Are your feet in mild to servere pain? From poor fitting shoes, to inherited deformities, foot pain is no laughing matter. We rarely take care of our feet properly until the pain has become so severe we can’t ignore it any longer.
Make sure you (and your children) have the right fit and type of shoe that will support running, walking, and your weight. Good info for the best fit possible at http://walkezstore.wpengine.com/shoeSizing.php. Most people suffer from some kind of foot pain throughout the day, usually due to improperly fitted and supported footwear. The info you will find at the link above will teach you things like; the shoe industry has no standards for sizing shoes, pattern make a huge difference how a shoe will fit on your feet, how to deal with the fact that most shoes are only made in medium widths and how to adjust accordingly, and above all, where and how your foot should fit inside a shoe. It doesn’t matter how much you pay for a shoe, although the better constructed shoes are usually more expensive due to the quality and craftsmanship put into materials and manufacture. What really matters is how it fits on your foot, or if it fits. Not all shoes will work on your feet. Allot depends on the shape of your feet and the shape of the shoe, as well as the sensitivity of your feet and how the shoe rides on your foot.
There are many treatments and tips to get rid of serious foot pain. Please keep in mind the following advice is just that, advice. If you have serious pain, are following these rules, and still suffer you should consult with a physician for a deeper look into your problem. Only an x-ray or MRI can give you an exact picture of what may be going on.
According to the American Podiatric Medical Association, 84% of women and 52% of men have suffered from at least one painful foot problem.
Do you purchase shoes just because they’re cute or fashionable? You wouldn’t think about putting shoes that are too small or improperly fitted on your child’s feet! Don’t do it on yours! Women are more likely to suffer than men due to their choice of footwear. Tapered and pointed toed shoes as well as high heels are a major culprit in causing foot pain. These shoes usually force the forefoot into an unnatural shape. Women’s fashion shoes are mostly of a slip-on type and are usually purchased a bit on the small side to stay on the feet well. This compromises proper fit and can cause deformities and pain over time.
Here are six of the most common ailments women experience and smart tips to help alleviate their foot pain. Take this advice and you’ll soon feel like foot pain is a thing of the past.
How To Put Your Best Foot Forward:
1. Do you have Plantar Fasciitis? This feels like a sharp stabbing pain in your heel and it’s worse upon rising after sleeping, or after you’ve been resting.
· Cause – The plantar fascia is a that thick band of tissue running along the bottom of the foot from heel to toe. All type of arches may suffer from plantar fasciitis. If you wear unsupported footwear of any kind and have this condition, the problem will get worse. A shoe should support the arch. If not, the fascia will stretch and that will cause further inflammation.
· Treatment – Choose shoes with some structure and make sure it is the proper type for the job your doing. Shoes that offer some arch support and have an enclosed heel will be much better than flip flops, crocs, or any other loose sloppy fitting shoe. The single best way to assure a proper arch fit for your shoes is to purchase an ezWalker Custom Orthotic Arch Support from www.walkezstore.com. This will give each foot just exactly what it is needing in the way of proper bio mechanical support due to The Walkezstoe.com’s custom fitting process. Only The Walkezstore.com will guarantee customer satisfaction or your money back. Avoid going barefoot as much as possible. This is best achieved by using your ezWalker Custom Orthotic Arch Support even in your slippers, or to purchase footwear that offers built in support like Haflinger, Finn Comfort, Birkenstock, Miphisto, Orthaheel. Avoid soft cushy shoes. The idea is to stabilize the foot with firmness, not cushion it with pillows. Stretch your feet in the mornings. When you sleep, your plantar fascia is relaxed. It gets a real wake-up call of tension when you first put your feet on the floor and begin to bear your weight on them. Before getting out of bed, wrap a towel around your feet and pull the toes back, gently stretching the tendons. Work your feet up and down and around in circles in all directions before getting out of bed. This will stimulate blood flow, warm the muscles and prepare the feet to go to work. The best way to combat morning pain is to sleep in a night splint. This will keep the foot in a proper position reducing heeling time. The one sold at here is the most comfortable and best for complete healing