Your feet are an important and complex part of your body. Your feet are the base for your entire body, if they hurt all the time then your entire body can suffer. The problem is that your feet carry the entire weight of your body, they sweat heavily, and your feet are exposed to a lot of bacteria. Is it any wonder many people have feet that hurt? This article will try to answer the question why do my feet hurt?
The first thing we will discuss is keeping your feet healthy. You can avoid many of the problems that were mentioned above by keeping your feet clean and healthy. One of the keys to keeping your feet healthy is to make sure you are wearing shoes that fit properly. Wearing shoes that do not fit properly is one of the main causes of foot pain, this is especially true if you are on your feet all day. You need to check your toenails and the skin of your feet daily to ensure they are in good condition and look healthy. If possible wash your feet more than one time each day. Consider how many times a day you wash your hands. Now let us take a closer look at some of the conditions that can answer your question why do my feet hurt?
One of the most common problems that a podiatrist will hear is “my feet hurt when I get out of bed.” This is the classic sign of Plantar Fasciitis. This problem is painful and is what is classified as an overuse condition. There is a fibrous band that runs along the bottom of your foot, it runs from the arch of your foot to your heel. As you walk this band stretches and relaxes with every step, plus it is carrying the weight of your body. Standing in improper shoes for too long, continuously walking on hard surfaces, carrying too much weight, or lack of physical conditioning can all cause Plantar Fasciitis.
There are several things you can do to help this condition. You can use one of the many over-the-counter heel lifts that are available. This will take some of the pressure off the tendon. You can also start performing stretching exercises on your foot to keep the tendon limber. Stretching your feet just before bed time can make a big difference in how your feet feel when you wake up in the morning.
If you have this foot problem you will have pain in the back of your heel, especially when you climb stairs or go up a hill. This problem is also an inflammation, this time it is an inflammation of the tendon that connects your heel to your calf. As with Plantar Fasciitis this problem is also caused by overuse of the tendon, generally due to poor conditioning. This problem is commonly found in those that play sports on the weekends. There are many different choices for treating this problem. Again, using a heel lift in your shoes can be very helpful, stretching your calf muscles, and applying ice to the area twice a day are all effective methods of treating Achilles tendonitis.
If your feet are numb, burning, or if you have shooting pain in the ball of your feet you probably have a neuroma. A neuroma is caused when undue pressure is continuously applied to the nerves near the toes. This condition is often seen in tennis players and other athletes that spend a lot of time on the balls of their feet. Generally, wearing a wider shoe, or using a support sole can alleviate the problem. If not you should see your podiatrist for other treatments.
Bunions are a bulging, bony deformity of the big toe which causes it to rotate toward the other toes of your foot. This problem is generally caused be wearing shoes that fit too tightly across the toes, but it can also be caused by genetics. Treatments for bunions include wearing wider shoes, or adding padding around your toes. If this does not help your podiatrist can prescribe medication, perform icing, or make custom splints for your toes.
Corns and Calluses
These are two more very common, and very painful foot ailments. Generally, these are a thickening of the skin between the toes caused by the toes rubbing together. They can also be caused by your toes rubbing against the sides of ill fitting shoes. Wearing wider shoes will alleviate the pain and give your toes more space. This will generally be enough to allow the skin to soften allowing the corns and calluses to heal on their own.
This is another common foot problem that can be caused be different factors. One of the main causes of ingrown toenails is trimming your toenails too short. They can also be caused by wearing shoes that fit too tight, or by stubbing your toe. This problem can usually be treated by wearing wider shoes and trimming your toenails straight across. If the condition persists consult with a podiatrist for other treatment options.
These are some of the conditions that could be the answer to your question why do my feet hurt? These are not all of the possible reasons though, if you have painful feet, and do not know why your feet hurt then see a podiatrist. When your feet feel better, you will feel better.