Easy Tips In Managing Chronic Foot Pain.

Foot pain should not be a part of your daily life. There are ways to manage chronic foot pain without the need of drastic surgery.

Two common causes of chronic foot pain are plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinitis. 

Plantar fasciitis is a condition where the plantar fascia gets inflamed causing lower foot pain. The plantar fascia is a strong fibrous tissue located underneath the foot. It attaches the calcaneus bone or heel bone to the heads of the metatarsal bones. 

Plantar fasciitis is common among the elderly since the plantar fascia is commonly used and prone to wear and tear. This condition is also common among athletes like runners, basketball players, those who play football, or any sport that involves the foot. 

Achilles tendinitis on the other hand involves the back of the foot. This affects the Achilles tendon, a strong tendon that attaches behind the heel bone to the muscles above (gastrocnemius and soleus). Injury to the Achilles tendon is similar to plantar fascia: wear and tear due to old age and sports.

Fortunately, both conditions can easily be managed using the RICE method.

Rest – this is very important when managing chronic foot pain. The pain coming from plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendinitis are due to micro injuries. Allowing the foot to rest allows the body to heal these injuries.

Ice – applying cold stimuli to the affected foot is a good way to alleviate pain and swelling. 

Compress – compressing the foot with an elastic bandage helps prevent further swelling. Also it helps immobilize the foot, which is very important for the healing process.

Elevate – In some cases, the foot becomes really swollen because of gravity pulling fluid to the foot. Elevating the foot above the heart prevents this, allowing the fluids to flow back into the circulatory system and relieving the foot from pressure and pain.