for the money. http://walkezstore.wpengine.com/index.php?page=buyNow&setItem=7. Reduce swelling and stimulate healing using a plastic bottle filled with water, freeze it, and then roll it under your foot for a few minutes to relieve the pain. You may also simply wrap your foot in any type over the counter reusable cold pack. After a few days of icing your injury, begin to alternate with mild heat to stimulate blood flow. Also be sure to eat a good diet rich in protein, calcium, and B vitamins. This will increase healing on a nutritional level. I know you may not think it makes a difference, but ordering ezWalker Custom Arch Supports molded specifically to your foot’s shape, is by far the single most effective way to speed healing. This will help control foot motion and decrease the daily strain on the plantar fascia when added to the inside of any of your shoes. The ezWalker brand Custom Orthotics are 3/4 length and so ultra thin they can be added to any of your shoes, as long as they’re not too small, which may be why you have plantar fasciitis in the first place. This will give each foot exactly what it is looking for in the way of proper bio mechanical support, reducing stress and strain on not only the plantar fascia of your feet, but your entire body. Properly aligned feet will properly align the rest of you, providing you are flexible enough to be realigned. If after purchasing your ezWalkers, you feel they are too harsh, simply contact customer service for instructions on how to adjust them for a more comfortable level of support for you. If not completely satisfied within 90 days, return the product for a full refund. You’ve got nothing to lose but your pain.
2. Ingrown Toenails. This feels like a throbbing sensation and is most often located on the side of one of your big toes. Is it swollen and red?
· Cause – When the nail edge grows sideways into the skin of the toe, it forms a toenail that is growing inward instead of straight outward. The pressure on the nail bites into the surrounding skin and can cause mild to extreme pain and/or infection. If your shoes are too tight or narrow around the toe area, you are at risk for getting ingrown toenails.
· Treatment – Don’t wear pointed toed shoes. If you’re going to need dressy shoes, yet your going to be walking a lot, carry your dress shoes and walk in structured walking shoes. Improperly timed toe nails can also be the reason for ingrown nails. Always trim your toe nails straight across with slightly rounded corners instead of trimming into the corners. If you get pedicures, make sure they follow these procedures, don’t assume they will or know what they’re doing. Choose a reputable salon or go to a podiatrist. To reduce callus formation keep the feet well rubbed with a pumice stone and moisturized with lotions or creams designed for the feet. Before wearing shoes, make sure the lotions and creams are absorbed and your feet are dry. When a callus develops, it causes more pressure on the ingrown nail or other parts of your foot. If you are Diabetic, only use lotions approved for Diabetics and be absolutely sure you do not put the cream or lotion between your toes. If you do, wipe off all excess from between your toes and be sure the area is dry before putting on your socks and shoes. This area is prone to fungal infections due to poor circulation and excessive perspiration usually present in the Diabetic foot. No “self-surgery”. Digging around on your toenails or skin can lead to serious infection and deeper injury to the nail or foot. See a podiatrist if you think you have an infected ingrown toe nail. Don’t delay! Infections on the feet can lead to a more serious condition and may result in the loss of a toe or worse.
3. Bursitis – This feels like a painful bump and is located on the back of the heel. This is commonly referred to as a pump bump and can be very painful.
· Cause – This can occur when you have an enlarged heel bone or what is known as a Hagland’s Deformity. If you wear stiff-backed shoes, or shoes that are too small causing too much pressure on the heel, this can worsen the bump further, inflaming the bursa, which is a protective sac of fluid.
· Treatment – Wear shoes with open backs, until the irritation has lessened, or all the time, whichever is necessary. If you properly fit your shoes, you will reduce the risk of re-occurance of this problem. Use Dr. Scholl’s Foam Cushions (donut shaped pad). Place this pad over the bump to alleviate pressure and use ice at the end of the day to soothe the inflammation. Better yet, don’t wear shoes that increase this problem in the first place. And again, the use of an ezWalker Custom Orthotic will support and stabilize your heel which will reduce the pressure as well. If you have chronic and constant severe pain in this area of the foot, consult a Podiatrist for advice and possible removal of the bump.
