Understanding Foot Pain

Our foot consists of an intricate network of bones, muscles, ligaments and tendons, all beautifully held together and designed to bear the weight of the body. Though our foot is a strong and stable structure, it too is vulnerable to injury, causing mild to severe foot pain.

Foot pain can affect any part of the foot, from the tips of the toes to the Achilles tendon at the back of the heel. Initially, foot pain usually starts as micro injuries on some of the structures of the foot; usually the plantar fascia or Achilles tendon, causing these structures to swell up and experience mild to extreme foot pain. Although mild foot pain can easily be treated at home, it will take time for the injuries to heal. But most often, mild foot pain can progress to chronic foot pain due to lack of knowledge on how to properly treat the early signs of pain.

Every time we hurt ourselves, it is quite normal to take medications for the pain. Unfortunately, taking pain killers for foot pain could actually make the condition worse. Pain is like a signal, telling you that there is something wrong with your foot and you need to give it some rest. When you take pain killers, you are masking the pain, allowing you to use your injured foot, hence causing more injury which could lead to chronic heel pain.

When you experience mild foot pain, allow your foot to rest for a few days. If your foot is swollen, it is advisable to apply cold stimuli to reduce the pain and swelling. Wrapping the foot is great in immobilizing the foot. A foot that is allowed to rest can heal faster. Also, elevating the foot above the heart is also an effective way to reduce swelling. You will know if your foot is ready when you no longer feel any pain when you step.