Avoiding foot pain in advance is the ideal way to avoid costly and painful surgical procedures down the road. Despite the fact that many people ignore foot pain for months, pretending that the pain doesn’t exist or wishing it would fix itself are inadequate solutions to the foot pain situation. Painful feet can be a thing of the past and strong, healthy feet can take their place with only a few minor lifestyle changes. Here are a few reasons why metatarsalgia occurs, how to resolve issues with feet such as Achilles tendonitis, and how minor changes, like using insoles for high heel shoes, can help.
High Heels Can Spell Trouble for Feet
High-heeled shoes can wreak havoc on feet when worn regularly. From the very narrow toe box (the part enclosing the front of the foot) to the angle of incline, these shoes can permanently damage muscles, nerves, and bones in the feet. First, when narrowing of the feet is forced, as it does in a high heeled shoe, the mid-foot and toe regions are forced into an unnatural position. The ligaments, tendons and muscles are strained into a tight area for what the foot needs. Over time, nerves become packed together, blood flow is decreased to areas of the foot (particularly in the toes) and painful foot issues develop.
Massage Can Aid Feet in More Than One Way
Foot pain and soreness can be rubbed away with a gentle massage. The mild movement of the muscle fibers increases blood flow to the area. Massage also delivers healing, oxygen-rich blood into the affected foot. Once muscles are relaxed, nerve endings can begin to slow their firing and pain relief is achieved. If nerve endings and muscles are especially aggravated by a certain pair of shoes or an activity, swelling will be present. In that case, it is advised to use ice packs or frozen vegetables to decrease inflammation. Elevation of the feet above the heart during this time is also very effective in allowing the excess fluids to be drained from the foot.
Achilles Heel Tendonitis Can Be Eased with This Stretch
Achilles tendonitis can really put a sour note in anyone’s day. The constricton of this vital tendon can cause contracting in the lower leg. It can also be a major contributor to becoming so short that it eventually tears. The way to elongate the tendon’s structure in order to lessen pain is to administer gentle stretching to the region. Sit on the floor with both legs extended in a seated position. Then, gently lean the upper body forward and your hamstring will be engaged in a stretch. Now that your leg muscles have increased blood flow, softly coax the feet towards the head to target the Achilles tendon. Hold the stretch for about half a minute, rest for 60 seconds, and repeat 5 times.
Massage, Stretch and Insoles For High Heels Can Prevent Painful Foot Conditions
In today’s high-fashion world, lack of willingness to buy more comfortable shoes can lead to disaster. However, with the use of high heel insoles, metatarsalgia can be significantly reduced or eliminated altogether. It is advisable to wear shoes with heels no higher than 2″ and with a wider-profile heel such as a wedge to avoid future metatarsalgia. If pain occurs at the end of the day, consider adjusting to flat dress shoes for several days per week to allow the feet some rest from tight shoes which will help feet heal in between wearing higher heels. Be sure to elongate foot muscles with a stretch and have them massaged to encourage maximum blood flow to the feet.
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