4. Stress Fracture. This feels like a tender area, frequently on the front part of the foot, along the 2nd or 3rd metatarsal, the long bones in the top middle of the foot. It is also common along the outer side of the foot around the cuboid or 5th metatarsal as well.
· Cause – Any repetitive stress on the bone, like walking and running with poorly fitted footwear and the aid of a proper bio mechanically designed Custom Orthotic like the ezWalker from www.walkezstore.com. Feet that walk bio mechanically backwards will force too much forefoot pressure on the lateral side of the foot and lesser metatarsal bones that are small in the first place. These bones are designed to aid balance not carry weight.
· Treatment – If you believe you have a stress fracture and own a medical boot or shoe of any kind, wear it and consult a doctor for an x-ray and proper diagnosis as soon as possible. You will need to wear this medical device while you heal. A medical shoe or boot has a hard bottom that will keep the affected bones from bending, stabilizing the foot and will allow better heeling. A fracture is a crack in the bone and is prone to a complete break if not treated properly. Again, a Custom ezWalker Orthotic used in conjunction with the medical device will help to support the foot completely and help to speed healing. Be patient, a stress fracture will heal in about 4 – 8 weeks, normally. During this healing time don’t over stress the foot, no running or long walks. To reduce swelling and pain, ice the injury often in the first couple of weeks and rest as much as possible. The body heals best when at rest. To prevent re-injury keep your weight at a healthy level and wear supportive shoes aided by the use of an ezWalker Custom Orthotic for complete protection.
5. Bunions – These are sensitive and protruding lumps or bumps at the heads of the big-toe joints and can pull your toe to an angled deformity.
Cause – This is usually caused from poor bio mechanics of the foot and the use of improperly fitted footwear. It is often said that bunions are hereditary. This is only true if the foot inherits the poor bio mechanical function of it’s ancestor. If you have low arches, or your feet tend to over pronate or roll inward, your 1st metatarsal bone actually moves and the bump will get larger and more deformed over time if not properly supported. High heeled, pointed toed shoes will help to rapidly worsen this problem.
· Treatment – Shoe choice is critical. Best choices are shoes with a wide toe area and a lower heel but not flat. This is where the ezWalker Custom Orthotic from www.walkezstore.com is crucial. This device will restore proper bio mechanics to the foot and reduce the pressure causing the displacement of the joint and possibly stop or slow the progression of a joint that is already deforming. If the bunion is already deformed to a degree of displacement that causes severe pain, try placing a gel pad over the bunions to cushion them and reduce the pain. There are also devices like bunion splints and toe straighteners available at www.myfootshop.com. If pain is persistent and nothing seems to help, consult a podiatrist about possible surgery to correct the deformity. Be sure to choose a reputable doctor, as this surgery is tricky and does not always result in complete pain relief.
6. Neuroma – This is a shooting pain in the ball of the foot usually in the area of the 3rd and 4th or 4th and 5th metatarsals.
· Cause – This pain is caused by pressure on the nerve in the underside of the foot. Swelling can occur. Narrow, pointed shoes put more pressure on an already irritated nerve so pick shoes with wider toe room. It is important to unrestrict the width pressure of the forefoot and open up the nerve channel.
· Treatment – Choose shoes with a more square toe box shape. Use an ezWalker Custom Orthotic from www.walkezstore.com and added metatarsal support. It is imperative to open the area of inflammation to speed healing. Nerves take a long time to heal and even once it feels better can become inflamed easily if you go back to the wrong type of footwear. Use anti-inflammatories like Ibuprofen. This can be very helpful but if you don’t experience relief see a podiatrist. For chronic painful neuroma conditions that don’t get better, surgery such as cryotreatment can help . Your podiatrist can make that determination.
Take care of your feet. This is the one part of our bodies we don’t pay enough attention to. They need to carry you through the rest of your life. You only get one pair, and from what I’ve seen, you better hope you never need a fake set.
