Pain in feet is often associated with being overworked, fatigue or having improper, worn out or ill-fitting footwear. However, many individuals fail to realize there are more symptoms they could be experiencing that are caused by their inadequate footwear. Back and leg pain, fatigue and soreness in the joints and muscles could also all be caused from the footwear many spend several hours per day in.
Exercise, working long hours and just walking to get through that never ending list of chores at the endof the can leave the tendons and muscles in feet tired, weak and vulnerable to injury and inflammation. Knowing the best ways to combat the pain and how to properly treat the feet throughout a busy day can help reduce the amount of pain that is felt and has also been linked to reducing overall fatigue. Many understand the benefits of orthotic insoles and proper shoes, however few realize the true impact they play in their overall health.
Foot pain is only the first symptom of ill-fitting or improper footwear. Feet need support if they are going to be subjected to long hours of running and walking around and often on concrete floors that offer nothing in the way of impact resistance. The footwear someone has on their feet is very often the only sort of protection they have against the floor and the feet are the first point of impact. The impact travels up from there to the knees, hips and back causing unnecessary stress and potential for misalignment due to repeated impact. The proper footwear can relieve some of the impact and lead to a decreased amount of pain, not only in the foot but throughout the body.
Shoes were never made to last forever so replacing them often, especially if a large amount of time is spent on the feet, will ensure the feet are getting the support they need and decreasing the amount of impact the entire body is subjected to. Shoes should be looked at as an investment in one's health and great care should be taken that a pair is selected for their functionality over personality, although it is possible to have both.Insoles and orthotic inserts are often added into shoes to help with support, alignment and impact. However these are intended to assist a well-fitting pair of shoes, not to replace the need for them.
If replacing shoes and insoles do not offer significant relief for pain in the feet, knees, and back then someone may need to see a specialist for further suggestions or evaluation. Often prolonged use of improper fitting or loss of impact resistance due to inadequate footwear can cause long term damage or injury. Feet are prone to bone spurs, bunions and bursitis. These are all injuries that need the expertise of a podiatrist to fully recover from.
Other injuries, such as knee or ankle pain and back pain can be caused from improper stance as well as the impact not absorbed by the shoes. These can both be indications that further evaluation is needed. Often knees and ankles can develop arthritis or deterioration and need evaluation as soon as possible. Often back pain can be being caused by the misalignment from walking in poor condition shoes and a trip to a chiropractor can also help the bones and muscles start to heal and begin to reduce pain.
Once all the alignment and pain issues are resolved are lessened some people often forget about their feet again and this can have its repercussions. Using proper fitting footwear, replacing insoles and orthotics as needed is important in the maintenance in the health of the overall body. Just as proper nutrition and adequate sleep can keep one performing in tip top shape so can the proper care of one's feet.