Foot pain can arise from many possible causes and manifests in many different symptoms making it hard to self-diagnose. Saying that, some causes are more obvious than others.
- Some of the more obvious causes of foot pain include
- high activity rates
- poorly fitting shoes, new shoes, or tight shoes
- foot trauma or injury
- poor quality insoles
- over-weight or obesity
- foot conditions e.g. flat feet
- joint conditions e.g. arthritis
As you can see even in this short and basic list the diagnosis of foot pain is not necessarily straight forward. That is why it is important that you should contact a GP or podiatrist to have the problem looked at and diagnosed properly. Only when you know the true cause of foot pain can you begin to think about treating it.
To give you an idea of what you might expect to hear from your doctor we have listed below some of the most common types of foot pain and the symptoms associated with them:
- Calluses and Corns - thick and hardened skin which is often flaky and dry. Usually found in areas where there is rubbing or friction on the feet - usually due to poorly fitting shoes.
- Bunions - symptoms include a bony bump with raw and calloused skin at the base of the big toe. There is usually pain associated with the pressure of shoes and the big toe is often turned in towards the others.
- Hammer Toe - A claw-like deformity of the toe which can cause corns, calluses, and foot pain in the area where the toe joins the foot.
- Plantar Fasciitis - symptoms usuall include pain in the bottom of the heel which usually is worst in the morning and improving throughout the day until a dull ache.
- Fallen Arches/Flat Feet - flattening of the arches which can lead to foot pain, heel pain and even pain in the knees, hips and lower back. Characterized by having little or now arch when foot flat against the floor.
- Heel Spur - Usually occurs at the bottom of the heel due to an overgrowth of bone. Often results in heel pain which can be extreme - especially when walking.
Thousands of people in the UK alone suffer from foot problems, a lot less get a real and accurate diagnosis. Diagnosing foot pain on your own can be a dangerous way to go unless you are absolutely sure as to what the problem is - seeing a doctor is the only way to be sure.
The good news is many of these foot problems are easy to fix if you catch them early enough. Many can be eased using over the counter anti-inflammatories (such as Ibuprofen) and ice packs.
It always helps to have a good pair of insoles too as stress of the feet is a common source of the problem - you can self-customize a pair of Troo Step Insoles for an affordable and effective option - see www.troo-step-insoles.co.uk for more information.
Just remember this - doing something about your foot pain is better than doing nothing - nothing might just lead to you needing surgery down the line. If you are not willing to go to see a doctor then it might be worth changing your foot care habits including:
- Make sure your shoes fit properly
- Get a decent insole - click here for our recommendation
- If you're overweight then you may need to lose some
- Rest our feet as much as possible
- Use anti-inflammatories and ice where necessary
For a free foot care secrets ebook and a report on how to get foot pain relief in just days visit our main site at www.troo-step-insoles.co.uk
