Your feet are one of the most important parts of your body. It’s how you get around. We need them for walking, running, paddling, and balance. Our feet put in long hours, and sometimes the overtime is too much.
Are you getting sore feet? It happens to us all from time to time, and it’s a signal that they need rest. If your feet ache after a long day at work and play, there are ways to make them feel better. Start by getting treatment at a physiotherapy clinic. The physiotherapist may recommend additional exercises and techniques to help your feet recover.
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7 Tips for Foot Pain Relief
Let’s look at seven tips to make your feet stop hurting.
Use a Foot Bath
When your feet are sore from a long day, try pampering them with a nice foot bath. Fill a tub with warm water and put in some Epsom salts. Slide your feet in and sit comfortably, so you take any strain off them and then relax.
You should shoot for around 20 minutes, so pick up a book or catch up on emails while you soak. This should give you much-needed relief.
Apply Ice
If your feet are swollen, then it’s better to switch to cold. With inflammation, you want to reduce the tenderness and pain with an ice pack by numbing it. The cold can also bring down swelling too. Arthritis and gout cause lots of pain too and can be relieved this way as well.
Don’t apply the ice pack directly to your skin, though. It is better to use a towel and keep it on for 20 minutes at a time. Rolling your foot over a frozen water bottle on the floor works well for the bottom of your feet, especially for plantar fasciitis.
Try Stretching Exercises
Sometimes overstressed muscles can spasm and contract, leading to lots of pain. To counteract this, you should start doing stretching exercises for your feet and calves. Keep your heel planted on the floor and raise your toes off the ground with a towel.
You can also use a wall for this. It gives a good stretch to the back of your foot and can reduce the inflammation that leads to plantar fasciitis. A runner’s stretch is also great for the calf muscles, and stretching your thighs works too. They are all connected, and your feet will benefit from regular stretching.
Give Yourself a Foot Massage
After soaking and stretching, it’s time to get hands-on. Get out some good lotion or oil and work it into your feet with steady pressure over the sore areas. Pay special attention to the plantar fascia that runs from the ball of your foot to the heel.
The heel is where you feel the pain. However, massaging the entire length of the foot will give you the best results. You can also use a foot roller to work the bottom of your feet. An excellent 20-minute foot massage increases circulation and will relieve soreness.
Do The RICE Method
This is a proven method of reducing pain and inflammation throughout the body. It incorporates some of the methods we’ve covered already.
RICE stands for:
- Rest: Get off your feet and give them a time out. No walking or running and definitely no sports.
- ICE: As soon as you start feeling pain in your feet, apply ice. Use in intervals of 15-20 minutes to soothe and bring down swelling.
- Compression: When there is swelling, you should wrap your foot with an elastic bandage. Make sure it’s tight but doesn’t cut off your circulation.
- Elevation: Getting your foot above your heart will decrease the swelling. Try lying back and putting a pillow under your foot. It will give you some relief and ease those sore feet.
Buy Some Arch Supports
Shoe inserts are different types of padding that provide cushioned and comfort for your feet. You can pick them up at your drug store and see if it takes the pain away.
Orthotics are custom-made shoe and heel inserts design specifically for your feet. You need a doctor to prescribe them. When you wear them, they correct the way you walk. This may be contributing to your foot pain, so it’s with while trying them out.
Get New Shoes
It may be your shoes that are giving you all the problems. Most of us wear shoes for our work environment, not for comfort. From dress shoes to high heels to work boots, your poor feet have to endure 8-10 hours of this job-specific footwear. Away from work, you may wear athletic shoes or thongs while you are out. By nighttime, all your feet want to be is left alone.
Try shopping for shoes that give you comfort. Get fitted correctly, and don’t be afraid to spend extra on your shoes and boots. You are worth it. There are also barefoot shoes that allow your feet to naturally “sit” as they would if you were barefoot. They are broader and longer with no arch or extra padding, so your feet relax and take their natural shape. They take a bit to get used to, but then you will never want to take them off!
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