FOOT CARE FOR FOOT PAIN RELIEF

Do you think about foot care? Most people do not, but long days on your feet, in your shoes, your genetics and more can lead to foot pain. These are just a few things leading to foot pain. Proper foot care can keep common foot ailments from escalating to severe foot pain or to a point where surgery is the only solution.

What better time than now to start a consistent foot care regiment. We know that many people experience foot pain after a long day on their feet. There are others that experience foot pain for some genetic reasons. And there are others that just haven’t prioritized foot care as part of their daily routine. There are many causes of general foot pain and there are several common foot aliments that you could be diagnosed with. 

• Do you have constant foot pain? 
• Do you think you might have a bunion, a hammertoe or plantar fasciitis?
• Have you been diagnosed with a foot condition?  
• Are you looking for ways to relieve that foot pain before surgery is the only option for correcting them?  

Common Foot Ailments

Bunions

What is a Bunion?
A bunion is one of the most commonly diagnosed foot ailments. A bunion is a bony bump that forms at the joint of your big toe. Without proper foot care, bunions can lead to surgery being the only treatment. There are also beliefs that bunions are genetic. Our team discusses the belief about bunions being genetic in a recent bunion blog.

What Causes a Bunion?
According to the Mayo Clinic, a bunion is a bony bump that forms on the joint at the base of your big toe. It occurs when some of the bones in the front part of your foot move out of place. Similarly, the same bony bump can form on the outside of your foot at the base of your little toe and those are called bunionettes. Both of these can cause you to experience foot pain and both can lead to the need for potential surgery to correct if you are not regularly providing proper foot care. Bunions and bunionettes are debated as to whether these are genetic foot issues or if they are caused by your footwear or something else.

Hammertoes & Mallet Toes

What is a Hammertoe or Mallet Toe?
Hammertoes & mallet toes are another common foot ailment that is commonly the result of poor foot care. According to the Mayo Clinic, hammertoes and mallet toes are foot deformities that occur due to an imbalance in the muscles, tendons or ligaments that hold the toe straight. A hammertoe has an abnormal bend in the middle joint of a toe. Mallet toe affects the joint nearest the toenail. Hammertoe and mallet toe usually occur in your second, third and fourth toes.

What Causes a Hammertoe or Mallet toe?
Hammertoes & Mallet toes can be caused by certain shoes such as high-heeled shoes or footwear that's too tight in the toe box which can crowd your toes and cause them to not lie flat. Hammertoes & Mallet toes can also be the result of an injury in which you stub, jam or break a toe making it more likely for that toe to develop hammertoe or mallet toe. Another cause can be an abnormal balance of the toe muscles. The imbalance leads to instability, which can cause the toe to contract.

Plantar Fasciitis

What is a Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain. It involves inflammation of a thick band of tissue that runs across the bottom of your foot and connects your heel bone to your toes (plantar fascia). Plantar fasciitis commonly causes stabbing pain that usually occurs with your first steps in the morning. As you get up and move, the pain normally decreases, but it might return after long periods of standing, after exercise or when you stand up after sitting.

What Causes Plantar Fasciitis?
Plantar Fasciitis is caused by our plantar fascia which is in the shape of a bowstring, supporting the arch of your foot and absorbing shock when you walk. If tension and stress on this bowstring become too great, small tears can occur in the fascia. Repeated stretching and tearing can irritate or inflame the fascia, although the cause remains unclear in many cases of plantar fasciitis. To learn more about what causes plantar fasciitis and how you treat plantar fasciitis? Our team shares some foot care solutions and more in this recent blog post on plantar fasciitis.

Best Foot Care Treatments

Best Shoes for Foot Pain

There is no one size fits all shoe that works for every person. We often see that the shoes you wear could be the cause of your foot pain. Couple that with poor foot care and you could be looking at surgery as your only treatment.

There are many factors that go into selecting the best shoe for foot pain. The best shoe for foot pain may be a combination of shoe and orthotics. It may be a low-heeled shoe instead of those high heels and stilettos. It could be a shoe with a deeper toe box which gives your toes more room inside your shoe. We recommend consulting with a specialty shoe shop or your doctor for shoes tailored to your specific foot needs. 

Foot Exercises & Physical Therapy

A physical therapist can show you a series of at home exercises to stretch the plantar fascia, Achilles tendon and to strengthen lower leg muscles.

These foot exercises can help to stretch and strengthen your toe & foot muscles. Some foot exercises might include activities such as:

• Try picking up marbles or crumpling a towel with your toes. 
• While seated, roll your foot back and forth over a frozen water bottle, ice-cold can, or foam roller. Do this for one minute and then switch to the other foot.
• Another seated exercise can be done using a folded towel lengthwise to make an exercise strap. While seated place the folded towel under the arches of both feet. Grab the ends of the towel with both hands, and gently pull the tops of your feet toward you. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, and repeat three times.

Foot Alignment Socks & Night Splints

Many physical therapists & doctors will recommend wearing a splint or socks that stretches your calf, the arch of your foot or toes for proper foot alignment.

This foot care solution can be simple and effective all while you sit watching TV or even while you sleep.

My Happy Feet has patented alignment socks that do just that while providing a comfortable daily foot care treatment for most common foot ailments. Often these can be worn overnight and helps position your toes while lengthening and stretching. Buy a pair today by visiting our online store.

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