| Let’s talk about those pedal pushers. The feet joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments take a beating every day (especially for those trying to reach 10,000 steps). Here are some common foot injuries and ways you can treat yourself at home. |
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- Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar fasciitis can cause pain in the bottom of your heel or in the arch of your foot. This condition happens when the plantar fascia ligament becomes strained often due soft-soled footwear with poor arch support, frequent standing, long-distance running, weight gain, or other foot conditions. It can develop over time, and pain can range from dull to sharp. You may experience more pain when you first get up in the morning or have been resting for prolonged periods.
- Stress Fracture
Stress fractures are technically tiny “cracks” in the bone, and are common in the legs and feet. The affected area usually feels painful and tender. Stress fractures are common among runners who increase their mileage too soon or find themselves “striking” or “landing” improperly. They can also occur in athletes who play on hard surfaces or make a sudden switch to a high intensity workout plan.
- Ankle Sprain
Your ankle joints are easy to “twist” if you land funny or misjudge a step. The most common ankle sprain in the inversion sprain that occur when the foot rolls inward and the ankle rolls outward, hurting the ligaments on the outside of the ankle. The ankle will generally feel stiff and swollen afterwards and bruising around the joint depending on the degree of sprain.
- Achilles Tendonitis
Your Achilles tendon is a band of tissue that connects the calf muscles to your heel bone. Achilles tendonitis occurs when this tendon becomes inflamed, causing a mild ache near the back of your lower leg just above your heel. Tight calves are often the culprit. Long distances runners or those increasing their mileage quickly can get Achilles Tendinitis, as can tennis or basketball players.
- Morton’s Neuroma
Pain, tingling and numbness in the ball of the foot is often associated with a neuroma, a condition involving a pinched nerve in the foot. The main symptom people experience with a neuroma is pain between the toes while walking. While there is not an exact cause, many different things may play a role in the development of a neuroma, such as flat feet or feet with high arches, overuse or stress, shoe size and style, and trauma. These factors may cause inflammation, instability, and stress, which may lead to a neuroma.
Home Remedies
- Plantar Fasciitis
- I always recommend sleeping in a night splint. It will help the tissue heal in a lengthened position and reduce pain when first waking in the morning. Make sure are wearing the correct shoes with enough arch support. Stretch your calves and also do self-massage to calf muscles and arch.
- Stress Fracture
- The best way for a stress fracture to heal is to take the stress off it. Wearing a boot and/or using crutches are options. You can manage your pain symptoms with ice and medications recommend by your doctor.
- Ankle Sprain
- Initially, you should RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) to manage the pain and swelling. After a few days, start some light ankle mobilizations to push out swelling and reduce restrictions in the joint.
- Achilles Tendinitis
- Stretch!!! When you are stretching, make sure you are addressing all of the muscles in calf since they are layered on top of each other. You can also use The Stick or any other type of soft tissue massage tool. Modify your activities so the tissue can heal.
- Morton’s Neuroma
- Check your footwear. If you are wearing shoes that are too tight in the toe box, they will be compressing your foot and increasing that pressure on the neuroma. Use ice for pain management, stretch the muscles in your calf and massage your arch using a lacrosse ball or golf ball. You might even want to do some self-mobilization of your feet and toes.
Remember, at-home treatments are not used to indicate a diagnosis or substitute the need for an evaluation. If you’re having trouble with your feet or ankles, be sure to book an evaluation with us at the clinic. Schedule an evaluation with us here.
