Banishing Foot Pain Once And For All

How to Treat Foot Pain Caused by an Injury

Posted in Foot Pain on March 15th, 2007

Orthotics can provide many people with foot pain support and relief, and it may just be one of the methods you use when you suffer an injury to your foot. However, before you decide if orthotic inserts are for you, it is important that you first know how to treat your particular foot injury.

Most foot injuries involving the toe, foot or ankle that are caused from sports, work, or falling - and are not fractures - will heal naturally with proper home treatment. These injuries are usually characterized by symptoms including: bruising, swelling, inflammation (heat), throbbing and pain in the affected area.

Treating your foot injury at home – First and foremost, you should treat your injury with R.I.C.E -

Rest – Stay off your foot whenever you can.

Ice – For the first two day following the injury, apply ice to the injured area for 20 minutes, wait for 40 minutes, and repeat the cycle. Ice should be wrapped in a cloth before being applied.

Compression – Use an ACE® bandage to provide compression and support to your injured foot. Wrap the bandage lightly (not tightly) around your foot.

Elevation - keep your injured foot elevated above your chest. This can be achieved by propping your foot up on pillows.

In addition to R.I.C.E, effective ways to treat your foot injury include -

Heating pad – After the first two days, a heating pad or warm compress may provide relief and help sooth aching joints. Follow the same method applied to ice.

Over-the-counter pain relievers – NSAIDs (Non-sterodial anti-inflammatory drugs) such as aspirin, acetaminophen and ibuprofen can help relieve pain and reduce inflammation.

Take baths – Take tepid baths, especially during the few days following the injury. Keep your injured foot rested on the side of the tub and this will help you avoid getting it wet and keep pressure off.

Walk with support – When walking, you should take someone’s arm for support, or walk with a cane, crutch or walker to keep pressure off your injured foot.

Avoid exercises and massages – Unless recommended by your doctor, do not use exercises or massages to help heal your injury. These methods will only aggravate the issue and likely cause more inflammation, prolonging healing.

Check toenails for blanching – Every day, press your thumb into the nail bed of your big toe (as long as it’s not injured) on the injured foot. When you apply pressure, your nail will turn white. If after you remove your thumb your toenail stays white longer than 6 seconds, your foot is not receiving proper circulation. This is a serious concern, and you should visit your doctor right away.

By following the above treatment, starting with R.I.C.E, you should notice a reduction in swelling within 48 hours. However, keep in mind that it can take as long as 6 weeks before your foot is fully recovered from an injury. Therefore, you need to keep pressure off it as often as possible.

When to seek medical assistance – You need to determine whether or not your injury might be a fracture. If you have broken a bone you need the assistance of a doctor. The following are fracture symptoms:
• Pain
• Swelling
• Warmth, redness or bruising
• Obvious deformity
• Difficulty using or moving normally

Since many of these symptoms are similar to foot injuries such as sprains, torn muscles, tendons or ligaments, it may be difficult to determine if you have a broken bone, as you may have only suffered a mild fracture.

Therefore, it’s always best to consult your doctor about your injury if you are unsure of its seriousness, have a high fever (99.6° F or higher, lasting longer than 24 hours), your foot pain becomes worse, or you are not seeing an improvement after a significant period of time.

For more information on all varieties of Foot Pain and how to effectively treat them, please sign up for a free Foot Pain Relief newsletter.

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Should You Consider Orthotics for Your Foot Pain?

Posted in Foot Pain on March 8th, 2007

Many people with arthritis foot pain benefit from orthotic inserts. Orthotics is the science of constructing or custom designing foot appliances such as arch supports, shoe inserts, shoes, etc., to aid in preventing and correcting deformities that may inhibit normal, comfortable movement in a person. Orthotics also assists in supporting and properly aligning the foot to help improve the overall function of the body’s moveable part.

Although you may think a good athletic shoe (I.E. walking, running) provides you with enough support, this is untrue for someone who suffers or is prone to foot pain. The reason is because while an exceptional shoe can provide your feet with cushioning and motion control, it doesn’t provide adequate arch or heel support, or shock absorption.

Therefore, after you purchase a well-made pair of shoes, you need to take out the insole that came with the shoe, and replace it with an orthotic insole.

What types of foot pain benefit from orthotics? Orthotics are generally recommended for treating those who suffer from the following foot problems causing pain –
• Arch strain and pain
• Bunions
• Calluses
• Corns
• Crooked toes
• Hammer toes
• Heel pain
• Heel spurs
• Metatarsalgia (pain in the ball of the foot)
• Over-pronation
• Plantar fasciitis

Is there more than one type of orthotic insole? Yes. Orthotics come in various sizes and can be used for a number of different shoe styles. However, before we take a look at the different orthotics, keep in mind that not all insoles are orthotics. If the word “orthotic” is not on the packaging, the insoles are not made with the same science. Unlike other insoles, orthotics are designed to mold themselves to the foot when worn. The following are the different types of orthotics -

Functional orthotics – This type of orthotic is designed to correct defects of the arch including over-pronation, common in people with flat feet, and supination, common in people with high arches. Both foot problems can cause heel pain (plantar fasciitis) and puts excessive strain on muscles and joints throughout the back, hip and leg. Functional orthotics provides proper correction of these foot problems.

Supportive orthotics – These orthotics are designed to fix problems that occur in the arch, and provide the arch with proper support.

