Sore Feet: Ouch!
"When our feet hurt, we hurt all over." I believe Socrates had it right with this one! It is suggested we walk around 10,000 steps a day. With this statistic, during a lifetime one person could walk enough steps to travel around the planet 4 times. That’s a lot of pressure on our feet! The funny thing is, we strive to take care of our weight, our appearance and our general health, but often forget our feet. That is until they start to hurt!
Why Are My Feet Sore?
Most people will at some point in their lives have sore feet. At times they may simply be sore from overuse, but other times there is an underlying problem. Common reasons for sore feet may include the following:
Most of these problems can stem from an alignment problem in the feet that may be helped by the use of arch supports.
Women are more prone to having sore feet due to the shoes they wear. High-heeled shoes may look nice, however, they are a great cause of foot problems. Stuffing your feet into a tiny shoe holds your feet tightly together and puts a lot of unnecessary stress on your foot. Raising the heel puts all your weight forward on the toes. Over time this can cause foot deformities, metatarsalgia, neuromas, and other conditions.
What Should I Do If I have Sore Feet?
If you are suffering from sore feet, you should go to your family doctor. They may refer you to a pedorthist or a podiatrist in your area and set up an appointment. They will assess your feet and determine what treatment is necessary or suggest you see a more specialized foot specialist for more evaluation. For some less serious problems you can try over the counter arch supports, as long as you are getting a quality product that has a chance of working.
How are Sore Feet Treated?
Treatment varies widely for sore feet, because there are so many problems that could be causing the symptoms. For many sore feet, the initial treatment is often rest. Ice can be applied and anti-inflammatory drugs may be taken with the doctor's approval, to provide temporary relief.
Treatment will be determined depending upon the cause of your sore feet. The solution to a lot of different kinds of sore feet is foot orthotics. Orthotics work to adjust poor mechanics and distribute the weight of your body more evenly throughout your feet. They provide shock absorption and comfort as well.
Sore feet are also affected by the shoe you're wearing. Speak to your pedorthist or podiatrist to see what features you should look for in a shoe that are helpful for your condition. For example, if you have ball of foot pain...a shoe with a rocker sole, a wider toe box and good support may improve your sore feet. If you have a high arch, your footwear should have good arch support, a low heel and a shock absorbing sole. The type of shoe you choose is definitely one of the most important strategies for dealing with sore feet.
To see our recommended lines of foot orthotics, Click Here: Arch Supports
