arches drop and the ligaments and tendons overstretch or even tear. And flat shoes with extremely thin soles offer no shock absorption so every time your foot hits the ground when you’re walking, your heel bone is going to suffer.
Wear only shoes that have a thick, rigid, and non-flexible sole.
Think out of the [toe] box
Pointy-toed shoes (and 1950s, rock and roll winkle-pickers spring to mind) or wearing shoes that are too tight around the toes puts pressure on your toes which can cause (or irritate existing) bunions, ingrown toenails, corns. Wearing shoes with a wide toe box can help you avoid these often-painful conditions and joint damage.
Foot pain can range from mild to severe and you may not suffer all day-every-day. But aches and pains in your feet shouldn’t be ignored. Contact Five Little Piggies via our website or call us on 0141 613 1113 for an initial consultation and let us take care of your feet.