Believe it or not, around one fourth of all the bones in your body are in your feet. The feet are flexible structures of bones, joints, muscles, and soft tissues that let us stand upright and perform activities like walking, running, and jumping. Clearly, your feet are at a higher risk of injury, particularly if you are an athlete or work in an industry where you are constantly on your feet. When you’re experiencing pain in your feet, it can seem like the whole world stops.
When you take the time to consider how intricate the foot is, and how delicate the bones there are, you should be really careful with potential foot injuries. When you start experiencing foot pain, the only thing you should take lightly are your steps on the way to the doctor’s office.
If your feet hurt, sometimes it can be hard to find the culprit. Here are unexpected reasons you could be experiencing pain:
- You are constantly on your feet: If your job involves a lot of standing, it could be the root cause of your foot pain. While many people suffer from a sedentary lifestyle, doing the opposite and standing for more than ten hours a day can be the cause of swelling and soreness in your feet.
- You are not wearing supportive shoes: Lack of support in a shoe can lead to ankle or knee injuries, while ill-fitting shoes can cause blister or toenail damage. Look into buying a good quality supportive shoe, with good tread and comfort. Wearing heels, especially ones that are too high, can also hurt your feet. Make sure you get supportive shoes, and avoid walking barefoot. Your foot has a natural arch, and you don’t want to force it either too flat or arch it too far. Be kind to your feet!
- You are not stretching enough: Warming up with stretches for just 10-15 minutes, whether you are an athlete or just working out, will greatly lessen your risk of injury. Stretching your feet will help avoid Charlie horses and conditions such as plantar fasciitis, as well as sprained ankles or ruptured Achilles tendons.
- You have gained some weight: Gaining weight does in fact have an impact on your feet. the muscles in your feet either expand of contract. Be conscious of your shoe size if you’re going through a considerable weight change.
If you’ve been experiencing pain in your feet, call Orthopaedic Associates of Central Maryland at (410) 644-1880 to request an appointment, or request one online. You don’t want to let things get out of hand, so put your best foot forward and call today!
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