Your feet are an essential yet neglected part of your body until they start hurting from all the weight-bearing and exhaustion. Just like any other part of your body, your feet also need regular care and conditioning to keep them in good form structurally and functionally. Other than traumatic injuries, your feet can be affected by many systemic and activity-related factors.
Some of the common foot pain conditions are:
- Plantar fasciitis
- Heel Spur
- Pregnancy-related foot pain
- Metatarsalgia
- Arthritis
- Sports Injuries
- Ankle Sprain
- Other foot conditions
Plantar fasciitis: Having plantar fasciitis is a pain! It makes walking/running difficult as it hurts the sole of your foot. You may be unlucky to develop
plantar fasciitis in one or both feet together.Plantar fascia is a thick band running along the base of your foot. It is commonly irritated by overloading that thick band for example prolonged standing, sudden and high increase in exercise, incorrect footwear, tight calves, foot arch problems.
Heel Spur: As the name suggests, it causes foot pain near the heel. A spur is a build up of calcium deposits under the heel bone. This happens over a period of time.
Pregnancy-related foot pain: During pregnancy, the feet have to bear an increase in weight that may lead to a woman developing foot problems not experienced before. For example, arch pain, heel pain, swelling and fatigue.
Osteoarthritis: The most common form of arthritis is Osteoarthritis. This is caused by wear and tear on the joints that may occur.
Metatarsalgia: Pain in the ball of your foot i.e., in the arch that goes across the width of your foot nearest your toes. The area can become inflamed and very painful, sometimes with a tingling sensation.
Bunions: A bunion is a visible bony bump at the side of the base of the big toe. The tip of the toe curves towards the other toes, forcing the base of the big toe to stick out. Some cushioning and protection can help relieve discomfort of a bunion.
Ankle Sprain: Ankle sprain is an injury caused by rolling, twisting or turning your ankle in an awkward way. The ligaments that hold the ankle stable are stretched beyond their capacity and the ankle is sprained. The ligaments on the outside of the ankle are the ones most likely injured. As well as using RICE (rest, ice, compression and elevation) to aid the recovery, a mild ankle sprain may benefit from an ankle support.
Other foot conditions:
Some foot conditions are not painful yet restrict or interfere with normal functions like walking, balance or running.
One such example is the dropped medical arch that is when the arch along the length of your foot becomes flatted.
It is always advisable to wear the correct footwear to decrease the risk of foot injuries and always consult your Doctor if you are suffering with any kind of foot pain.