Weight-dispersive or accommodative orthotics –These orthotics are designed to provide padding and help support sesamoid bones (bones embedded in a tendon) metatarsal heads, collapsed tarsal bones, inflamed toes and sores. They help relieve pain and pressure from these areas.

Where can you obtain orthotic inserts? There are two ways a person can obtain orthotic insoles –

1. Ready-made orthotics -There are a variety of ready-made orthotic insoles sold online and in local super centers, drug stores and pharmacies. Most ready-made orthotic insoles provide arch support and a certain level of correction and cushioning to a person’s step. The following is a list of ready-made orthotic product brand names you can look for – Dr. Scholls, Spenco Insoles, and Footlevelers.

2. Custom orthotics – Custom orthotics will provide you better relief than ready-made orthotics because they are designed specifically for your foot and to treat your specific foot issue. The only problem is custom orthotics are hundreds of dollars, making them significantly more expensive than the ready-made variety.

Custom made orthotics are prescribed by health care professionals such as a family practitioner, chiropractor or podiatrist. The actual fitting of orthotic insoles is done at an orthotics lab by a pedorthist. The pedorthist constructs custom orthotics based on the diagnosis of the doctor and by taking a plaster cast of the patient’s foot.

Despite the type of orthotic insoles you decide to obtain for your feet, remember that you should always have your doctor diagnose your foot pain and ask for recommended treatment options.

For more information on all varieties of Foot Pain and how to effectively treat them, please sign up for a free Foot Pain Relief newsletter.

When you find one of the post on this blog useful please buy me a coffee to fund further researcg.

10 Ways to Manage Arthritis Foot Pain

Posted in Foot Pain on March 1st, 2007

Diabetics are not the only ones to suffer foot pain, people with arthritis are also prone to foot pain. Due to the fact that the foot has 33 joints, it is especially prone to arthritis. Arthritis is characterized by the inflammation and swelling of the cartilage and lining of the joints, and often includes an increase of joint fluid. Walking and moving is often extremely difficult for those with arthritis foot pain.

What causes arthritis foot pain? There are different causes, but those that put a person at greater risk include:
• Injury and strain not properly taken care of
• Bacteria and viral infections
• Certain disorders such as ileitis and colitis
• Certain prescription drugs and illegal drug use
• Genetics

In addition to the above causes, there are two forms of arthritis that can lead to foot pain:

1. Rheumatoid arthritis – This is a systemic disease that causes non-specific inflammation of joints belonging to the hands and feet. Over time, rheumatoid arthritis may result in the destruction of the joints and cause serious, chronic foot problems including hammertoes, bunions, etc.

2. Osteoarthritis – This is a degenerative form of arthritis, and it often affects more than one joint. Osteoarthritis is more common among the elderly, obese or those who’ve suffered a physical trauma. Osteoarthritis can cause changes in the foot bones such as cartilage destruction, spurs, narrowing of joint space and cystic changes.

How can arthritis foot pain be treated? Arthritis foot pain shouldn’t be ignored, and should be treated as soon as possible. The following are 10 treatments you can try to help relieve inflammation and pain, as well as improve the flexibility of joints –

1. Exercises – Stretching, range of motion, and functional exercises are all ideal for preventing arthritis foot pain. These exercise help to improve blood flow to the feet, improve flexibility, and keep bones and muscles strong. It’s best to ask your podiatrist to recommend exercises.

2. Lose weight – Weight puts plenty of stress and strain on your joints. If you are overweight, shedding excess pounds can make a significant difference to your feet.

3. Supportive footwear – It is imperative that you invest in shoes that provide your foot with support, and feature a high, wide toe box. Shoes with rocker-bottom soles are a good choice for those suffering from heel pain. You should avoid wearing high heel shoes and shoes with pointed toes. In fact, it’s a good idea to have your shoes custom made or ask a podiatrist for recommendations.

You should also consider acquiring removable insoles or orthotics for your shoes to provide your foot with more support.

4. Knee, ankle and foot supports – Tensor bandages and braces that provide mild compression and support can help reduce stress placed on the joint.

5. Heat/cold therapy – Applying heating pads or ice packs to the inflamed joint can help relieve inflammation and sooth the aching joint.

6. Physical therapy – Talk to your doctor about physical therapy treatment.

7. Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate supplements – These supplements help to slow the deterioration of cartilage between joint bones and reduce pain. Talk to your doctor about these supplements before taking them.

8. Over-the-counter pain medication – If you are suffering from pain due to joint inflammation, common over-the-counter medications that may be effective at reducing inflammation and pain include aspirin, acetaminophen and ibuprofen.

9. Anti-inflammatory creams and topical ointments – There are topical medications that help relieve acute pain (I.E. “JointFlex”), and those that relieve pain and reduce inflammation (I.E. “Aspercreme”).

10. Surgery - Those who suffer from severe, disabling foot pain may require surgery to realign or replace joints.

Finally, remember that it is not normal for joints to hurt anywhere in your body. If you are experiencing frequent or recurring foot pain, it’s time to visit your doctor.

For more information on all varieties of Foot Pain and how to effectively treat them, please sign up for a free Foot Pain Relief newsletter.

When you find one of the post on this blog useful please buy me a coffee to fund further researcg.

Archive for March, 2007

How to Treat Foot Pain Caused by an Injury

Should You Consider Orthotics for Your Foot Pain?

10 Ways to Manage Arthritis Foot Pain

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