Do your feet hurt? What can this lead to?

Leg pain is generally a sign of fatigue. However, it is often a sign that something is not quite right in your body. The same applies to your feet. Why do your feet hurt, what's behind it and what should you do to alleviate the pain?

Why your feet hurt

With respect to structure, the legs are one of the most complicated parts of the body. And at the same time, one of the most stressed. You are constantly on your feet, and it's no wonder that they sometimes hurt. However, if this pain, especially in the soles of your feet, occurs repeatedly or even constantly, then you should pay attention. It may indicate a more serious problem than mere fatigue from hours of standing.

The sole of the foot is made up of dozens of muscles, bones and tendons. That makes revealing the cause of the pain even more difficult. That is why during diagnosis you should describe your pain in the greatest possible detail. The causes of foot pain are similar to pain in the other parts of the leg. They most frequently include:

• leg overload 
• inappropriate footwear
• excess weight
• standing for long periods of time
• walking barefoot over flat surfaces
• poor body posture
• incorrect gait 
• pregnancy

What foot pain can mean

Foot pain can be caused by numerous illnesses and complications.  This may involve a chain of reactions, with foot pain resulting from problems in other parts of the body. Naturally, both feet may not hurt at the same time. This means that the pain may be related to poor posture or some past injury causing you to favour one leg when walking and thus subjecting the other to greater stress. This is only one example of the many complications that may be related to foot pain. 

Foot pain may be associated, for example, with the following complications:

• fallen arches
• plantar fascitis
• heel spurs 
• hammer toes
• Morton's neuralgia
• pes cavus 
• and others

Prevention and treatment

The most important thing is to determine the cause of the foot pain, because using analgesics or similar treatments may alleviate the pain and provide immediate relief, but it will not eliminate the problem. Sooner or later, the pain will come back and if the cause is not treated, the problem may get worse.

The foundation of success is a precise diagnosis. If your trouble with foot pain persists, don't hesitate to visit your doctor, podiatrist, or physical therapist. They will help you determine the cause and recommend things you should start doing to get rid of the pain and complications as soon as possible. Treatment may not always involve medication, but depending on the cause may include foot exercises, orthopedic aids or dietary changes. The sooner you seek out professional help, the easier treatment will be. In certain cases, early treatment can help you avoid the operating room. 

But one thing that you can do for your feet without professional help is prevention. The cause of your pain may often be obvious. If you suffer from excess weight, try changing your diet or your general lifestyle. If the cause is related to leg overload, try to recuperate sufficiently, find better footwear for the given activity or at least use orthopedic inserts. If your feet hurt during pregnancy, the best thing to do is to put your feet up and relax and don't overexert yourself. Foot massages and our Foot Alignment Socks will also help relieve foot pain and improve general circulation. Simply focus on what you can influence and leave professional help to the experts. 

We wish you good health.